Business / Alannah’s new studio is ink perfect as tattoo artist opens doors
A TATTOO artist searching for a new studio decided just to make her own – which will open to the public from today (Friday).
Alannah Spence will welcome folk in for a “yap and a nosey” in her new studio in Unit 5.2 of Toll Clock Shopping Centre from 12pm, with folk able to book to get tattooed tomorrow.
She admitted that it was “never something I was thinking about six months or a year ago”, and that there was “no business plan”.
But after not being able to find a space at any local beauty studios, Spence decided: “I canna fin anywhere, so I’ll have to make somewhere”.
That has resulted in the Alannah June studio, which Spence has carefully curated and infused with her own vibes before opening day.
She said she was feeling an “amazing mix” of nerves and excitement as she prepares to welcome folk through the doors for the first time.
“I’m so ready for it,” she told Shetland News on Thursday afternoon.
“I got lots of support when people knew I was opening my own studio, which is lovely, and people messaging asking about bookings.
“I took this place on some point in February but I kind of wanted to create my own vibe, and wanted to be ready, wanted it to feel right.
“I’m so excited for the next chapter. This is the next chapter in my life too.”
Folk will be able to come in and look around the new studio from 12pm today, and to speak to Spence about any ideas they might have.
She has three pages of flash tattoos available for the grand opening, with folk able to book in for a tattoo anytime tomorrow from 10am onwards.
Spence said she wanted her studio to be “very much customer led”, and for people to “not just leave with a tattoo” but “having felt like it was a lovely experience” too.
Tattooing did not come immediately to her as a career choice. Spence studied fine art and graduated in 2018, before taking a chance on a tattoo apprenticeship at former Lerwick studio Aurora Ink.
“I took the gamble to move home for that apprenticeship and moved home to Shetland after living south for eight years,” she explained.
“I didn’t even know I was going to get it, I just hoped that everything would work out.”
While having never considered becoming a tattoo artist before that, Spence said it “felt like a natural progression”.
“I think my art style started leaning me towards that,” she said.
In terms of her own tattoo style, Spence said that she can “throw my hand” at almost anything – but has a “preference for illustrative” work.
She added she had “recently gotten into medieval/wood cut style”, and hopes to do a lot more with that.
Tattoos mean different things to different people, and Spence said it can be extremely fulfilling to be part of that process.
“There’s a deeply personal element to tattooing,” she said.
“They can be purely aesthetic or really transformative for some folk. There’s something very rewarding about the connections you make.”
Is it weird to be a tattoo artist in Shetland, where your designs must follow you around?
“That is so weird,” Spence laughs. “One thing about being a tattoo artist in Shetland is every night out feels like work.
“So many people you speak to want to speak about tattoos, or designs they want, or they’re trying to get booked in.
“You can be in Tesco and leave having seen six tattoos I’ve done.”
Spence hopes the Alannah June studio will be able to do walk-ins “fairly regularly”, and she will look to host charity events in future too.
“I definitely want to do a tattoo event for the Compass Centre and Shetland Women’s Aid,” she added.
She thanked “everybody that has helped in any way” to get the doors open at her studio.
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