The Story Behind Storyline Ink Tattoo

I have been on a journey for a Year and 7 Months.

To say that these last 575 Days have been challenging would be an understatement.

I started my journey as a tattoo artist back in August 2022.

I am what I would consider an ordinary everyday mom. Genuinely, I never imagined having tattoos, being a tattoo artist myself, or owning my OWN TATTOO BUSINESS! Sorry, I’m a little excited. Honestly, I wasn’t planning on opening my tattoo business, but I believe that it was meant to be, as the pieces to Storyline’s puzzle have just fallen into place. In this post, I want to share a part of my story with you and discuss what will come at Storyline Ink.

After spending almost a year as a tattoo apprentice, I needed a break. Life was busy, stress was high, and I was tired. I needed some time away from tattooing. A lot played into this season for me, but it became clear that I needed something different for myself. I loved tattooing and using my artistic gifts and creativity, but at the pace I was going, it just wasn’t sustainable for me or my family. So I stepped down and circled the wagons with my family. I wasn’t sure if I would ever tattoo again.

A few months went by, and I began to heal, and an idea that I shared with my husband almost nine months ago began to grow. Nik and I were driving (I can’t remember where), and I shared with him I have an idea for a name for a future tattoo business…Storyline Ink. A business focused and centered not on tattoos but on people and their stories. I want to take a few minutes with you and share some of the values that are the foundation of Storyline Ink.

People Matter

At the core of Storyline is the belief that people matter. For many people (especially women), a first tattoo can be intimidating. I want people to feel comfortable and relaxed while I am tattooing them. I also want them to feel able to be real and have a good time during our session.

There is no shortage of super cool tattoo artist/business Instagram accounts highlighting INCREDIBLE tattoos. I give all of these accounts mad props. There are two significant things I feel are missing in most of these accounts, though: people and stories. I love cool tattoos, but behind every tattoo is the skin of a person, a person that has value and worth, far above any ink they have put on their body. I would instead put a spotlight on the person AND their tattoo.

In my shop, in my chair, and on my social media accounts, I want to give my clients a voice. I want to tell their stories because people matter. So many people get tattoos to symbolize hitting a milestone, honoring a loved one, overcoming hardship, celebrating loss, and so many other reasons. My clients matter. Their struggle matters, their success matters, they matter.

Stories Matter

It never ceases to amaze me the power of stories. Occasionally, a client comes in to get a “just for fun” tattoo. There is no story or reason just to get a tattoo, but this is the exception, not the rule. Almost every client I have sat in my chair has a story. Some tell a story of loss, some tell a story of hope, some tell a story of love, some tell a story of heartbreak, some tell a story of joy, some tell a story of bitterness, some tell a story of laughter, some tell a story of pain, and some tell a story that is so personal it will be kept between the two of stories.

One of the joys I experience as an artist is the confidence that a tattoo can bring to someone as their story passes from something verbal to a permanent part of themselves that they can walk out of my shop with. Sometimes, it looks like helping someone grieve and celebrate a loved one who has passed. Other times, it looks like a victim taking their worst moment and empowering themselves by taking back control of that moment. Sometimes, it may look like someone memorializing an accomplishment that has taken them years to master. Regardless of the tattoo or person, it is the story that truly matters.

This is why, for me, tattooing is a lot less about the final tattooed product and more about the story of the person being tattooed. I love tattoos and am proud of my final works, but the person and their unique story make my job worthwhile and valuable to me.

Art Matters

I wouldn’t be a tattoo artist if it weren’t for the artistic part of the job. Bringing a person’s story to life through a tattoo is so incredibly rewarding. Probably one of my favorite moments with clients has been showing them the design I have created for them for the first time or showing them the finished product of their personal tattoo artwork. To see their eyes light up and a smile light up their face brings joy to my heart.

You see, art matters. It matters because of the joy, excitement, and boldness it can empower others. At Storyline, I believe that the journey matters more than the destination. This applies to people as individuals and myself as an artist. My art is rarely straightforward. I spend time thinking, processing, drawing, redrawing, placing, removing, adding, refining. It would be convenient if my process of creating tattoo artwork were simple and quick, but it isn’t. Like my clients’ lives and stories, my art is often more about the journey than the destination. I somehow enjoy the “adventure” of getting lost, taking turns trying to get back on track, and maybe not as far away from my destination as I thought.

Art matters because it reminds me not to take myself too seriously, to enjoy the adventure that life has me on, and to experience the joy when a client says, “This is better than anything I could have imagined!”

People Over Tattoos

At the heart of Storyline Ink is the simple value of People Over Tattoos. This value influences how I spend my time, how I interact with clients, what I post on social media, how I design artwork, what I say “yes” to, and what drives me to continue in this industry. Without tattoos, I wouldn’t have a job, and people would probably be a little less interested in me, but without people, my life would fall apart. Tattoos (in my opinion) are valuable and can add to someone’s story, but it is people who make what I do really worthwhile. At Storyline, people will always be put before tattoos because People, Stories, and Art matter, which are all priceless compared to a tattoo.