Today we’d like to introduce you to Betty Rose
Hi Betty, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a native New Yorker growing up in the 90’s, that meant skateboarding and punk rock. These worlds introduced me to the alluring and ever-growing art of tattoos. I started getting tattoos before I was old enough, and at first, I fell in love with tattoos because of the need for adrenaline –I also loved the mystery and magic of the experience. Now, it has become a way to connect with my colleagues, show my support to the community and collect one-of-a-kind pieces from incredible artists. My career began in 2004, as a tattoo apprentice, at a premier studio in New York City.
Before tattooing, snowboarding was the most important thing in my life — at age 18, I was a certified snowboard instructor and moved to Colorado in pursuit of mountain-living. After two winters, I returned to New York with a new career-dream in mind. I wanted to do something that gave me the same joy and freedom that teaching snowboarding gave me — and the world of tattooing was it.
In 2018, my husband and I moved to the Austin area and opened Rose & Crown Tattoos in South Austin, shortly after. Having had a proper apprenticeship and years of traveling for business, I’ve learned the importance of design style versatility and customer care. Everything I create has my signature artistic stamp with the fundamentals of tattooing clearly present.
Artist Statement: Good tattoos are built on a solid foundation. With that in mind, my goal is to make my client’s vision and combine it with the sound design principles I’ve learned throughout my career. Principles like balance and proportion, then add in clean lines to create a quality tattoo. That commitment to principle is what I believe creates something truly wondrous. To me, a tattoo is more than art. It’s both that and a story, which creates a connection to something classic.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My career hasn’t always been a smooth ride, but the road less traveled has been a great adventure. The road began with being rejected by a number of tattoo shops when I was looking for an apprenticeship. Then there was the challenge of not being an artist before learning to tattoo. I couldn’t say tattooing came easy, but I can say I fell in love with it, and there’s not much one wouldn’t for love. I wasn’t naturally gifted” or a “born artist” as some of my fellow colleagues are. Rather, I became a tattooer and then learned to make art. This presented some challenges, which pushed me to spend countless hours and many years practicing different art techniques. Using tools like colored pencils, watercolor markers, and acrylic paints, I eventually found my love for watercolor painting. I was determined to excel in traditional watercolor tattoo art A.K.A. “Flash,” so I spent many years honing those skills. Sure, to some folks, that may sound daunting, and yes, there were many frustrating moments, but anything you’re determined to do and spend countless hours doing, eventually becomes natural and comfortable.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A corner of my eclectic portfolio is dedicated to cattoos, otherwise known as cat tattoos. I adore cats and feel akin to their humans. In tattoo history, cat 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 feline friends. I’ve created a series of playful cat illustrations called Kinetic Kitties (@KineticKitties or kinetickitties.com), designs that have become something I frequently tattoo.
I’ve been asked what my favorite tattoo is, but to me, tattooing has more to do with the clients than anything else. So it’s not always designs that I can say are favorites, rather it’s the people I meet along the way. There’s a number of other passion projects that I’ve been developing over the years, with hopes to give back to my clients, artists, and the community I love. Tattooing is my life and my passion.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
I’ve chosen many risky paths, sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident. One of my most recent adventures was our move to Texas. After living most of my life in or around New York City, where I had a fruitful career and all my family and friends, my husband and I moved to a place where we knew no one and only had a vague idea of how business would be. Fortunately, my loving and supportive husband helped with the jarring transition, and I now see the move to Texas as a complete joy. Taking this risk was one of the most rewarding and wonderful ones to-date!
Contact Info:
- Address: Rose and Crown Tattoos 12724 Lowden Ln. Manchaca, TX 78652
- Email: betty@bettyrosetattoos.com
- Website: bettyrosetattoos.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/bettyrosetattoos
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TattoosByBettyRose/
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