In Progress - Beltane 2021

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M’s wild rose + pollinators arm, one down and one to go

M’s wild rose + pollinators arm, one down and one to go

L’s Olympic Peninsula thigh, two sessions down, hopefully one to go

L’s Olympic Peninsula thigh, two sessions down, hopefully one to go

M’s overgrown Nike of Samothrace - one session down, one to go

M’s overgrown Nike of Samothrace - one session down, one to go

A’s Great Horned Owl thigh, three shorter sessions down, one to go

A’s Great Horned Owl thigh, three shorter sessions down, one to go

L’s old growth Cascade forest leg sleeve, 3.5 sessions down, probably 3-ish to go

L’s old growth Cascade forest leg sleeve, 3.5 sessions down, probably 3-ish to go

C’s sphagnum bog back, one down, one to go

C’s sphagnum bog back, one down, one to go

Arm up!

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Arms are a go-to tattoo placement for so many great reasons: relatively low on the pain scale, easy to show off, skin that heals + holds ink well over time, dynamic movement. You’ll always catch me loving on arms!

Freehand maidenhair fern for M

Rose, poppies, and dahlia for sweet G

Rose, poppies, and dahlia for sweet G

Strong-ass Zinnias for strong-ass S

Magnolia + titmouse addition to S’s arm. Forearm healed from a couple of years ago!

Magnolia + titmouse addition to S’s arm. Forearm healed from a couple of years ago!

Tattoos as Grounding Work -- Recent Pieces with a Sense of Place

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There is an inherent magic to the semi-permanence of tattoo as a medium. Honoring the places we love via tattoo can be a powerful grounding ritual, reminding us always of the connection we have to the land that supports us, the soil that feeds our bodies, the air that fills our lungs. During the ample alone time of the past year, I’ve done a lot of reflecting on my practice: what am I’m putting out into the world and why?

Ultimately, my objective as an artist falls somewhere at the intersection of activism, rewilding, and healing. If art can be used to connect people to the places we inhabit, then it can help folks feel held by and connected to the vast myriad of other species that we as humans inextricably interact with. If we can revitalize our inherent connection to the land, we’ll grow passionate about our roles as stewards thereof, and build a life that honors and nourishes it. If we are to have any hope of conquering climate change, it must start with raw, instinctual, animalistic passion for the earth we inhabit. We are biological creatures; the products of countless millennia of evolution aligning us with other species in an intricate, complex, beautiful web of interconnected life. The futures of all life forms on the planet are in our hands, and we exist at a pivotal moment in history.

“No one will protect what they don't care about; and no one will care about what they have never experiened”


―David Attenborough

Tattoos can be a part of that experience for the artist, the wearer, and those they choose to share their piece’s story with. While art cannot singlehandedly solve climate change, it CAN play a part in the collective identity shift necessary to tackle it. And that’s a pretty sweet motivation to do one’s thing.

All of my work contains this intention; the below pieces are just a few recent examples with very clear connections to places near and dear to the client.

Western peony (paeonia brownii) for longtime client, badass explorer of the high desert, and parent to adorable Scottie dogs, M

Western peony (paeonia brownii) for longtime client, badass explorer of the high desert, and parent to adorable Scottie dogs, M

Texas bluebonnet and Oregon grape for B’s first tattoo! They earn major badass points for sitting through this spicy elbow placement for their first rodeo.

Texas bluebonnet and Oregon grape for B’s first tattoo! They earn major badass points for sitting through this spicy elbow placement for their first rodeo.

Blue and gold macaw, celebrating A’s Brazilian roots. Two sessions, several mighty spicy spots. Always an honor to tattoo a fellow tattooer!

Inside the Process of a Custom Sleeve, from Proposal to Completion

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I adore projects inspired by specific ecosystems. There is something very poignant about getting to commemorate them in a “forever” medium at a time when the ecosystems themselves are absolutely in flux. They’re an invitation for the wearer to have important conversations about our fragile earth with folks who inquire, if they so choose. Maybe one day, they’ll even serve as a memento mori honoring worlds past. Either way, here’s a peek inside the process of one of my recent favorites:

L’s Ohio native species sleeve!

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L’s sleeve is a perfect example of the ideal custom sleeve process. They came to me with a well-honed vision, elements of my work that they’re drawn to, options for me to choose from, and trusted me to take the reins on the details. This piece took three sessions total of around four hours each (a typical sleeve runs more in the ballpark of five sessions, but this one has so much negative space we were able to bang it out faster); each one a pleasure. Thank you for being such a joy to work with, L!

The Original Proposal:

“I am looking to get an Ohio natural history sleeve. Wildflowers: Ghost pipe, EARLY blue cohosh (the early makes a huge difference), wild hyacinth, wild geranium, bloodroot, jack in the pulpit, wild bergamot, trout lily, large-flowered trillium, swamp rose mallow, skunk cabbage, bluets, wild ginger, bloodroot Fungi: turkey tail, shaggy mane, coral, blushing rosette, old man of the woods, cokers amanita, chicken of the woods, mycena Moths: Cecropia, giant leopard moth, luna moth, rosy maple moth, bagworm moth cocoon I am open to you picking and choosing flora and fauna from the list and creating whatever you see as best fit! Thanks for the opportunity to submit a tattoo request. I am absolutely in love with your work and use of placement and negative space.”*

*Included species in italics, design elements they love in bold

The mockup/stencil

The mockup/stencil

After sessions 1 + 2, which we did over two days back to back. If you’re a traveling client looking to cut down on the trips you have to make, this is always an option!

After sessions 1 + 2, which we did over two days back to back. If you’re a traveling client looking to cut down on the trips you have to make, this is always an option!

In progress - Ostara 2021 pt. 2

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Forever grateful for the clients who trust me with such large swaths of their precious skin! It’s an unbelievable honor to be trusted to change someone’s physical body in such a profound way.

S’s black lace elderberry + bushtit arm, celebrating their journey into the world of medicinal plants. Two sessions in.

S’s black lace elderberry + bushtit arm, celebrating their journey into the world of medicinal plants. Two sessions in.

L’s ode to the Olympic Peninsula, where they got to know the land by serving as a ranger. One session in.

L’s ode to the Olympic Peninsula, where they got to know the land by serving as a ranger. One session in.

PNW native species leg for talented young science instructor R, two sessions in.

PNW native species leg for talented young science instructor R, two sessions in.

Secret gargen sleeve for longtime client R, who will soon have two arms by me! What an honor . Two sessions in.

J’s double mastectomy torso, four sessions in with one to go. This project has been unbelievably special, humbling, and just fun.

J’s double mastectomy torso, four sessions in with one to go. This project has been unbelievably special, humbling, and just fun.

In progress - Ostara 2021 pt. 1

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This spring is full of larger, multiple-session projects. Not only has it been a great way to minimize everyone’s exposure, but it’s also been a ton of fun for me to stretch my creative bounds when it comes to full-body composition.

L’s leg sleeve featuring an old growth Cascade fir forest ecosystem. Two sessions in.

L’s leg sleeve featuring an old growth Cascade fir forest ecosystem. Two sessions in.

J’s leg, featuring Western Screech Owls getting ready for a night on the town. How’s that for a fun prompt? Inner calf roses by me, healed about a year.

T’s heart-healing arm

T’s heart-healing arm

A’s greenleaf manzanita arm, celebrating a transformative period in their life with a native species that’s one of the first to germinate after fire

A’s greenleaf manzanita arm, celebrating a transformative period in their life with a native species that’s one of the first to germinate after fire

Last Pieces of 2020, pt. 1

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Last year was like none other for tattooers around the globe. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who got tattooed in 2020, despite so much tumult and change. It’ll certainly make for a good story!

Custom Blue Whale Skeleton for M

Custom Blue Whale Skeleton for M

Mortimer Sacks rose for J. Thank you so much for trusting me with this placement!

Mortimer Sacks rose for J. Thank you so much for trusting me with this placement!

The beginnings of A’s thigh piece, featuring Great Horned Owls honoring parenthood and foliage as a nod to locales special to them. One or two sessions to go to finish this one out.

The beginnings of A’s thigh piece, featuring Great Horned Owls honoring parenthood and foliage as a nod to locales special to them. One or two sessions to go to finish this one out.