Meet Syd with Vicious INK by Syd!
St. Paul Tattoo Studio interview with Vicious Ink by Syd, we got to see her studio is on the Westside of Saint Paul inside GGs Salon. Gail, the owner of GG’s Salon, has done Syd and her mom’s hair for years. So when she told Gail she got her tattoo license, Gail built her a room in her Salon and told her to move in!
Syd has wanted to be a tattoo artist since she was 13, and it’s truly her dream job! Who knew years later she would have her own St. Paul tattoo studio? It all started in school, where she would constantly be doodling on herself and even gave herself her first tattoo when she was in 8th-grade during math class using India ink and a needle! Syd says she loves working with people and knowing that they are wearing her art. Her favorite tattoos to create often portray female strength and power and are a little on the dark side. She loves including symbols and objects with layers of meaning to her clients.
Women owned Tattoo Studio: Vicious INK by Syd!
As a tattoo apprentice, Syd worked in multiple shops. She felt taken advantage of and, in a few situations, like they didn’t have her back. These experiences have motivated Syd, and in the future, she would like to teach and support other females who want to get into tattooing while providing a safe place to nurture female artists who want to get their licenses.
Most of her clients started out being friends of friends, but now she is getting referrals from strangers are requesting her unique artwork and style. Currently, she is only booking appointments on weekends, which means her calendar is booked out months in advance! So be sure to reach out early to snag a spot with her St.Paul tattoo studio!
During the week, Syd is an Ironworker, and you can find her welding four stories in the air! She is also going to school two days a week to earn her certificate from apprentice to Journeyman. Her parents had traditional jobs and encouraged her to have a more stable life, which led her first to ironworking instead of tattooing. She plans to retire as soon as possible from ironworking to pursue tattooing full-time.
Syd and her fiance have had an exciting year that included buying a new house on the Westside, getting engaged, and adopting a pitbull lab mix puppy named Leo! Syd is incredibly proud to be celebrating six years of sobriety and rocks a sobriety coin tattoo on the palm of her hand as a constant reminder.
We are building community on St.Paul, Minnesota’s Westside by interviewing neighboring businesses and artists. If you would like to be featured, please reach out!
