MY BUSINESS IDEA IS TO OPEN A FEMALE-OWNED, INCLUSIVE TATTOO STUDIO THAT CENTERS ON CUSTOM ARTWORK, COLLABORATION, AND COMMUNITY. I IMAGINE A BRICK-AND-MORTAR SPACE THAT’S SO MUCH MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL TATTOO PARLOR—IT’S A CREATIVE SANCTUARY. THAT’S THE VISION. A PLACE WHERE LOCAL ARTISTS CAN SHARE THEIR WORK, WHETHER IT’S ON THE WALLS OR ON SKIN. THE STUDIO WILL HOUSE A GALLERY AND EVENT SPACE, SHOWCASING BOTH FINE ARTISTS AND TATTOOERS WHILE ALSO GIVING A PLATFORM TO UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN THE ARTS.

THIS IDEA IS DEEPLY PERSONAL. AS A WOMAN WORKING IN A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY SINCE 2010, TATTOOING HAS SHOWED ME FIRSTHAND HOW RARE IT IS TO FIND SPACES THAT FEEL TRULY SAFE, INCLUSIVE, AND EMPOWERING—ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN, QUEER FOLKS, AND ARTISTS FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. I’M BUILDING THE KIND OF ENVIRONMENT I WISH EXISTED WHEN I WAS STARTING OUT: WHERE CREATIVITY IS NURTURED, RESPECT IS MUTUAL, AND ART IS DEEPLY PERSONAL.

THE STORY BEHIND THIS VISION COMES FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN BOTH FINE ARTS AND TATTOOING. OVER THE YEARS, I’VE NAVIGATED SPACES THAT OFTEN SIDELINED DIVERSE VOICES. THAT PUSHED ME TO REIMAGINE WHAT A TATTOO STUDIO COULD BE—NOT JUST A PLACE TO GET INKED, BUT A SPACE TO TELL STORIES, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND CELEBRATE BODIES AS LIVING ART.

I WANT THE STUDIO TO OFFER MORE THAN SERVICES—I WANT IT TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES. WE’LL HAVE MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS, ARTIST RESIDENCIES, AND CURATED EXHIBITIONS AT OUR PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL GALLERY. IT’S ABOUT GIVING ARTISTS AND THE COMMUNITY REAL ENTRY POINTS INTO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL. I SEE HUGE OPPORTUNITY IN BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN TRADITIONAL FINE ART SPACES AND THE TATTOO WORLD. THIS KIND OF HYBRID STUDIO-GALLERY ALLOWS FOR REAL CREATIVE EXCHANGE—THROUGH WORKSHOPS, POP-UPS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ELEVATE TATTOOING AS A RESPECTED ARTISTIC MEDIUM. I ALSO SEE THE CHANCE TO SUPPORT EMERGING TATTOO ARTISTS BY OFFERING SAFE, ETHICAL APPRENTICESHIPS—SOMETHING THE INDUSTRY SORELY LACKS.

OF COURSE, THERE ARE CHALLENGES—SECURING FUNDING FOR A PHYSICAL SPACE, NAVIGATING LICENSING AND STATE REGULATIONS, AND BUILDING A BRAND IN A SATURATED MARKET. BUT I BELIEVE WHAT MAKES THIS STUDIO DIFFERENT—OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION, CREATIVITY, AND REAL COMMUNITY-BUILDING—IS ALSO WHAT MAKES IT SUSTAINABLE.

AT THE HEART OF IT ALL, THIS ALTERNATIVE ART EXHIBITION SPACE IS ABOUT LIBERATING CREATIVITY AND CELEBRATING IDENTITY, ONE PIECE OF CUSTOM ARTWORK AT A TIME. IT’S A SPACE WHERE ARTISTS CAN GROW, AND WHERE CLIENTS FEEL SEEN, RESPECTED, AND BEAUTIFULLY ADORNED.