Interview of week : Sunny Buick

It’s no secret that we like tattoos. And for some of us, the first one was the creation of the amazing and talented Sunny Buick. And now, she has accepted to answer our questions and tell us more about her Wanderlust.

Story Alex
Photos courtesy of Sunny Buick

Soundtrack of the report
The Beat Generation
Bob McFadden

Back in January 2009, we had all made up our mind on a drawing and gathered our courage to get under the needles. We spent a full day with Sunny while she tattooed 4 beautiful designs on our skins. A bonding experience for sure... A few months later, when we moved our offices, we ended up sharing a cool space in Paris with her. Under her mentoring, Romain became Sailor Roman and we got to enjoy the smiling and pleasant company of Sunny ever since. The best officemate if you ask me.

What you may not know about Sunny, is that she’s an avid traveler for both work and fun. As you will discover in the Interview, that was all predestined by her first name. Sunny international fame as a tattoo artist and an illustrator gets her invitations all over the world. The tattoo conventions are always a good way of making a trips for free and meeting local people to show you around. She also takes part in exhibition with her illustrations and the many objects she produces. You can check her online shop to see all the cool stuff she designs. And we also highly recommend her blog if you want to see more about her travels around the world in real-time. She just came back from Oslo where she was invited to tattoo at Sacha’s studio Primitive Abstract. Soon, the story also on Hejorama in her upcoming column about her travels in Europe.

1. How did you become a traveler ?

I was born with the first name Gypsy. Maybe that’s where it comes from. Also my mother moved us around a lot during my childhood. I have a big appetite for learning and I like to make new friends, so traveling, though stressful sometimes is always gratifying for me.

2. Why is travel appealing to you? What do you get from it ?

As an artist my eyes and my memories are the inspiration for my work. Traveling enriches my experience and gives me reference for the feelings I want to express.

3. What is your favourite memory of travel that you usually keep to yourself ?

My thoughts and fantasies about people’s lives and tendencies. What I mean is I have a lot of ideas about things that could be wrong or right, just impressions. I’m often too shy to ask personal questions so I pretend to answer them in my head.

4. Place you would love to get back to?

All the places I’ve visited! But there are so many more to visit...

5. How do research for your trips? What resources do you use?

I often keep notes for years. I had a list going for 20 years for Tokyo. I really researched that trip. But usually I just try to explore randomly. I have a nose for finding cool stuff.

6. What is your dream transportation way? Where will you go with it ?

Instantly materialising. I would go all over the world and time travel too!

7. What is your best asset when you travel ?

Good sense of direction.

8. Describe your ideal place to take a nap/sleep ?

In security.

9. Who would you like to travel with ?

I like to travel alone. Or with my husband. I don’t like all the compromises you have to make with traveling partners. I like to follow my own rhythm.

10. What is the best food culture for you and why ?

American, because you can find every food culture in the world.

11. Any cultural practices you’ve learned in travel you use in your own life ?

Kissing on both cheeks. When I got back to America after my first trip to France I didn’t like to hug any more. I preferred the kissing to full body contact.