The purpose of this review is to describe my consultation experience with this shop/owner and explain why it left me concerned about the communication and professionalism involved here. I'm sharing only what occurred and how I experienced it, without claiming to know anyone's intentions.
For the past 4ish maybe 5 years, I've wanted to have work done by the owner of this shop. To get started, I had to complete a text consultation with someone other than the artist, which was new to me maybe I'm just too old school. The conversation initially seemed to be going well. We discussed my ideas, placement, and sizing, and then I was asked whether I wanted color. Since I'm Black and have limited experience with color tattoos, I explained that I was unsure how certain colors would appear on my skin. Shortly after disclosing that I was Black, I received this response: "Hi! I spoke to [the owner]. Unfortunately, this is not a project she's interested in." There was no explanation, constructive feedback, or attempt to suggest another direction. I even asked whether if they could recommend someone else(thinking someone else at the shop might be interested in the opportunity), but no response after that quote above. Considering the complete project would likely have cost more than $15,000 maybe even around 20, I expected a little more effort and professionalism from the consultation process. I had also been extremely flexible. Aside from a portrait, I was willing to give the artist creative freedom to interpret most of my ideas in her own style, as long as the overall concepts remained intact. That's why the immediate dismissal was confusing. Looking back, I also realized that I couldn't find a single tattoo on a Black client featured on the owner's Instagram. I hadn't thought much of that while I was simply admiring the artwork, but after this interaction, it stood out. I can only speak to what happened during my consultation, and I can't claim to know the owner's intentions. However, the timing and sudden shift in the conversation left me feeling deeply uncomfortable and wondering whether my skin tone influenced the decision. If the artist believed the designs wouldn't work or wouldn't work well on my complexion a professional explanation or an alternative suggestion would have gone a long way. Instead, I walked away feeling dismissed and unwelcome. It's disappointing because I remember the dope artist I originally followed saying in an interview, "I don't care if you want your boyfriend or girlfriend's name tattooed on your face , let's get this money!" Aside from the artwork, that open minded, client-focused attitude was a big part of why I wanted her work in the first place. Unfortunately, that wasn't the energy I received. Instead was left feeling sad and disappointed. At this point, "BeMore... Whatever the Artist Wants to Do" might be a more accurate name of the shop. read more
