Steph is changing the status quo

I was trying so hard to get an apprenticeship in Calgary or even just get my foot in the door at a tattoo shop. Nobody would take me at the time. I remember showing my art to people, and studio owners being, ‘I don't even know why anyone would get this. Absolutely not.’ Then I went on a month long trip to Costa Rica and I stopped in this small town called Sámara. I met this guy who was all tattooed on the beach. He said ‘I have a shop here, come, I'll show you.’ Then the shop told me that if I wanted to move here, I could work there and there's a place for me to live for 200 bucks a month. I was at a crossroads. Do I finish this degree at University of Calgary? Or do I move to Costa Rica and try and be a tattoo artist? I told myself I gotta go for it - I don't want to regret anything. So I sold everything and flew to Costa Rica.

There's no definition of what art or a studio should look like. It can be very niche and you realize not everybody wants a black work tattoo, or a trad tattoo, and not everybody wants to get a stick and poke, and that's okay too — there's room for everyone.

I loved living there, but eventually I really wanted to grow up as an artist. I was just doing so many pineapple tattoos. You're just doing tourist tattoos and you can't build clientele. I have family in Calgary and a really great community of friends, so I came back. But I had to find a studio to continue tattooing. The only one that would take me on was this shady studio (now closed) that was all black and red and metal. I would have my cute little queer clients coming in and see all these scary biker dudes. I remember other artists there saying ‘Oh, we're so different’. But it was beyond that because I was the only woman in the shop and I definitely experienced a lot of misogyny and hateful comments. I saw clients being taken advantage of and others having inappropriate experiences. I wasn't able to find my voice in that. My biggest regrets in tattooing is seeing things happen in those shops and not speaking up.”

“Now that's a foundational part of what I want at Loveyland - making sure that we recognize and acknowledge the power dynamics and having policies in place to help protect our clients and artists. We have a third party person who clients and other artists can reach out to if they had a bad experience. They can reach out to this person and they deal with any situation that may come up on a case by case basis. It's a really great way to keep artists accountable and allow the clients to feel safe.

Steph’s just as thoughtful and transparent working with her artists at Loveyland:

I just mathed it out. Like how much do I need to make to keep the studio going, pay the rent, keep the electricity on, get the supplies - all that stuff. I make sure that it's fair for the other artists working here. They all pay percentage base, but there's a cap. I think it makes so much more sense because it prevents resentment building up and I don't want to take advantage of other artists who are just trying to get their bread. It's very team focused and we all share the same values. These little choices can really help even things out and change the industry. I think the community's starting to see that it doesn't have to be like the old way. There's no definition of what art or a studio should look like. It can be very niche and you realize not everybody wants a black work tattoo, or a trad tattoo, and not everybody wants to get a stick and poke, and that's okay too — there's room for everyone.

My whole studio is just really beautiful, kind people. I love the community. I love the freedom that comes with it.

I get to draw and make art all the time. It's really awesome. I really couldn't see myself doing anything else other than being an artist and creating a space like Loveyland.

Steph’s books are open. You’ll find her changing the status quo with silly and fun tattoos @loveyland.studio in Calgary.