Works of art

“Please, be kind to studios when you see prices increasing; costs have increased hugely”

The local tattoo industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but businesses aren’t letting that get under their skin.

With three government-regulated closures, stringent re-opening procedures and drastically increased operating costs, the pandemic has taken its toll on owners of Airdrie tattoo shops.

However, the ones we talked to say the hardships have made them thankful for those who continue to trust them with their ink.

According to the City, Airdrie is home to about 11 registered establishments that provide tattooing services.

Here, we talk to the owners of two Airdrie shops that provide very different services to hear the ups and downs of the past yearand-a-half.

COMING UP ROSES

Courtney Rose, owner of Rose Gold Body Piercing & Tattoo, has been piercing since 2006 and tattooing since 2019.

She has a background in anatomy and physiology and originally wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps as a paramedic.

“I decided to focus on piercing instead,” she says.

“We focus on paramedical and cosmetic tattooing, which is scar covering or camouflage, areola reconstruction after breast loss or mastectomy and rehabilitation tattooing.

Ink-credible resilience

BY STACIE GAETZ | PHOTOS BY SERGEI BELSKI

We truly love providing cosmetic services as well, making each and every person feel beautiful.”

Rose Gold opened in Airdrie in 2017 and currently has two tattoo artists and three piercers. According to Gold, they are the only members of the Association of Professional Piercers in Southern Alberta.

Gold says is has been difficult to close down three times due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

“(Closing down has) created huge losses in income and issues for clients who need regular care or downsizes of jewelry,” she says.

“We have always operated at the highest level of sterilization and sanitation. We now have reduced our client appointments to one person, per piercer, per hour.”

She adds that the pandemic has made her appreciate her regular clients who have decided to support and shop local.

“(The tattoo industry has) fallen under some of the most stringent reopening procedures and undergone almost a 175 per cent increase in our costs for personal protective equipment,” she adds.

“Please, be kind to studios when you see prices increasing; costs have increased hugely.”

She adds that Rose Gold is unlike any other tattoo studio because of the specific services they provide.

“Getting a tattoo at Rose Gold is like finding someone to confide in; you can always come to us with your skin concerns (and) insecurities, and we will support you through your tattooing journey,” Gold says.

GETTING INKED

Colin Ditchfield, owner of Addictive Ink, has been tattooing for 14 years and opened his own shop in Airdrie in 2010.

“I have always been artistically gifted, since I was a young kid,” he says.

“When I got older, I started my career out as a dental technician and used my artistic talents to make dentures. My boss had tattoos at this time and introduced me to (his artist), who took me on as an apprentice, eventually leading to me opening my own studio here in Airdrie.”

Addictive Ink has four artists and one employee, including Ditchfield’s wife Cass, who was the shop’s first apprentice.

“Our artists are very dedicated to the trade,” says Ditchfield. “Our whole lives revolve around art and tattooing. When we are not in the shop, we are drawing, painting and constantly improving our skills to be the best artists we can be.”

Ditchfield says the pandemic has presented a number of challenges for his business.

“It has been quite hard,” he says. “Every time we are forced to enter lockdown, we have to reschedule anywhere between four- and sixmonths’ worth of clients in order to make up for the lost time.

“We appreciate (our clients’ patience) and want to say thank you to all of them that have stood by us during these months. We love all of you and we can’t wait to see you all in the chair again.” life

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Action through Connection: If you own a business, or are a business leader, you have a tremendous impact on the growth and wellbeing of our community. The Airdrie Chamber of Commerce recognizes that by working together and championing local business, we will build a stronger Airdrie. The Airdrie Chamber (AC) is a dynamic, professional organization that provides value to our members and is an advocate for all business. Not only do we create worthwhile connections between our members, we connect members to new clients, and business to government. The Chamber works together with our members to improve the economic, civic, and cultural wellbeing of our community.

Your Chamber is Having Fun this Fall!

When the Government of Alberta launched their Open for Summer Plan, the Airdrie Chamber was thrilled to start planning in person events again! We hosted our 20th Annual Golf Classic on August 13th complete with a banquet. It was such a treat to see so many smiling faces on the course, networking and supporting one another. We are also pleased to announce that the Airdrie Business Awards Gala is back and scheduled for October 21st. The community voting component for the awards is from early September to October, and we encourage all of you to vote for the amazing finalists. We will also be planning a picnic in the park and hosting other inspiring speakers at luncheons and workshops throughout the fall, all with the goal to reconnect and boost our business community.

We are also super excited to be partnering with the Alberta Chambers of Commerce to launch an e-commerce platform Chambermarket.ca, that will support local businesses and encourage spending in our community instead of foreign e-commerce stores such as Amazon. This platform will be available for all businesses, with or without existing e-commerce capability. Individuals will be able to shop with multiple vendors across the platform and even purchase a mall-like gift card that our community has been asking for for years, and it will be the first available in our community! Our chamber will be hosting a Shop Local Chambermarket.ca launch party to kick off this fantastic new offer for our community.

As always, the safety and wellbeing of our community, and the vitality and strength of our businesses are the Airdrie Chamber’s top priorities. We encourage all business, big and small to join your local chamber to benefit from our efforts and to support your business community as a whole.

Your Airdrie Chamber of Commerce www.airdriechamber.ab.ca