-Important announcement for all long-term clients-
Starting a new chapter is always challenging, as it begins by ending one. As I sit here today to share with you this very big decision I’ve made for myself, my heart is filled with immense gratitude and pride that I simply have the privilege to call myself an artist! My entire life I’ve known that my purpose is to share the stories of others through art and I want to thank YOU for allowing me to fulfill this dream. It is bittersweet for me to announce that coming this June, I will be moving to Michigan part-time. I will be returning for the months of January through April of 2023 and will still be available to work with clients at Art and Sol Tattoo Gallery during those months.
This journey has not been easy but it has been beyond rewarding. I would like to begin by saying it is hard to articulate in words just how much gratitude my heart holds; for this journey, this responsibility, for you. For entrusting me with your bodies, our canvases, and for allowing me to be part of your stories of love, loss, preservation and perseverance, that you tell boldly as you move through the world in this body. Some of you reading this have been with me on this career and life journey from the beginning. For four years you patiently waited for the half sleeve that I had to turn away when my confidence wasn’t where it is now. You waited for H O U R S in line on Friday the 13th to get something that could fill your gaps or fit your budget. You gave me the honor to create your first piece of body art, or tattoo your entire families, or even to light a candle for loved ones passed. The connection and love that I feel when I tattoo their words on you is indescribable. Thank you. Thank YOU. Thank You!!! I can make this decision to leave with confidence knowing that each one of you carries a piece of me with you everywhere. I hope that our bond, time together, and art that we’ve created is as irreplaceable to you as it is to me. I would truly not be here without you and what you allow me to do.
The joy I have for why I do what I do seems to grow deeper and deeper every year. The trials of the pandemic taught me a whole new appreciation for the connections I’ve grown with all of you. It also helped me to reflect a lot on my personal life. The biggest part being the-F-word… family, silly! I’ll be twenty-five this May, and at this point in my life I am realizing that I don’t actually have to be so physically rooted in one place. I have the ability to choose where I want to be and when. And that is something I have realized I do not want to take for granted, and something I want to take advantage of while I still can! I think of myself as young for my age; I am aware of life’s curveballs and sometimes they’ll call us back to the places we’ve already been or to the people that matter and need us the most. I foresee a time when I’ll need to be here in Tucson or whereever my Mother is, when the roles of tender care from nursery years are reversed. However, until that day comes, my heart is calling me back to Michigan, to live closer to my sisters and brothers.
So let’s talk about what this means for us! For you. First of all, more time to find inspiration and to fill your tattoo funds! But most importantly, I do my best to create a space that embodies safety, trust, adventure and passion. My first priority during this time is to make this transition as smooth as possible for you, my clients. I will fully complete all of my ongoing projects before I leave in June, including those we have booked and not started yet. Even if that means fitting clients in on Sunday’s if need be! I will close my books once full through May 30th. I will be back again in January of 2023 and will be working in Tucson through April. The Art and Sol management team has generously accepted responsibility for all of my client communications and will begin scheduling remote consultations beginning in November of this year, ideally fully booking up my schedule before I return. Prior to speaking with me you will receive a consultation form and we will meet remotely over a phone call.
As most of you know, direct client communication is not my forte, so when it comes to pressing questions and getting a quick response I ask that you keep in contact with Art and Sol directly. That being said, after reflecting on my growth and all that I’ve learned from this experience, I’ve decided that no matter where I go, I want my clients to have access to me and my work. I want you to feel the same mutual security and trust that you experience in the environment we have cultivated at Art and Sol. Therefore, it is with great pride that as I prepare to move on to this next chapter of my life, I will be launching my own website with my business information to follow soon!
With all of my heart, thank you for your support in the up and coming chapters of my life.
XO, MO