Today we’d like to introduce you to Betty Rose.
Betty, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
As a native New Yorker growing up in the 90s, life was skateboarding, and punk rock and the coolest things you could get in both of those was a tattoo. All of the most interesting skateboarders and bands had them, one of the guys that pops in my head is Lars Fredrickson from Rancid. You can imagine what happened. Next, I started looking for parlors that were lenient with IDs. The first few tattoos fulfilled the rush of adrenaline and adventure I craved. Over time, I’m not sure exactly when, it stopped being about that and became a genuine appreciation of the art & beauty, which led me to a hard-won apprenticeship in 2004 and my current career. Eventually, I moved on from the shop I apprenticed at and took a position as a resident artist at Eight of Swords Tattoo in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Which evolved into managing the shop, total side-note if you ever stop by pet the lovable shop-cat named Baby D for me(gosh I miss her). After several years making my bones in NYC I tired of the big city and moved down south to work at Golden Age Tattoos, which recently led to a partnership with the owner, making me a co-owner of the shop. Did I mention I’m a shop owner? So, in short, I’d say my story so far has led me to connect with thousands of clients, a full body of tattoos(yes I’m completely covered), and the joy of doing something I’m passionate about every day.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’d say I’m most well known for my cat tattoos or cattoos as I like to call them. I adore cats and feel akin to their humans. In tattoo history cat art and tattoos have always been present, whether it was through the imagery of large wild cats or memorial pieces for lost furry family members. Now more than ever clients are paying tribute to their domestic felines. I even have a series of playful cat illustrations called Kinetic Kitties (@KineticKitties on Instagram); those designs often become something I end up tattooing on fans. As a tattoo artist, in particular, I’m really focused on my designs, and I feel responsible for making something that compliments the wearer. That being said, I hope people take away a feeling of being comfortable. There’s a lot of great artists with their own style, yet I’ve always wanted to go the extra mile in making people know that beautiful art can be a fun experience.
As far as what I take away? For me, it’s about the people I meet. There are few jobs in this world that give you the chance to interact with people on such a personal level, and I know how to treasure that. For my tattoo clients, I’d want them to know that their experience is important and while tattoos may be a pain, the process doesn’t have to be. For all other customers who buy art or any of my merch, they should know that every ounce of these creations are made with love and joy.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
With the explosion of social media, artists have been able to connect faster than ever so naturally the tattoo industry was effected in a big way. Tattooers can now network with their peers and clients faster and with a wider reach. Because of the ease of finding reference, an artist’s skills are growing at a tremendous rate. As far as helping artists? The best way I know how to help artists thrive is by showing support for their work, much like how you’re doing with me now, thanks by the way. A few years back I started an Instagram account for that very purpose called @LadyTattooers. Every day or so I would pick a female artist and highlight their work to help raise the artist’s profile and introduce people to the wide variety of female tattooers in the industry. Little things like that can go a long way in helping to build a community and increase the support each artist gets. So, as a fan the best way is to support or buy their work, as far as an outlet like yours I’d say what you’re doing is right on the money. Hopefully, that helps.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Thanks for asking! The Kinetic Kitties webstore is launching this spring (2019), https://kinetickitties.com/, folks who love cattoos and the playful designs of Kinetic Kitties will now be able to take a little piece of that joy home through artwork, apparel, or other kitty creations.
To book a free consultation for a tattoo, you can contact me at https://bettyrosetattoos.com/#contact.
To view what I’m doing on a daily basis you can check either https://www.instagram.com/kinetickitties/ or https://www.instagram.com/bettyrosetattoos/ where I post anything that I’ve recently done or even things currently in the works.
Also, I will be a featured exhibit at the upcoming POPcats show (popcats.org) in Austin, TX -May 4th & 5th
Contact Info:
- Address: 2008 Fortview Rd. Austin, TX 78704
- Website: https://bettyrosetattoos.com/
- Phone: 7372138235
- Email: betty@bettyrosetattoos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettyrosetattoos
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TattoosByBettyRose/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/kinetickitties
Image Credit:
Betty Rose
@hellcatphotographs – Personal Photo
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
