Meet Blackthorne Tattoo | Tattoo Shop

We had the good fortune of connecting with Blackthorne Tattoo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Blackthorne Tattoo, what is the most important factor behind your success?
It’s all about the cosmic alignment of the farmers almanac and moon phases.

But in reality this shop was an independent vision we both shared that came to life in this collective idea. We share a similar art focused background, industry ethics, and passion for bringing a clients tattoo dreams to fruition.

We’ve got this mystical blend of esoteric creative knowledge, a dash of caffeine-fueled motivation, and a pinch of rebellious spirit. Mix that up in a cauldron, and voilà! You have our spectacular love child that is Blackthorne Tattoo!

We credit our individual success to the spirit that failure is not an option in our careers, therefore not an option for our shop. Our collective success is driven by the desire and drive to build our own dream and not someone else’s. Our success as a shop has been our dedication to respecting the tattoo industry traditions, the physical and emotional autonomy of our clients, and our own artistic integrity.

Plus, our resident ghost artist-yeah, the one who paints with invisible ink-gives us a competitive edge.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Blackthorne Tattoo is owned and operated by Bri Allura (@baztatt) and Paige Collins (@witchbone) who will be addressing each question individually.

Bri: My art is an ever evolving thing that I’m constantly refining. I don’t think I will ever feel fully satisfied with my work and that keeps me striving to constantly out-do myself. I love taking on new artistic challenges, whether that be trying new tattoo techniques or new artistic mediums to keep my skills fresh and inspiration flowing. I’ve been an artist my entire life and I always knew that my path would lead me into a lifelong of pursuit of art. Growing up and coming up in the art industry wasn’t an easy path at all. I went to art school and earned a degree in illustration, worked in corporate graphic design spaces and even did seamstress work for many years before I came back to my interest and love of tattoos. I had a lot of roadblocks to get into the tattoo industry, but I never let the rejections stop me from pursuing my dream. I’ve learned that consistency, drive, tenacity and passion will get me anywhere I want to be in life even if I can’t fully see the path ahead. My art is just the manifestation of my love for life and beauty and desire to contribute to the zeitgeist in my small way. I’m excited about what I will create in the future!

Paige: I grew up with art being my primary outlet. I engulfed myself in learning art history and art application. My upbringing wasn’t the easiest but art was a consistent medium to pour my passion in to. When I entered the tattoo industry I knew that is where my heart was going to be. I did not have an easy integration, not at all. It’s a ruthless and cutthroat industry, but it taught me so many valuable lessons about growing a thick skin, sticking to boundaries, and consistently working on my artwork. Those challenges helped shape where I am today, and I will always be grateful for them. My art is ever growing and every tattoo that I have the honor of doing helps to teach me new things and helps cultivate my style. I’m looking forward to continuing to progress my skillset and knowledge of tattooing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well if we were to start off a great day in Colorado it would begin with a morning hike at Red Rocks, followed by breakfast at Jelly in Cap Hill. The afternoon would be spent hitting up some antique and thrift shops on Broadway like Fifty Two 80’s for some old school nostalgia and collectibles. If you’re in the mood for an upscale dinner, check out Guard & Grace or want something more low key but edgy go to The Brutal Poodle. For late night cocktails with a quirky atmosphere, check out Hell or High Water.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As a whole we want to shoutout our friends and family who were a crucial behind the scene support system and the artists who have inspired and paved the way before us in this industry.

Website: blackthornetattoo.com

Instagram: @blackthorne.tattoo

Facebook: Blackthorne Tattoo

Other: Artists and Co-Owners: Bri Allura @baztatt Paige Collins @witchbone

Image Credits
Bri Allura and Paige Collins