The Ink Link: Small But Mighty

The Ink Link is an ongoing project at CN&CO that showcases the diversity of tattoos. One of the great things about a tattoo is that it goes against the commonly held viewpoint that “what you see is what you get”. There’s a misguided belief in certain quarters that only “some” people get a tattoo. We are putting paid to that perception through the stories showcased in the Ink Link. If you or anyone you know would like to be featured, please get in contact with us.

This Ink Link was written by Stella Carter.

Meet Prinita Alexander. Wife, mother (of two gorgeous kids), sister, daughter, aunty, TikToker and friend. What she lacks in height (she’s tiny) she makes up for in energy, vibe and personality.  Prinita is the epitome of “Small but mighty”.

Prinita manages brand and marketing for the partnerships division of Lombard Insurance, a CN&CO partner. I have had the pleasure of working alongside Prinita on the partnerships brand and marketing portfolio for the past few years. When Prinita isn’t bringing the vibe to the partnerships team, she is swinging her tiny body around a very solid pole…for fun! No, she’s not a stripper (we were all thinking it!), for fitness, she pole dances… and she’s pretty good too.

I got a chance to sit with Prinita and talk about her ink. Here what she had to say:

Q: Tell me about your first tattoo

A: I was 19 years old, and, like any girl my age, thought I should do something elegant and timeless, so obviously, I got a tramp stamp!

I wasn’t particularly phased about the meaning behind my first tattoo, I just wanted something pretty, but different. And nothing is prettier and more unusual than a butterfly engulfed in flames.

If I’m honest, I don’t love my first tattoo – I feel it was set skew, which was more obvious when seen in a pair of low-rise pants (all I wore at that age). Also, the tattooing techniques then weren’t what you see now, so the outline is very thick and not very delicate. But, at the time, it was the coolest thing I’d done.  

Q: What made you decide to get a second tattoo after how you felt about your first one?

A: I was 22 years old, far wiser and more mature! I was getting into drawing and was inspired by a drawing I had done on a book. I felt the design and meaning was exactly what I needed to help me heal from my past. Between the ages of 19 and 22 I had taken to cutting myself. The scars, for the most part, weren’t very noticeable and prominent, however there was a scar on my left wrist that I didn’t like and felt it was time to cover it up, let go and move on.

The design I did was a flower on a stem, with a few thorns (because not all flowers are delicate), which I felt was a perfect reflection of me.

Q: How did tattoo number 3 come around?

A: My third tattoo is possibly the most special one to me. The desire to get this tattoo came to me at a time when I was deliberating between therapy and another tattoo…. A tattoo felt like the less painful, more appropriate lifelong commitment to make.  

So as a treat to myself for my 36^th birthday I designed and booked my third tattoo. This tattoo is a vine with leaves, which travels from my left wrist to shoulder. Within the vine stem are my two children’s names.  

The thinking with this one is to add to it over time, as the desire presents itself.

Q: Any more ink planned for the future?

A: Funny you ask – I have number four AND five booked for December, and I can’t wait.

Tattoo number four is another piece I drew myself. It’s a dragon. I love dragons. When I was in high school, I read a lot of fantasy books. I found it was an escape for me – I always wanted to ignite the dragon in myself. I took a drawing I worked on a while back and have adapted it to what I want.

Tattoo number five is a dainty cross. My faith is an important part of who I am, and I wanted something to symbolise that.

Q: Do you think you will stop here?

A: There is always an intention to get more tattoos done. And I want to try and design them myself, give them real meaning. I feel like my tattoos are a reflection of my own life and growth, each one telling its own story.