A Brief History:
I unsuccessfully dated an artist from the shop I was to later work at in 1994. After this tryst I continued to be around Alaska Tattoo answering their phones, cleaning, taking care of people in the lobby and such. I was about to lose my full time coffee girl job because of health issues when Smitty, the owner of Alaska Tattoo, offered to take me on as an apprentice. Sweet…..
My apprenticeship began in 1994 and it started as most do. I had given way to learning new tedious tasks that had to do with tattooing but nothing to do with actually picking up a machine! I had to practice drawing, a lot, as I pretty much failed stick figure 101 when I started. So, I threw myself into it wholly. Learning as many tricks of the trade along the way as humanly possible, and none I could share with you as the Tattoo Ninjas would swoop down and take my head. I kind of like my head.
I “arrived” in 1995 as a full fledgling apprentice, online and ready to work. A few key factors pushed me along. The first two weeks of my apprenticeship Smitty made me cry everyday. Seriously. One day either I was just mad or fed up, still don’t remember. What I do remember is telling Smitty to Fuck Off to which he replied: It’s about fuckin’ time. I’m sure it was to thicken my skin, I was barely 19yrs old and a puss. Anyway, I continued to work at Alaska Tattoo for another few years until we moved as a company in late 1998. This move put us in Washington, around the Seattle area until a shop was opened.
Enter Original Smitty’s, welcome to Bremerton. Here I tattooed a shit ton of Military, gotta love the Military! I worked at Original Smitty’s for another 5yrs or so.
One amazing thing I got to do at Original Smitty’s was to become teacher. I swore I would never try to apprentice anyone but Michelle just sucked as our front girl. I had to “off her” or teach her to tattoo. She made it any easy choice by already throwing herself into drawing and taking constructive criticism very well. In any case she became my tattoo daughter in 2001 if memory serves me correctly, and I couldn’t have had a better experience than with her. She now works for Nate of Lucky Boy’s in Silverdale, WA; Michelle is worth the trip, tell her I sent you.
At this point my husband and I decided to move to Seattle with some friends. For the first time ever I had to go looking for a job as an artist. I suggest this because it’s nerve wracking and very satisfying all wrapped up into one big ulcer. Awesome.
In 2004 I found my way to Kirkland Tattoo and Body Piercing, I showed them my art & tattoo folio and was hired on the spot. I worked at this location as the sole tattoo artist for 4yrs at which point it was necessary for me to move on to where I could concentrate on my art as well as be exposed to other artists in order to grow.
As of September 2008 I work by appointment only at American Beauty in Bellevue. I hope to see you there and I look forward to creating a custom idea for your new tattoo. Feel free to stop by and ask questions!
Things I love to draw:
- Nouveau Designs
- Organic Flowing designs
- Celtic
- Portraits
- Realistic Animals
- Fairies
- Blackwork
- Dragons
- Traditional Designs
- Women
