ABOUT MY PRACTICE
I first want to give thanks to all who have trusted me to mark their bodies. I wouldn't have been able to be here without y'all.
I practice machine tattooing on and am currently on the move, doing predominantly guest spots. I am self-trained and also have been trained in a professional tattoo setting surrounding cross-contamination. I have been tattooing for 7 years, and have been practicing with tattoo machines for 3 years. I am always learning! I use a trauma-informed lens in my practice and have taken Tamara Santibañez’s Trauma Informed Tattooing workshop.
​I am deeply in love with the process of collaboration that arises from creating a tattoo design with other people. I hold in my practice that tattooing is a sacred form of body and spirit work. I also understand that this relationship to tattooing is not for everyone, or that a tattoo is a ritual in itself and doesn’t always need extra pieces. My relationship to tattoos stems from using pain as a portal into a space that could be called trance, or deep relaxation. It allows me to process emotions, calm my nervous system, get through a challenging time in life, or commit to my outward creative expression with confidence. Really, I think tattoos are magic, healing and liberatory.
​I am in an ongoing learning process about how to be a more caring and skilled tattoo artist and how to create spaces that feel safe for people. I welcome all kinds of feedback. It is your feedback that really helps me grow as an artist (and as a human being in general). I also welcome questions. I do not believe in gatekeeping anything, especially body work and art-making such as, tattooing and am happy to share the knowledge I have whenever possible.
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FAQ
HOW DO YOU CONSIDER ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS?
As someone who has disabilities myself and therefore specific needs in spaces, I try to make the tattoo space as accessible as I can. I try to be as clear as possible in our conversations leading up to booking about the physical accessibility of a space. I believe that accessibility also includes mental, emotional and spiritual aspects as well.
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Unfortunately with my practice shifting into less frequent tattooing and currently having no stable tattoo studio I work out of (due to being on the move) I cannot provide firm accessibility information. I do consider accessibility in the spaces I choose to work out of though.
WHY DO YOU TAKE A DEPOSIT?
Over my 7 years of tattooing I have had so many people not show up or cancel after I have already put energy into their vision. The 100$ deposit pays me for the time spent on our consult and on drawing the design. You will not get this back if you cancel and I have already spent time with you, unless in cases of emergency. The 100$ deposit will go to the cost of your tattoo at the end.
HOW DOES SLIDING SCALE WORK?
I charge 120 - 200$ / hr. Below is a general idea of how I would break it down. It is up to you to place yourself in one of these categories. This system is based off of trust, so please be honest here!
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Click here for a graphic with all my sliding scale information.
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CAN I SEE MY DESIGN BEFORE OUR APPOINTMENT?
Absolutely!! I really want to uphold that people need time to sit with their designs and see how it feels. Sometimes this is a slow process and sometimes it is fast. I will try to get the design to you 4-7 days before our appointment, unless we have previously spoken of a different timeline.
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For large changes to the design we can communicate through email or phone if necessary. For small changes I ask that we do it together on the day of the appointment.
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*THIS IS IMPORTANT* I will only make TWO SETS of changes to a design before I either 1) charge you another design fee or 2) come to the realization with you that your vision might be suited for a different artist, in which case I can refer you to people!
WHERE DO YOU TATTOO?
I currently do not have a set space that I tattoo out of. I will be doing guest spots in various studios in 2023 and 2024.
HOW DO YOU CONSIDER FINANCIAL ACCESSIBILITY AND WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION?
It feels so important to me that tattoos are available to anyone who would like one. Here I think about the ways that tattoos have been practiced within marginalized communities throughout history (Indigenous roots, prison tattoos, etc.) and how dominant culture (informed by whiteness) appropriates traditional and beauty practices turning them into something sell-able, a luxury product. Being conscious of this is at the centre of my practice. I am always trying to brainstorm better ways to balance making enough of a living from tattooing and sharing the wealth that comes with this craft. My intention is to not have my tattoo practice completely tied to capitalism, but to be something different, a way to work with money responsibly.
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I am not tattooing regularly enough to donate 10% of my income or donating tattoos to fundraisers, as I had been doing previously. This is partially a result of currently being in school and working another job outside of tattooing. At this point my financial accessibility looks like providing less expensive rates to people who may need it or gifting tattoos.