We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenny Koll a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jenny, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I have been able to make a full-time living from tattooing, although it hasn’t been easy. Like any creative work, it takes a very long time and a ton of investment to reach a level where you can rely on it for a steady income. I began tattoo school quite a bit older than their typical students. I was in my 30’s, when most folks begin in their 20’s. At times, I am envious of the folks who begin much younger – having so many years to practice and develop their skill and style. However, I know that I needed the work experience I had before I began tattooing in order to gain the knowledge of what I wanted and needed from a profession. I don’t think I would be as successful had I not worked for years before I started tattooing. I learned that I need the proper work ethic and drive and that getting to be your own boss and in control of your development is a worth having to work long hours and struggle financially at times. The industry as a whole is rather slow right now, but many people are struggling financially and knowing tattoos are a luxury makes that understandable.

Jenny, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been drawing and painting my whole life – i always had at least one art class on my schedule growing up in school. I thought of it more as a fun period to get some relief from regular curriculum. I never took my art seriously, and never thought it could be a career. When I was growing up, it was very rare for folks to go to college for art or own their own business. I didn’t even consider it. After college and years of working in different industries, I found myself drawing in my free time and as much as I could. I loved to draw portraits of artists and people I loved and after a couple years I could see how much I was improving. I decided to take a few art classes around town, and I saw myself improve more and more. I was working a job that was no longer fulfilling and I started to think I could explore careers with a creative direction. My friend suggested I tour the tattoo school in town, and after the tour I was sold. I was nearly done with tattoo school when COVID hit, It made the process much longer than expected, but I was able to get licensed in Oregon in November of 2021. I have worked at a few shops through the years, but finally was able to open a private shop with a friend this September – Good Boy Tattoo. My style has developed over the years, but I find myself most fulfilled when I am doing black and gray realism. I still love doing portraiture, and find myself doing a lot of pet portraits, family, and animals. I also love doing botanicals in both color and black and gray. Although realism and botanicals are my main focus, I am open and excited by clients’ ideas outside of these themes as well. I feel honored to get to make lifelong art for folks that they can wear forever. I love knowing that I provide a service that can help folks feel more beautiful and confident in their bodies. Tattooing is such a unique way to earn a living and I am so grateful for all of the people who have trusted me to tattoo them and supported me along the way!

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The best way to support artists and creatives is to buy their product! If you aren’t able to support financially – share their work! Social media is always changing their criteria of what they are willing to push forward, so individuals taking an extra moment to like, save, comment and share posts goes a long way for us. If you have a positive experience, leave a review! Also work of mouth and referrals are huge. We totally understand not everyone is able to support us with their money, but there are so many other ways that can help us just by taking a few minutes of your time!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think for Tattoo Artists specifically, folks have an especially hard time understanding our pricing. On the surface, $150-250 an hour seems like a lot and suggests we are making money hand over fist, but thats far from the case. Generally speaking, artists are only charging their rate while they are actively tattooing, but there is so much more work we do outside of that where we are not being paid. For a single client, we spend time reviewing their ideas, consulting with them about their design, emailing and scheduling, gathering references, designing their tattoo, buying supplies, cleaning, setting up for their appointment, taking photos, posting on social media, and breaking down after the tattoo is completed. This doesn’t even cover the amount of time learning and perfecting their artistry and tattoo skill. We have to wear a lot of hats and do everything for ourselves, and our rates are a reflection of that.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @campsongs and @goodboy.pdx

Image Credits

not applicable – they are all my own personal photos