Ashlea Tasker is a collector of sorts. She collects beautiful artworks and the canvas is her body.
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Ms Tasker is a tattoo artist at Maitland's Evocative Ink.
She has about one quarter of her body covered in tattoos and loves to experiment with new pieces, but life was not always about needles and ink.
"I used to work in forensics," she said.
"I tried my hand out in the field but I really didn't like it.
"You become really emotionless and desensitised."
After deciding to leave her forensics role in the police force she tried multiple jobs but none were a good fit.
"I worked at a gym, I did hairdressing, hospitality, I tried my hand at so many things," she said.
Friends offered her a position at the front desk of a Kings Cross tattoo parlour in Sydney and the rest is history.
"It was probably not as crazy as it sounds," she said.
"I wanted to pursue something creative and I already had tattoos.
"I did encounter a greater variety of people and tattoos in Kings Cross because it was a busy shop with mainly walk-in tattoos.
"You got a good amount of time on skin."
She studied as an apprentice at the busy Sydney business and eventually moved to the Maitland shop to be closer to her husband.
On the couple's honeymoon to Japan in 2013 the tattoo enthusiast even spent time researching traditional art to incorporate into her designs.
"My favourite tattoo is the Japanese cat on the back of my leg," she said.
"It is a beckoning cat, it is meant to bring good luck."
Ms Tasker specialises in traditional tattoos and anything with a "girly twist".
The Hunter loves tattoos and it is time the clear skins stepped aside, we want to see a bit of tattoo pride.
Show us your tatts! Send in photographs of your tattoos, we want to know why you got them. Some tattoos tell a story and some are just the remnants of a good time, either way, we want to see them.
Post them to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the #HunterInk
Or email your photographs to jessica.brown@fairfaxmedia.com.au and we will add your story to our Hunter Ink gallery.