Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandie Cottrell.
Hi Brandie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started building my own tattoo machines when I was 15. I would use electric toothbrushes or remote control cars. I couldn’t tell you how I figured that out but I became intrigued with tattooing around that age. My mom was very supportive and gifted me a tattoo kit at 17. Those aren’t the best but I thought it was pretty cool. At 19, May 1st of 2008, I got my apprenticeship at Painful Pleasures Tattoo under Joey Cash and I have been doing it ever since. I had my doubt about staying in this profession… I even went to college for counseling but during this time, I went through a lot of self-discovery and growth and found my love in art. It was always there but I had to let go of the negative thoughts and believe in myself.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey has been a struggle. I had support from my mother but there was a lot of people that doubted me. People would tell me that tattooing wasn’t a real profession, that I needed to get an education so I could have a “real” job with benefits and retirement. I believed this for a long time till I realized that I can do all that on my own. There would also be several people that would walk into the shop and think I was the front desk girl. I came into tattooing when it was still very much a man’s world. One of my old coworkers and good friend Brittany Moates dealt with a lot of the same issues. We started about the same time and this was when woman really started to pile into the tattoo industry. Many people wouldn’t trust a female artist or they would be surprised that a woman was going to do their tattoo. I’ve heard many say that I was the first female tattoo artist to work on them. Things have changed a great deal the past few years. My greatest challenge was finding myself in tattooing and what it meant for me. I partied a lot in the beginning and gave Joey a lot of grief. He was my teacher and owner of the shop. It got bad enough that he had to let me go but I understood and this gave me a chance to get away and clean up my act. A few months down the road, he asked if I would return and I did. This gave me a second chance to prove myself. We worked together for ten years in Houston till I moved to Austin.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
A good portion of my clients are female and LGBTQ but I accept everyone as long as I can do what they want. I believe I’m fluent in several different styles but I’m known for my floral and thin linework. I was never good at linework till I was critiqued for it and that put a flame under my butt to get better and I did. I have a good eye for what flows on the body and how to lay it on to really complement the natural figure. I use to do a lot of tribal and this helps me now. Another style I love to do but don’t have the following for is neo-traditional. I feel like it’s my guilty pleasure. I am free to draw darker and bold with bright colors. I always think of it as my dark side and this is what I personally get tattooed on me.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
That’s a good question and I feel like we are still living this crisis but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. I feel that I have become more health-conscious and not just washing my hands and wearing a mask but in all aspects of life. Our mental health has a huge impact on our immune system. So going outside, exercising, connecting with others, and eating healthy… all of this helps our bodies stay strong.
Contact Info:
- Email: Brandie1829@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.serenitytattoostudio.com/
- Instagram: @tat_brandie
Image Credits
Liquor and lace photography
