Amazing Female Tattoo Artists

Hello! This week I wanted to take a moment to appreciate the women tattoo artists of tattoo history and learn more about the tattoo heritage. As I am learning more at Speakeasy tattoo in Los Angeles California, I am gaining a greater appreciation for tattoo history and its many different stories within. This list of important female tattoo artists is in no way a complete list and there are many more female tattoo artists to explore. These women are some of the artists that I felt stood out to me personally. 

We’ll be starting off this list with the legendary Maud Wagner. “Maud Wagner, born in 1877, was America’s first female artist” (Inkedmag). “Maud became the first woman to learn and master the traditional hand-poked tattoo method. This became her preferred method of tattooing and until she died in 1961, she had never used an electric machine.” (Tattoodo). As the first female tattoo artist in America, Maud’s contributions to the tattoo industry are immeasurable. Opening the door for other female tattoo artists to emerge and create their own paths, Maud will forever be legendary. 

Another notable female tattoo artist is Jessie Knight. “Born in 1904, Jessie Knight was the first and only female tattooist to work professionally in Britain for over 40 years. Jessie’s longtime love affair with tattooing was inherited from her father Leonard, who had traveled extensively as a sailor and worked as both a circus performer and a tattoo artist. Jessie spent her childhood traveling alongside her father as he performed in daredevil acts and tattooed clients and performers on the side. In her early teen years, Jessie began to be included in her father’s wild and dangerous performances and was even rumored to have been shot twice by him while posing as his sharpshooting dummy.”(Tattoodo). As she established herself as a tattoo artist she began to market herself as, “Jessie Knight: Expert Freehand Lady Tattoo Artist”. Her unique freehand method was achieved by drawing on the skin with ink-soaked matchsticks and then tattooing over the stencil.”(Tattoodo).

The first black female tattoo artist in the USA is Jacci Gresham. “Her tag line, "Look Better Naked", speaks to her fabulous confidence and creativity. Based out of New Orleans, Jacci is definitely a pioneer who deserves the respect and accolades given to women who have gone through great adversity to be where they are now.” (Tattoodo). Jacci Gresham is inspiring to so many artists that wish to change the status quo and her impact on the industry is a result of hard work, resilience and beautiful artwork.

Some honorable mentions include Shanghai Kate Hellenbrand and Ryan Ashely Malarkey. “Shanghai Kate Hellenbrand began her tattoo career in 1971 and one year later, she was invited by Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins to be part of The Council of Seven at the first international tattoo convention in Hawaii. Collins went on to apprentice Hellenbrand, who later would work alongside industry legends such as Ed Hardy and Jack Rudy. Hellenbrand still tattoos to this day, inking clients at Shanghai Kate’s Tattoo Parlor in Austin, Texas.”(Inkedmag) In 2016, Ryan Ashley Malarkey became the first woman to win Paramount’s Ink Master. “Following her success on the reality competition, Malarkey starred alongside fellow competitors Kelly Doty and Nikki Simpson in Ink Master: Angels. Today, she operates a private studio in NYC and tattoos at conventions around the world” (Inkedmag). Growing up I watched Ryan Ashely Malarkey win ink master and as a young woman it was inspiring to see her accomplish this. 

With so many more female tattoo artists to explore, my research is not nearly done. I have such appreciation for these artists and I hope this inspires you to explore more artists in history of any gender and find more wonderful stories.