The tattoo industry is booming in Airdrie, with four new studios opening up shop in just the last two years.
Sundog Studios, The Astoria Tattooing Company, Boss Tattoos and Magnolia Tattoo Collective are all new to Airdrie and have found success since launching. Three of the shops are located in King’s Heights and one is in Cooper’s Crossing.
The studios provide a place for tattoo artists to rent space to run their business out of. Each artist has their own edge, specializing in something different and adding their own unique touch to tattooing. The studios all have Instagram accounts to display each artist’s work.
“Each of these local establishments support our community as incubators for independent tattoo artists and by offering local goods in their boutiques,” says Jessica Williamson, economic development officer with the City of Airdrie. “As people have become more accepting and are embracing individualism, tattoos have become a modern art form of self-expression.”
Sundog Studios
Shop owner Yvonne Koprnicky has been tattooing for 11 years, but says she has always been an artist. She describes Sundog Studios as a bright, friendly shop with boho and California surf culture vibes.
Four artists work out of the studio, each with their own unique style. Elise Lamoureux specializes in illustrative black work, floral pieces and mandalas, while Dominic Kirouac specializes in black and grey realism and loves tattooing bright colours.
Mahala Heald, meanwhile, enjoys doing vintage ornate, fine-line and traditional tattoos and sells butterfly prints in vintage frames. Chantal Hammond loves bolder lines, drawing mushrooms, woodland art and forest animals, while Koprnicky herself specializes in fine-line floral and black and grey realism.
“We’re really trying to create a community-focused artist collective,” says Koprnicky.
The Astoria Tattooing Company
The name of this shop, co-owned by longtime friends Maxine Yagilnicky and Craig Howe, was inspired by an old film.
“We named it after where they filmed The Goonies,” says Howe, referring to the town of Astoria, Ore. “We’re children of that age.”
Four tattoo artists work out of the studio, as well as an esthetician, and there’s a space reserved for local vendors to display their wares.
Yagilnicky specializes in fine-line black and grey floral tattoos, while Howe tattoos fine-line vintage and illustrative styles. Clare Moreau specializes in astrology and illustrative tattoos and Kory Presiloski is a tattoo apprentice still finding his groove. Avery Emerson runs her business, Emerald Brow Lounge, out of the shop, as well.
“We weren’t sure how the surrounding businesses would kind of welcome us in, but they have been amazing,” says Yagilnicky.
Boss Tattoos
The owner of Boss Tattoos, Mark LeMay, grew up painting artwork on helicopters, airplanes and boats and has been tattooing for ten years.
Five artists work out of his shop, including LeMay’s wife, Heather, who specializes in fine-line florals, while LeMay enjoys black and grey realism. Dana Dynamite specializes in watercolour tattoos and Trevor Jameus has an edge for comics-style realism. Renee Gagnon does medical and cosmetic tattooing.
“The style of tattooing a lot of us do is pretty rare. A lot of the artists have clients that fly in. They come for a week and get tattooed [over] multiple days,” says LeMay.
He and his wife also teach new artists how to tattoo.
“We are pretty obsessed with tattooing — it’s kind of our life,” he says.
Magnolia Tattoo Collective
Magnolia Tattoo Collective is an artist and maker collective pulsating with innovation and expression.
Owner Erin Belley has been tattooing for 17 years and creating art for her whole life.
“I work primarily in illustrative or semi-realism, as well as ornamental styles, using both colour or black and grey,” she says.
Belley’s apprentice, Kelly ML, specializes in custom drawing and realism portraits.
The vibrant space is a haven for tattoo enthusiasts and creators featuring tattoo artists, holistic-focused aestheticians, and an ever-expanding and unique maker market the goes beyond the world of tattooing, showcasing an array of handmade treasures crafted by local artisans and makers.
Holistic aesthetician Angela of And Skin Studio believes in aging as healthily and as gracefully as possible. She works with locally sourced skin-care products and is a holistic nutrition consultant, Reiki master, certified relationship coach and birth doula.
