Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Dukes.
Hi Kat, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am a machine free (stick and poke) tattoo artist inspired by nature and the old west. I started tattooing friends and myself about 8 years ago with just the basics. It was very organic how something I just liked to do on the weekends for fun, turned into my full time job. Being self taught meant there was a lot of trial and error when I started, but I always tried to create pieces that looked like they were done with a machine. I love the tediousness of tattooing dot by dot. It’s very meticulous, but doesn’t take as long as you might think. I was able to take my business from backyard session and house calls to renovating a van into a mobile studio. I’d park the van at Carlsbad cliffs and tattoo with an ocean view. As my business grew, so did the need for more space. I ended up selling the van and bought a school bus to start the Reno process in 2021. While the bus is being worked on I have a private studio on Coast Highway. The process has taken much longer than I thought, but I can’t wait to take that to flash events on the road and just utilizing the private space for custom pieces.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Renovating a school bus into my dream tattoo studio has been a massive challenge. There has been no step of the way that has been seamless. From leaks to smog fails, failed ideas and bad calls, this project has tested every part of me. Financially I’ve invested an insane amount of money, but beyond that, the time I’ve sacrificed to work on this project has been huge. Beyond the bus Reno… running your own business has come with its own set of challenges. I am learning everything from scratch and finding what works for me come with a lot of trial and error much like it was when I began tattooing. I’ve always wanted to work for myself, so I wouldn’t change that for anything. It’s worth every challenge I face.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Being a hand poked artist is still very niche. I only know a couple people that do it professionally and I think I’m still the only licensed machine free artist in San Diego County. I love providing a different experience for my clients. Hand poke tattoos tend to be less painful and heal faster. It’s less tramatic to your skin, making the skin less reactive as you get tattooed. This is great for first timers and anyone with sensitive skin. This has been great to discover while doing this full time over the last five years. I love effecting peoples lives in a positive way. I’ve been doing a lot of pet portraits and memorial pieces. It’s such an amazing way to keep your loved ones close and start the healing process after a pet, friend, or family member has passed.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The only way I’ve been able to get where I am is through consistency. Every time I feel myself start to loose momentum is when I visibly see my business start to plateau. I would always encourage people to create a level of balance in life- I am still trying to find that. Sometimes life has forced my to slow down, but I think the key is to keep putting little bit of effort to reach your higher self, both in business and life. Having goals is good, but I think creating habits in your daily life will get you closer to success than having a set goal. Goals and end points tend to be stressful and unrealistic, especially when I attach timelines and finish dates. Life still happens, so I prefer to keep systems in place that will help me grow and continue to be a better version of myself without the expectation of a finish line.
Pricing:
- $150 per hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Steelhoneyshop.com
- Instagram: @Steel_honey
Image Credits
Katie Strurgill – IG @take.that.road
