About

Patchwork has been open since 2021! We prioritize having an artistic and comfortable space, with two private studios that are both located in commercial office buildings downtown Vancouver. Our Resident Tattoo Artists are a mix of amazing, talented, and creative individuals, all with diverse backgrounds! We love people that embrace who they are and just want to work in a calm environment where they can be themselves.

We are very queer friendly, so while we do have Artists of all genders, a lot are women, queer, non-binary, trans, or anyone on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. We support all different kinds of people and struggles they could have: physical health issues, mental illnesses, diverse disabilities, neoro-divergence, anxiety & depression, chronic pain, or any other conditions you may have. Everyone has a story and we just want to see people come together and create beautiful and meaningful artwork.

We have Tattoo Artists with a range of experience, from new junior artists to others who have been tattooing for years. Everyone brings something different to the studio, and we love to have a quilt full of variety! Most of our Artists work part time, and like to focus on their own original artwork. We have a lot of Artists who have an Illustrative Blackwork style, but we have other styles too: Neotraditional, Realism, Full Colour, Coverups, Blastovers, Fineline, Traditional, Hand Poke, Ornamental, Watercolour, Anime, Black & Grey, custom designs, etc.

We are a Private Studio that is fully licensed by the City of Vancouver and approved by Vancouver Coastal Health. We have all the same safety measures in place as a retail location, while also having more privacy. We chose this so that our Artists can focus on their work and so clients can relax while being tattooed! Also all of our Artists have a Bloodborne Pathogen Certificate, and we keep the studio as clean as possible.

We see tattoos as ART! Angela is the owner and she has a background in painting with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She loves to have as much artwork as possible in the studio! Before opening Patchwork, she was an event planner with Art Battle in Vancouver & Victoria for years - which is why we do so many special events. Angela has been tattooed in all sorts of places - unlicensed living rooms, friends’ apartments, sketchy private studios, and traditional tattoo shops. She wanted to find the right atmosphere: a space that is quiet and unique like a home studio, while also being accessible and clean like a public shop. Angela started getting tattooed more regularly as a way to cope with chronic pain and how much she hated her own body for being chronically ill at a young age. Tattoos gave her self confidence and a way to visibly show the pain she has been through, while also covering it with beautiful imagery. Now, Angela is heavily tattooed and completely in love with the tattoo community! She doesn’t currently tattoo for health reasons, but instead she focuses on supporting the Artists at Patchwork as much as she can. It’s an amazing way to still be involved & she’s so proud to have created a space that is creative and welcoming, especially for alternative people!

We regularly have art and handmade items available for sale that are made by our Artists (like hand printed clothes by Armony) & we feature local artist creations too! We also have a Vintage Store with wacky clothes & accessories for sale. You can see what’s available in our Online Shop or in the waiting room of our Gastown Studio.

We always want to make sure that our clients are comfortable. We focus on a consent based approach, and clients are encouraged to voice any concerns they have throughout their tattoo. Clients are welcome to take breaks at any time, and we always have water, juice boxes, and snacks available in case clients are hungry, thirsty, or feeling faint. Tattooing is a hard thing for the body to go through, but it can be such a positive and rewarding experience! Sometimes it can help ease trauma and grief, regain self confidence, improve self love, commemorate family, and memorialize important life events. Or sometimes it’s just a fun thing to do :)

We regularly host themed Flash Days, and participate in Tattoo Conventions in Vancouver, Kamloops, Calgary, and Toronto. We love collaborating with so many talented Artists! We support our Artists by giving them independence to choose their own hours and manage their own schedules. We do a daily rental rate rather than a percentage commission, so Artists can choose how much they want to work in a day. We are very flexible in supporting new Artists joining. We think it’s very important for everyone to find the right space for them! Check out our Hiring page for further information.

Do you have questions about what it’s like to get tattooed? Do you want to review Aftercare or Booking information before or after you schedule an appointment? Do you think there’s something we could do to improve our studio practices and policies? It would be great to hear what you have in mind. We love feedback and think every idea has value! You can Contact us anytime through our website, send us an email to patchworkartstudio@gmail.com, or message us on Instagram @patchworkartstudio.

Thank you so much for everyone’s continued support over the years! Our studios wouldn’t exist, or be successful, without so many Artists who call our spaces home & to all of the clients who trust us and get tattooed. It means a lot to us and we really appreciate it!