Emily is an American traditional tattooer working out of Rose City Originals in Camrose, Alberta with her partner Devin. Visit her for bright and bold pieces that truly stand the test of time, whether in black and grey or full colour!

1. Introduct yourself, how long have you been tattooing and getting tattooed? “Howdy! My name is Emily, otherwise known online as @sweettarttatts! | currently live in Camrose, Alberta, where I co-own a shop with my partner called Rose City Originals. I’ve been getting tattooed since I was 19, so just over 10 years now. I got my first tattoo at a walk in shop in Ottawa after a very impulsive, morning of decision, and now here I am with more tattooed skin than not! I’ve been tattooing on skin for two years now. Before that, I completed a year long apprenticeship before doing my first tattoo on skin. I had the pleasure of starting my career in Calgary before eventually relocating to Camrose.”

2. I know you’ve spoken about going from being a tattoo collector to becoming a tattooer but for readers here could you speak about that experience again? “You bet!

I started my tattoo journey on a whim and quickly realized how much I loved everything about tattoo culture. I was an avid collector (and still am!) and would be at my local shops monthly, if not more, getting flash, custom work, or simply enjoying the environment of the shop.

As someone who never really felt like I had a place to “fit in,” so to speak, I found that place within tattoos and tattoo culture. I love how tattoos allow you to express yourself and feel more comfortable in your own body.

When I reached my late twenties, I found myself at a crossroads. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled in my career as a retail manager, so I spent some time thinking about where I wanted my life to go next. The only thing I felt truly passionate about was tattoos.

From there, I was fortunate enough to get an apprenticeship and dedicated all of my time to learning the craft. I feel incredibly grateful that I’m able to do what I love every day while also sharing that passion with other people. I know not everyone gets to find that kind of fulfillment in their life, let alone their career, so it’s something I really cherish.”

3. Do you still see the tattoo scene as being male dominated or have you noticed more of a female or femme presenting representation recently? “That’s a great question!

I do feel as though tattooing as a whole is still very male dominated. That being said, over the past decade there has been a significant increase in the number of women getting into the industry.

I also think the style you gravitate toward can make a difference. For myself, working primarily in American Traditional, it can still feel like a bit of a “boys club” at times. Although, I do think that’s changing which is great to see!

I think the conversation surrounding men and women in tattooing is similar to what we see in other careers. Women can sometimes feel like they have more to prove in order to be seen as equal to their male counterparts.

For myself, I just strive to be authentically me, continue pushing myself to grow as an artist, and provide my clients with the best possible experience whenever they trust me with their skin.”

4. I’ve seen your particular style of traditional tattooing described as “girly trad” and other such variations. What would you call your style and what do you think of more traditionally feminine styles being used to create America traditional tattoos? “It’s hard for me to say exactly what style or “bucket” you would put my work into! My clientele ranges from women who want more traditionally feminine imagery to blue collar workers who want the classics, like skulls, flames, and other trad staples.

The one thing that remains consistent with everyone who comes to me is that they trust my vision and want their ideas executed as American Traditional tattoos. Since I’m still relatively new to the craft, I tend to experiment with my colour palettes, and I naturally gravitate toward very bright colours.

I would describe my take on American Traditional as a little funky and a little girly! I try to put a little bit of “me” into every tattoo I do.

I personally love how American Traditional has changed and grown over the years to include more feminine imagery, as well as different interpretations of the classics. I always say that anything can be done in traditional (to an extent) and I think that’s part of what makes the style so great. Traditional tattoos can be incredibly eye catching while still being designed to stand the test of time.”

5. Have you tattooed in provinces outside of Alberta, or outside of Canada? Can you speak to different tattoo scenes within Canada at all, or between Canada and other parts of the world? Or via your experience being tattooed in other parts of the world if you have been. “In my relatively short time as a tattooer, I’ve been fortunate enough to attend many different conventions as well as do guest spots at other shops! From my experiences getting tattooed and tattooing in different parts of Canada, I can say that every city has a completely different vibe. The shops, clients, and artists all have different experiences and perspectives to share. I find being able to travel for tattoos, whether I’m getting tattooed myself or tattooing someone else, to be a unique experience. I always feel much more inspired creatively when I’m able to get out of my comfort zone and engage with other artists. There are SO many talented artists across Canada, and nothing beats being able to see their work in person and have the opportunity to actually speak with them. I’ve personally done a lot of travelling to get large scale work tattooed, and I find that from the client perspective, it can be an amazing experience. You get the chance to explore a new city and create other memories that become tied to the piece you’re getting tattooed. It makes the tattoo feel like part of a much bigger experience!”

6. Who are some artists that inspire you? Living or dead, tattooers and/or other artists. “I have so many artists who inspire me and my work for different reasons. Of course, since I’ve been a collector of American Traditional tattoos for so long, as well as working within the style myself, all of the greats have influenced and inspired me in some way.

To name a couple of more personal ones:

Alex Duquette is an artist I’ve been a client of for many years, even before I started tattooing myself. I find his work ethic, passion, and overall approach to his craft incredibly inspiring.

My mentor, Devin Hesketh, is another. Having the opportunity to work so closely with him and see how he approaches his work, with such a high level of attention to detail, has had a huge impact on both me and my work.”

7. What advice do you have for anyone looking to get tattooed for the first time or looking to be into tattooing? “For anyone getting their first tattoo, I can’t stress enough how important it is to pick the right artist! Doing your research on both the shop and the artist is key. Make sure to look through their work, both fresh and healed as this will give you a much better idea of what you can expect from them. If you like the majority of what an artist does, it’s usually a pretty safe bet that you’ll like what they come up with for your piece! For someone looking to get into tattooing, I would say getting tattooed and getting into shops as a client is the first step. Surrounding yourself with the culture and experiencing it from that perspective before pursuing tattooing as a career is so important. I would also strongly recommend finding a mentor who can provide you with a proper apprenticeship. I know there are mixed opinions on this one, but from my personal experience I truly believe there is no better way to learn. Having that in the moment feedback and instruction is so integral to learning the craft properly and safely.”

8. Anything else you would like to add? “Firstly, thank you so much for asking me to contribute my thoughts on tattoos and the craft! I love that you’ve built such a strong sense of community around tattoos and the artists who create them. I think it’s really special that you’re able to share your love for tattooing as a collector while also including such a wide variety of different styles and artists.

I hope everyone enjoys reading my thoughts and getting to know a little more about my experience with tattoos and the craft.

And as always, y’all stay getting rad tattoos by rad people!”