Confidence is an essential factor in a healthy life. Studies show self-esteem is typically low in adolescence but rises in adulthood, only to decline around retirement age.
One of North Bend’s newest business owners, Beverly Davidson of Quill & Ink Tattoo, understands that cosmetic and restorative tattoo provides convenience and the amazing potential to restore confidence, youthful beauty and a sense of wholeness.
Davidson, a PNW native originally from Bothell, says she joined the Air Force in 1986 “because despite three jobs, going to high school in the morning and college at night, I felt rudderless and wanted a solid path. I had scored very high in mechanical aptitude on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, like in the 99th percentile for girls my age nationally.”
Beverly thought she would become an aircraft mechanic, come home, work for Boeing, and finish college. As it turns out, she not only completed college but also had a terrific career in the military and even earned a Military Masters of Operational Art and Science degree. Says Davidson, “It was so much more than I could have hoped for as that scared 18-year-old kid hoping for some direction.”
In 1997, Davidson took a break from the military and became a civilian nurse. She has worked as a nurse at Snoqualmie Valley Hospital and Swedish Issaquah, where she works on a per diem basis. She returned to the military in 2010 before retiring in June of this year.
Davidson came to live in the Snoqualmie Valley in 2007 after falling in love with Matthew, her first and last blind date. The pair married in 2009, blending their families, which now consists of four adult children, one granddaughter and a grandson due in February.
She decided to become a cosmetic tattoo artist with the goal of gaining skills as a restorative & therapeutic tattoo artist to help victims of trauma and illness.
In Washington, becoming a licensed tattoo artist begins with taking a blood-borne pathogen course and applying to the state department of licensing.
There are many short intensive tattooing courses available locally, and she paid lots of money to take one. But she didn’t get to work on any live models and felt she needed more. Oregon is among the top three most strict states regarding licensure and training. Davidson found Trillium Ink Academy through another nurse in a local class.
So, she traveled to Oregon every other weekend, Friday through Monday, for months to train under Pam Neighbors. This respected cosmetic tattoo artist has been doing cosmetic and restorative tattoos for 30+ years.
Being a nurse, Davidson chose to seek additional education with Trillium Ink Academy in Oregon specifically because Oregon’s licensing requirements are so stringent. She said, “that level of preparation resonates with the nurse and military officer in me.”
In the Trillium program, you do your apprentice work under the watchful eyes of the instructors at the academy for three months. She has also chosen to continue doing some complex and first-time techniques under Neighbors’ tutelage at Trillium’s local studio as an apprentice.
She describes her first tattoo on a live person as scary. Says, “It’s a serious responsibility to be entrusted with someone’s face or skin. You want to do right by that trust. As a nurse, I think there’s a whole extra layer of weight that you feel since I’ve spent the last 22 years focused on doing no harm. Now I’m approaching someone’s face, scalp, or other skin with a powerful tool with the end goal of creating something beautiful”
Her skills and confidence grew throughout training. She says she studies & practices a lot and approaches every service with humility and the knowledge that it takes years to master these techniques, and every client presents their own unique challenges.
Soon, she will be closer to offering scar and trauma camouflage after some specialized training. For now, she provides cosmetic tattoos such as brows, eyeliner and lips, scalp micro pigmentation and density for thinning hair and pattern baldness, plus some fine line tiny tattoos.
After spending the last 12+ years traveling every month with the Air Force, Davidson decided to open her business locally. In the 15 years, she’d lived in North Bend, much of her time was spent away on military duty. Says Davidson, “I really want to be of service to my own community, get to know our neighbors and work with other small businesses close to home.”
Quill & Ink Tattoo opened in July after a kind offer from her long-time friend Sharon Hockenbury, who owns Twin Peaks Wellness Boutique. She was looking for a small studio in a great environment and couldn’t be happier about her space. Opening involved lots of training, researching to buy the right equipment, furnishings, lighting, and tattooing supplies to comply with state and local laws and be ready to serve clients without hiccups.
October 6th at 4 pm, there will be a ribbon cutting with the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce with appetizers, beverages, and a raffle for a free cosmetic tattoo service. Quill & Ink Tattoo will be offering a great promotion for the month after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Any initial cosmetic tattoo service at 50% off. *Tiny tattoos excluded.
In addition, Davidson says, “I will forever offer 10% off to all veterans, educators, and all clients in healthcare. When I start doing scar and trauma work, that will be done on a sliding scale. Anyone that needs that kind of tattoo should have access to it. I don’t know what it looks like yet, but I will figure out a way to make that accessible. I recently had a friend approach me to do laps to raise money to offset the cost of those types of procedures.”
Follow her on Facebook and Instagram to stay in touch and up to date on this new North Bend business. To make an appointment for consultation or services, clients can visit http://quillandinktattoo.com/.
Welcome to the neighborhood Quill & Ink Tattoo!
