By day, Vernon's Rachel Hofer is a tattoo artist.
In her spare time, she enjoys tattooing opponents with her hands.
And her feet. And her knees.
One way or another, as it says on New Westminster's Deathcap Tattoo website where she works, Hofer – tattoo artist, mixed martial artist – will inflict pain:
"Now she gets to live her dream doing both. She will hurt you one way or another, so you might as well get a cool piece of artwork out of it. Book now! Or else..."
The 25-year-old Clarence Fulton Secondary graduate is looking to join the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) professional mixed martial arts world. As an amateur fighter, Hofer sports a 4-0 record heading into her next non-pro bout in January.
"I originally tried boxing for one or two months, then my brother-in-law introduced me to mixed martial arts," said Hofer, home in Vernon visiting family for the Christmas holidays. She would join Vernon's Unity MMA and Kickboxing.
After a year at Okanagan College, Hofer made the move to the Lower Mainland, splitting time in graphic design classes at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Burnaby, and the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. She had created her first tattoo at age 14, a little crescent moon on her ankle.
She walked into Deathcap Tattoo, got a job at the front desk and has never left. Hofer became an apprentice and is now a highly regarded tattoo artist.
"I always thought it was a viable career option," she said.
Away from work, Hofer heads out to Coquitlam's Titan Training Centre where she works on her mixed martial art skills. She also competes in jiu jitsu events a couple of times per year to work on her grappling skills, and stay active.
"It's very uncommon for women my weight to be knocked out," said Hofer, who regularly competes in the 125-pound weight class, though she will go up or down a few pounds if it means getting a fight. "I find myself leaning more toward the grappling style."
Nicknamed Chucky by a teammate who claims she bears a strong resemblance to the Hollywood villainous doll – but taking no offence to it – Hofer has never lost a mixed martial arts fight, though she did confess she "has seen a few stars."
And there is symmetry between the art of tattooing a person, and the art of tattooing an opponent by submission.
"When you're fighting, you can't think of anything else; you have to be in the moment," said Hofer. "It's the same with being a tattoo artist."
She loves both.
Hofer's favourite tattoo work is an alligator fighting a jaguar. She tattoos a variety of styles, says the website, but "traditional is definitely her favourite. Some of her favourite things to tattoo are pinups, flowers, and animals." Hofer just wishes people would sit still more.
She has no problem if her opponents are moving around the mat (she has yet to fight in an octogon cage) or stationery.
"There's so much to it (mixed martial arts)," said Hofer. "I'm never going to know all of it. You really put it out there, and if you lose, you have no teammate so there's nobody to blame but yourself.
"I love it."
You can see more of Hofer's artistry at deathcaptattoo.com or on Instagram, @rach.tattoos.
