I grew up enjoying to draw. When I was a kid, I would draw popular cartoon characters over and over again. I loved activity books that included the grids where you would redraw various cartoon characters from provided references. Once I got into high school, I became more “serious” with my art (lol) and started to draw black and grey portraits of my friends using pencils and charcoal. I started hanging out at the local tattoo shop in my home town when I was 18 and absolutely adored the environment. I thought being a tattoo artist would be an absolute dream job. Getting to draw and make permanent art for rad people all day...sign me up! I begged for an apprenticeship and eventually got hired, and the rest is history.
My passions outside of tattooing include: 1.) Hanging out with my sweet, giggly 7 month old baby Zeke and my loving baby daddy Norman. 2.) Cooking! I love exploring new recipes on food blogs. I try to cook fairly healthy, which can be a challenge at times! My favorite recipes that I’ve collected and perfected are the ones that are super tasty and healthy too. 3.) Exercising — currently my favorite form is taking walks or hiking with the fam. 4.) Traveling — I love exploring and learning about other places, cultures, and food.
I tattoo colorful “neo traditional” style tattoos. I love using multiple lines weights, black shading and interesting color palettes. I frequently tattoo flowers, pet portraits, mandalas, food, gemstones, landscapes, and other rad things of the like!
What truly makes a tattoo beautiful is when the client feels like their tattoo has gone above and beyond their original idea or concept. When a client looooves their tattoo and feels super proud of it, it’s a beautiful thing.
I am the most proud of the tattoos that I’ve done for people that help them heal. Whether the tattoos helped them heal from body image issues, loss, trauma, or other issues that were possibly causing them pain. Sometimes tattoos can be so therapeutic and can help people close certain chapters of their lives and feel a sense of peace.
I can not stress how important tattoo aftercare is!! Many of my clients consider their tattoos to be lifelong investments. When you are waiting many months for your tattoo appointment to arrive, you’re spending a good bit of money on said tattoo, you’re toughing it out through the tattoo process even when the pain gets a bit spicy, the FINAL and most CRUCIAL step is taking superior care of your tattoo, even after it’s all healed up!
There are some parts of the body that require a little bit more TLC when healing at tattoo. Usually parts of the body that bend (knees and elbows) will experience more swelling and require a bit more gentleness when healing. Hands and feet are typically a bit dryer than other parts of the body, so they made need a bit more moisturizing.
My advice to first-timers is to “just relax,” if they can. Your first tattoo is the hardest one you’ll ever get because of all the unknown factors. The pain, considering the permanence, trusting your artist. All of these elements can bring a bit of anxiety or nervousness, which is totally normal. Usually after the first few seconds of tattoo being done, the nerves settle down. Then you start thinking about what your second tattoo will be!
