Katherine von Drachenberg, known as Kat Von D, just celebrated 17 years of sobriety. And following a dramatic conversion to Christianity, the iconic tattoo artist has spent months permanently covering up what she called “garbage, drunken tattoos.”
“I just couldn’t explain how satisfying it was to see all the messes he would clean up with his blackout tattoo work,” she told Inked Magazine, speaking of tattoo artist Hoode Philly.
Kat Von D Is Experiencing a Transformation in Her Heart, Body and Career
Kat Von D was born in Mexico to missionaries and moved to Southern California at the age of four. She rebelled against her family’s upbringing and Christian beliefs, adopting practices from witchcraft, occult and the macabre.
One of the first transformations Von D endured was the decision to give up alcohol nearly 20 years ago. The successful and creative former tattoo artist shared on Instagram Sunday, “Today, I celebrate 17 years of sobriety.”
More than 75,000 followers liked her post, and some offered encouragement for the star—reminding her that she’s inspiring others.
“You make all who are sober, Christian and part of the Goth/ALT/Metal Community proud,” one person commented. “Thank you for representing us and congratulations on your Sobriety anniversary. May our Lord continue to bless you and your family. You mean so much to us.”
In 2019, Kat Von D became further dissatisfied with her life and choices. “I was just searching for answers and meaning in so many of the wrong places like most people do,” she said in a podcast interview with Allie Beth Stuckey.
“I wish I could put into words how amazing those changes are that I’ve been able to experience through all this,” she said to Stuckey. Von D also mentioned that she’s the “best wife and the best mother” because of her newfound faith.
Von D admitted that most of her iconic tattoos no longer represent “who she is today.” So she began the process of permanently blacking out the tattoos. In an interview with Inked Magazine, Von D opened up about her life’s changes and how they prompted blacking out most of her tattoos.
“I think I had been fed up with a lot of the tattoos I got over the years for a long time,” she said.
Von D explained that she started with one forearm. “I think at that time I thought I would just black out an arm, but shortly after, I knew I would end up tattooing my whole body.” Her blackout process has created quite a stir in the Christian world and the tattoo industry—which doesn’t bother the artist.
Von D has been the focus of much criticism throughout her life. She’s even received negative comments and judgments from Christians unable to embrace her recent conversion. Von D said that Christians “were the worst” out of everyone who criticized her about her baptism.
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