Badass Mother: Durban tattoo artist and downhill skater, Rebecca Claxton

Rebecca is one of those tattoo artists that make you feel comfortable and at ease from the get go. There is no doubt in your mind that you’re in capable hands as the tattoo gun begins to whir.

Words by Carmen Gee. Photos by Peter Aitken.

After 12 years of tattooing in various tattoo shops in Durban, and guesting in both Joburg and Cape Town, Rebecca Claxton has set up her own tattoo studio in Hillcrest.

‘Matriarch’ the shop opened its doors in March 2022 and has been met with immediate interest and support. This is not at all surprising when you consider Claxton’s many years of experience in the industry and the loyal client base that she has built up thanks to her attention to detail, thoughtful designs, and incredible artistic talent.

While she’s well known for her gorgeous floral pieces and pet portraits, done in a style that could be described as’ fine line blackwork’, Rebecca is a diverse and adept artist that is highly competent in working with black and grey realism, as well as vibrant colour.

“I wanted a space where my clients and other artists would feel welcome and comfortable, like walking into your mom’s house, but with honest, reassuring professional advice from an experienced and passionate tattooer.” – Rebecca Claxton.

Rebecca’s talents stretch far beyond tattooing. She also likes downhill skateboarding pursuits, rescuing animals, and most important, being a mom.

Matriarch Conceptualisation

“matriarch /ˈmeɪtrɪɑːk/

noun: matriarch; plural noun: matriarchs

definition: a woman who is the head of a family or tribe.”

When asked how she came up with the name and concept of her new shop, Rebecca said: “While watching TV, I absentmindedly drew a monarch butterfly with the word ‘Matriarch’ above it. I actually meant to write ‘Monarch’. I reckoned it looked sick for a while until I realised my brain fart. The word ‘Matriarch’ grew on me more as I thought about it – /a woman who is the head of a family or tribe’, it originates from the Latin ‘mater’ meaning mother, and the false analogy of patriarch.”

As a tattoo shop owner, Claxton truly values the freedom of being in control of her working environment, which includes enforcing levels of cleanliness and hygiene that meet her standards.

“I wanted a space where my clients and other artists would feel welcome and comfortable, like walking into your mom’s house, but with honest, reassuring professional advice from an experienced and passionate tattooer.” says Claxton.

Rebecca is also an avid downhill skateboarder. She is an ambassador for Longboard Girls Crew SA which is part of an international community of skaters that aims to empower women, break stereotypes, and build community. 

And that is exactly what it feels like when you enter the studio. Matriarch is a stunning, light and bright space that truly does give you the comforting feeling of walking into an old friend’s home. And a stylish home at that. 

Matriarch tattoo studio can be found at Oxford Village, 9 Old Main Road, Hillcrest, KZN.

 

A Mascot Named ‘Bird’

Matriarch Tattoo has its very own mascot named ‘Bird’. He is a handsome, cheeky Yellow Fronted Canary who is just over a year old. He’s often seen in the tattoo shop’s social media posts and is an adored member of the Matriarch family.

So where did Bird come from?  “There’s me driving along in my neighbourhood, and a little flappy moth in the middle of the lane goes under my car, but at the last split second I noticed it was a baby bird. I pulled over and went to check on the little guy. He was flapping around furiously all over the road but couldn’t fly. Honestly I don’t know if it was the right thing to do but I scooped him up and took him home,” Rebecca explains.

From this point, Rebecca had to take him everywhere with her for weeks as he needed to be fed with a syringe every few hours. Bird went to work, to skate sessions, and even the beach. By the time he could eat solid seeds he’d become incredibly tame and comfortable around people, unafraid of normal bird dangers like other animals, and totally imprinted on Rebecca’s routines and rituals.

“He would get involved in anything I was doing, throwing brushes around and stealing peas off my plate. Eventually the name ‘Bird’ stuck because I had not allowed anyone to name him so as not to grow attached.” Claxton says.

Now Bird often accompanies Rebecca to work, and his presence certainly enlivens the space. It was incredibly sweet to see little Bird perched on top of Rebecca’s head as she tattooed her client, giving a little chirrup every now and then. He swooped through the shop, landing on plants and picture frames as if he owned the place.

 

The Lombo Mom

In addition to working as a tattoo artist and running a busy tattoo shop, Rebecca is also an avid downhill skateboarder. She is an ambassador for Longboard Girls Crew SA which is part of an international community of skaters that aims to empower women, break stereotypes, and build community. (Keep an eye out for meet ups and introduction sessions in KZN coming soon.)

Rebecca’s longboarding journey started just 2 days before lockdown in 2020, when she bought a board off of a guy on Gumtree. This purchase was made because of an intense urge that Rebecca felt to skate on the promenade before we got locked up in our homes for weeks. 

Once the lockdown restrictions eased up, Rebecca began skating once more and also began watching a lot of downhill and freeride videos on Youtube, which inspired her to make some cutting board slide gloves with her dad. After digging out her son’s protective gear, it was time to learn to slide!

“I found Michael and Andy Thomas via hashtags on Instagram. They were both actively skating and posting their progress, and I reached out to them. I started skating with the boys regularly and learnt so much faster with their help,” tells Claxton.

“When I skate I feel free of any heaviness pulling me down, my mind clears completely, endorphins flood my body and I’m reminded what it is to be alive and why it’s so totally worthwhile.”

From this union, Deck Headz crew was born. The downhill skate crew is made up of several KZN skaters, including the Thomas brothers, and has been going strong for two years now. 

Deck Headz plays an active role in the KZN longboarding community, which has really come together in recent years. There are meet ups every Sunday, where skaters range between ages eight and 40 years old. Skaters come from all over, including Monteseel, Umbilo, and even Eshowe.

Through lockdowns and riots and floods, the KZN downhill skating community have always used their Whatsapp group to check in on each other and help each other out. It is a community in which sharing and caring go hand in hand, and no one ever has to miss out on a session because they are lacking a bushing, nut, or puck.

“Longboarding has honestly changed my life in a way that I didn’t think I’d ever find,” says Claxton. “I’ve been in a battle with mental illness most of my life, and during lockdown I got to a point where I needed a total redirection of focus if I wanted to live a normal healthy life. 

“When I skate I feel free of any heaviness pulling me down, my mind clears completely, endorphins flood my body and I’m reminded what it is to be alive and why it’s so totally worthwhile.”

Downhill skating certainly does not come without its fair share of risks and injuries, especially when skating at high speeds. This is why having the proper protection and investing in helmets and pads is very important, as it can truly be life saving.

In January this year, Claxton broke her foot by bailing with her leg under her rear end. This put her out of action for a while (although this still did not stop her from turning up at the Sunday sessions to support her fellow skaters). But she doesn’t consider her broken foot her gnarliest bail, just her silliest.

She’s had a few high speed slams, which are scary because “you just keep on skimming that tar ‘til something slows you down”. Claxton says that the worst bails are toe slides gone wrong which basically result in doing a half assed backflip onto your head.

 

Mom Vibes

While Rebecca very much fulfils the role of ‘matriarch’ in the downhill skating community, and emits maternal energy when it comes to rescuing birds, no role is more important to her than her role as a mother. And a badass mother at that. 

As we arrived at the studio, Rebecca was busy filling out high school application forms for her son, and she proudly explained that he would be attending the very same high school that she attended over a decade ago.

Her son, Chase, recently turned 13. So his offspring duties now include being a spotter and a cameraman for his mom on downhill skating missions.

Rebecca says that Chase is the most easy going, positive and self aware person that she knows, and that he has made the responsibility of parenting an absolute pleasure. 

 

Quick Fire Questions for Rebecca

What’s the best part about being a mom?

I get woken up with a cup of coffee every morning lol.

What do you have to say to other girls and women looking to get into longboarding?

If you think you might enjoy it, DO IT. Don’t listen to anyone who tries to discourage you from a hobby that is healthy. Grab any board and ride it, see where it takes you. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something unless you’re a man.

What’s your absolute favourite thing to tattoo?

I love tattooing flowers and portraits, and realism in any form, but definitely mostly pets. I am obsessed with animals and will want to see all your photos of your dog.

Who are some of your tattoo artist inspirations in South Africa?

Tarryn Nissen at True Love Tattoo is killing it, her tattoos are mind blowing, she runs a beautiful successful shop, and she is one of the loveliest and most genuine people you’ll meet. Tanya Swemmer at Here Now is also a ridiculously talented artist and shop owner and her style and kind advice inspire me to no end.

What’s the best thing about being a tattoo artist?

As an artist I get to do my favourite thing every single day, draw! But I do love the moment when the design is ready, the stencil is on and the client’s excitement is totally peeking. I know exactly how they feel at that moment, and it’s the best feeling, second only to seeing your finished tattoo. Only you know how much that piece means to you in that moment.

Keep Up with Rebecca

Keep up with Rebecca’s tattoo journey, as well as her downhill skateboarding antics, on Instagram.

Rebecca Claxton Tattoo

Matriarch Tattoo 

Lombo Mom 

Email Rebecca on matriarchtattoos@gmail.com to make a booking for a tattoo appointment.

A big thanks to Peter Aitken for the photos.