More than skin deep: Meet the women tattoo artists creating more inclusive spaces for clients

Tattoos are more than ink and pretty pictures. They hold stories, involve intimacy, and often sear with physical and emotional pain. Getting one has usually involved choosing a picture and biting down for a few hours, being vulnerable, nervous, intimidated and sometimes unsure of the process. But the industry is shifting, and female-led studios run by creative and nurturing women artists are changing the experience of getting a tattoo into something empowering, even ritualistic.

Here, three female tattoo artists talk about their craft, and how they are creating more inclusive spaces for their clients, especially women.

Phoebe O’Regan, owner of Awen Soul, Co Cork

Phoebe O’Regan is owner of Awen Soul, a spiritual-centred tattoo and healing studio in Cobh, Co Cork. She lived in Phnom Penh in Cambodia for three years, where the ancient Sak Yant art of tattoo ceremony is still celebrated. “The tattoo is often chosen for you after reading your energy and knowing what power is needed in your life,” O’Regan says. The tattoo is then blessed.

While living there, O’Regan was tattooed with the ancient Celtic symbol, Awen, which celebrates creativity, imagination and aesthetic sensibility. The experience was transformational for her, as it encouraged her to root herself back in Ireland, towards her ancestors; it was also the catalyst for her decision to train as a tattoo artist. She subsequently chose Awen as the name of her female-led tattoo studio. For her, tattooing is now a spiritual process.

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“I always thought the tattoo industry was very raw and tough,” she says. “Tattooing is thousands of years old. There’s a very innate desire in us to claim and create ourselves, and it was such a spiritual thing mostly done by medicine women in ceremony. Since the 1950s, it’s become this toxic masculine space for tough guys only.”

O’Regan didn’t feel that she fit into the tattooing industry until her experience in Cambodia brought her back to tattooing as a kind of healing with a reconnection to our roots. The pandemic gave her the opportunity to brush up on her tattooing and business skills, and she spent time studying too, learning about tattoo anthropology, inclusivity, providing safe spaces, and trauma-informed care, before opening the studio in Cork in June 2021.

[ The story of my tattoo: ‘It sounds ridiculous, but it holds me to account’ ]

“For me, tattooing is an honour, it’s a collaboration,” she says. “Most of my clients are coming through very emotional, deeper-meaning experiences. If I know someone is grieving, I set the space and energy for their grief. That often starts with the messages we’re exchanging or a phone call. Depending on why they’re coming and their comfort level around ceremony and healing, we may start with a deep meditation and do a cleansing ceremony as an opportunity to let go of anything that might come up. It can be very simple or multilateral, depending on the person.”

With our intake forms, we always ask what someone’s comfort levels are, what kind of appointment they want to have, what they are expecting

—  Phoebe O’Regan, Awen Soul

O’Regan wanted Awen to be female-led and queer-friendly, offering a nurturing, welcoming and relaxed space for clients.

“It’s a very womb-like space. It’s very cosy, nourishing, and healing. It’s like a movement away from the kind of traditional ‘rock and roll’, loud music studios,” she says.

“I have realised from negative tattoo experiences that receiving and giving a tattoo is an energy exchange,” she says, “and how important the customer-service part of this industry is. Connecting with people, making them feel heard and safe, is so important. A lot of women who have gotten tattoos may have been made to feel, in some studios, that they weren’t meant to be there, were scared, or uncomfortable.

“There are so many amazing female shops and they’re all quite different. But I would say in general, they’re often more caring to clients in the details, even something small like having snacks and drinks for clients. It’s such a simple thing, but it really makes a difference.”

Boundaries, understanding, guidance and respect are hugely important in creating a safe space in the studio. “With our intake forms, we always ask what someone’s comfort levels are, what kind of appointment they want to have, what they are expecting. We have to be aware that someone may have ADHD and they get overwhelmed by different noises, so they might prefer to have no music. Or maybe somebody has a connection to their grandmother, and they’d love for their grandmother’s music to be playing. It’s about setting up a space that people are comfortable in.”

Lucia Dzurkova, owner of Art Lab Tattoo, Cork City

Lucia Dzurkova did not plan for her studio, Art Lab Tattoo Studio in the Victorian Quarter of Cork, to be an exclusively female-led studio, but as the available spaces for new artists were filled, it occurred naturally.

“I am so happy it worked out this way,” says Dzurkova, “as I could not ask for a better team of talented female artists, and our amazing piercer and receptionist. It is very important for us to have a relaxed and comfortable environment in our studio. Getting a tattoo can be very stressful, whether it’s your first tattoo or getting a very big piece, which can be a painful and long process. We want to make sure our customers are not only happy with their new tattoo but also the overall experience. Most of our customers are female, and I think they feel more comfortable and safer with a female artist, especially if they are getting a tattoo in an intimate area. Our studio is a safe space for all genders, cultures, LGBTQIA, and everything in between.”

Karolina Bala has a station at Art Lab and finds the studio to be an empowering space with an inclusive attitude. “For many customers it makes no difference what gender we are, but for some it does. Many of my customers told me how comfortable and safe they feel in our studio and how much they enjoy the atmosphere, both female and male. I’m surrounded by strongly motivated, ambitious, and hard-working women, whose attitude and support help me become a better artist and person.”

[ Tattooing over the scars of domestic violence ]

Dzurkova got into tattooing during a college course when she had to find work experience, and went on to do an apprenticeship with a studio. “Apprenticeships are usually unpaid and need a lot of patience, as there is so much to learn. I am still learning, even after five years of experience, and I love it.” As an animal lover and vegan, she is conscious of the supplies used at the studio, which are eco- and vegan-friendly.

Finding a place where you can feel comfortable and completely trust your artist is as important as finding the right design

—  Anna Boccato, Art Lab

“There are no ingredients derived from animals and they’re not tested on animals,” she says. “This would include the inks, aftercare creams, stencil paper, and much more. I try to do my best to check and do research on what supplies we get. We are also eco-friendly as we want to reduce the amount of waste created in this industry that has to use completely single-use items.”

Anna Boccato, who works at Art Lab, studied to be an illustrator for children’s books before becoming a tattoo artist. “I thought, if I can’t illustrate books, I can illustrate people. I got a pretty long apprenticeship in a studio in Italy and came to Ireland as a formed artist.” It was not a conscious decision to join a female-led studio, but the vibe at Art Lab is one that Boccato really appreciates. “For a woman it can be hard to work in a shop of only men – there’s still a bit of sexism in this industry.”

Creating a safe place is important for both the artist and the client. “I consider this shop my safe place. When you get a tattoo, you’re in a very vulnerable position, and finding a place where you can feel comfortable and completely trust your artist is as important as finding the right design,” she says. “I’m proud that we can provide that for women and queer people. I don’t think we put any specific effort in that it came naturally. We are humans and understand that other people are humans too. We treat each other with respect and care.”

Ali Crawley, tattoo artist at Heartbreak Social Club in Dublin and co-founder of We Are Mná

Ali Crawley has a station at Heartbreak Social Club, a beautiful tattoo studio on Drury Street in Dublin that spans three floors with a team of tattoo artists and piercers led by the owner, Irish artist Ryan Sean Kelly. With an eclectic collection of memorabilia including an imposing Sacred Heart statue, and with neon lighting and pink tiles, the Heartbreak Social Club interiors blend the trend of quirky collectables with soft and inviting furnishings.

The studio has a mix of male and female artists, piercers and front-of-house staff. Crawley believes that how safe and comfortable a studio feels to clients is down to the individuals working there, regardless of their gender.

It’s kind of like a solidarity thing, that we’re all standing for the same message of supporting and helping women

—  Ali Crawley

“I feel like it’s almost a given that you’re in a safe space with a female artist,” she says, “but I don’t like to separate females from male artists because, day in and day out, I see how the men I work with are respectful to their clients and make sure they’re completely comfortable. When it comes to being comfortable, safe and relaxed in a studio environment, a reputable shop with reputable artists will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour from an individual, whether they’re male or female. It’s just professional really.”

In 2020, the inappropriate behaviour of some male tattoo artists in Ireland towards their clients was called out on social media, prompting a discussion and action in the industry around the need for safe, more inclusive spaces.

“Because of the nature of tattooing, you’re entering someone’s space, their bubble, and you’re touching their skin,” says Crawley. “It’s unfortunate that as women, when we’re getting tattooed, we have to think twice about who we’re getting tattooed by and [whether] it’s a reputable shop and [whether] the male tattoo artist is respectful. As a female artist, I make sure that I ask for consent for everything. If I’m doing a sternum piece on someone and I want to post it on my Instagram, I ask their permission and make sure they’re okay with the photo.”

Crawley was fascinated with tattooing from a young age. “Give me a pad of paper and I’m happy. I always knew tattooing was my niche. It was kind of like a calling – and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”

She has collaborated with tattooists Cissa Spoerl and Ellie Carley to set up We Are Mná, a queer female-led group of female tattoo artists who design and offer “Mná” (Irish for women) tattoos, with all proceeds going to charities such as Women’s Aid, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, and the Danú Project.

“I was delighted to be asked to be a part of something bigger with my craft,” says Crawley. “It’s kind of like a solidarity thing, that we’re all standing for the same message of supporting and helping women. And I think the fact that it’s an Irish word hits home for us and is part of the reason why so many people want to be a part of We Are Mná and get a Mná tattoo to wear as a badge to honour our identity and inclusion.”