Meet Jessica Tomcheck | Tattoo Artist – Heart&Skin Tattoo Studio

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

Hi Jessica, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am a true Colorado native! I spent the first ten years of my life down in Littleton, but have been in Northern Colorado ever since. My brother and I were very fortunate growing up with parents that made sure we never lacked in the “fun” department. We grew up on a lake in Loveland where every summer was filled with water activities, cookouts, and backyard shenanigans. Then, winter would hit and we’d hit the slopes up at Copper Mountain. You know… the Colorado Dream.

Although my family is definitely athletic in nature, my parents have also always supported my love for art. I’ve received art supplies for nearly every holiday for as long as I can remember. Tattoos, on the other hand, were a different story. I remember the instances of me as a kid where my dad would tell me to stop drawing on myself because it would give me ink poisoning. And then after I FINALLY convinced them to let me get my first tattoo, it was “I thought you were only going to get ONE” for years. Hey, I get it! It’s not really their thing and that’s totally okay. However, it did influence how I addressed career paths as I got older. As far as I knew, tattooing was OUT.

So, I went to Colorado State University and studied psychology with an interest in researching and developing a new form of therapy using float tanks (I can tell you all about it during a session if you’re interested!). Long story short, is that opportunity didn’t work out and I had to find something new to pursue. I remembered that the most fulfilling role I had experienced until that point was when I was involved in my high school’s special education program. I fell in love with those students the moment I met them and spent the majority of my high school career helping their program both through spending time with them and putting on events to honor that community and raise awareness and understanding throughout ours.

Special Education seemed like such an appropriate fit. I knew I had a knack for getting creative in truly connecting with young adults that were differently abled. I knew how to be patient and let someone feel safe. I interviewed with Rocky Mountain High School and spent the next 5 years in their Integrated Services Department as a Paraprofessional. There were so many things that I truly loved about this job, the biggest by far was the connections I had made with students – both in my department and at the school in general. There are so many awesome young adults out there and it was super cool to see and be influenced by first hand.

Then 2020 hit and things went into hyperdrive. We were remote, then hybrid, then who even knew for a while… it wears on you. Confusion and frustration became routine and a heaviness started to form. At the same time, my relationships with students continued to grow – so when they called me out and asked why I hadn’t pursued being an artist, my eyes really opened to the idea of it. After all, I was teaching these kids how to live an authentic life to be proud of, regardless of what that may look like for each individual.

I met Caleb, the owner of Heart&Skin Tattoo Studio in Fort Collins, and I immediately knew that I had to convince him to hire me as an apprentice. It didn’t matter that he didn’t want a new apprentice at the time, it was going to happen. Before I knew it, he put out an apprenticeship “prep” course online for people in my exact situation. So I got that. A couple months later and I see that he put out a post looking for an apprentice that wanted to learn his style of black and grey realism. So I bugged him, bugged him some more, and here we are, where I now have a contract saying that I’m legally allowed to keep bugging him. Even cooler? Some of the teachers and students I worked with at Rocky have actually become clients and friends through this change.

It blows my mind every day that things have worked out the way they have for me. There have been a lot of twists and turns along the way, but I can see how each of them helped shape me into someone with the patience, drive, and gratitude to continue to grow as an artist and as a person.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Well, I am a tattoo artist specializing in black and grey realism at Heart&Skin Tattoo Studio in Old Town Fort Collins. My favourite subjects to tattoo so far are definitely animals, but I would love to do more portrait work and creative concepts. I graduated my apprenticeship in June of 2022 after learning the tricks of the trade under my mentor, Caleb Knobel.

Outside of tattooing, I’m a multimedia artist. I love everything creative and love to challenge myself to new mediums to work with. Some of my favourite include pyrography (wood burning), crochet, sculpting, cross-stitching, and resin work. I do sell the things I make, but it’s never really taken off in a substantial way. Which is totally fine with me. To me, it’s really nice to have a different creative outlet than what I do for work every day. It allows for a nice level of separation between work and hobbies.

When it comes to what I’m proud of with my art, a few major things come to mind. The first is my annual participation in a chalk art festival in Loveland called Pastels on 5th. It’s an incredible event that raises money for Alternatives to Violence which provides resources to domestic violence survivors. Another was being able to decorate all of my brother’s wedding decorations. I wood burned a bunch of different signs for them, which was such an honour. Being able to have such a personal connection to their special day is something I’ll always cherish.

However, I am most proud and excited about the opportunities that tattooing have brought and will continue to bring in my life. To be able to meet so many different people from different walks of life, all with a common interest in art on some level is such an incredible way to spend my days. Even more is the impact that this form of art has. I have always seen tattoos as a very therapeutic and healing experience and honouring that is a high standard of mine as a tattooer.

I’ve kind of already talked about my journey into tattooing, so I’m not going to repeat that for the sake of all our sanity, but I will say that no, it wasn’t easy to get to where I am today. Some things definitely worked out in ways that I’m grateful for, and timing was on my side when I needed it to be, but I dare you to find any professional artist out there that says it’s’ easy to make happen. Each artist has their own list of challenges, but some of mine that I feel like could be relatable are in terms of self-confidence, taking risks, and staying persistent. Being a tattoo artist without believing in yourself or your art simply isn’t going to happen. It took a long time of me intentionally working on recognizing the worth of my work before I felt like I could responsibly pursue a career as an artist. In the same breath, there’s only so much you can do to plan ahead for an artistic career. At some point, you do have to take risks and trust that it will work itself out. It’s terrifying, but it gets easier once you start seeing what rewards become possible.

If I summed up everything that I’ve learned, I’d say that life is beautiful, but it’s all about perspective. Which is what I love so much about art. Something visually appealing is one thing, but when you add perspective and meaning to it, it changes everything. I’m not saying every tattoo has to have a deep meaning – rather that perspective is how we choose to assign meaning to the things we experience. Admiring the glitter of the untouched snow rather than the sludge on the side of the road. Noticing how bright the stars can shine when you disconnect for a while. There is beauty all around us, all of the time, we just have to look for it. If my artistic expression of reality can shine light on that mentality, consider me content.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a sucker for smaller, more intimate experiences, and Fort Collins has some good options for sure. If you like to cook and want to learn a new cuisine, The Cooking Studio is fun for a date night or small group activity. A lot of people think of breweries when they think of Fort Collins, but we also have some really good distilleries and wineries. Blanchard Family Wines and Mobb Mountain Distillers to name a few. We’re also super fortunate to have a variety of “painting with a twist” locations. Wanna throw axes? We got that too. We’ve got a little bit of everything, so it kind of depends on what you like. I tend to lean more toward making a stop to Haunted Game Cafe or Gryphon to grab a new board game or two.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh goodness! First and foremost, I am so thankful for each and every one of my clients that has trusted me as their tattoo artist. The fact that so many people have enough faith in my work to wear it permanently is so incredibly humbling and it’s something that I take incredibly serious. Especially when so many people get tattoos that are meaningful and include such a unique form of vulnerability. You all are incredible and I appreciate your support endlessly.

As far as specific people go, I’ve got to start with Caleb Knobel. Not only is he an incredible business owner and tattoo artist, but as my mentor, he taught me everything I know about tattooing. Tips, tricks, techniques… you name it. More than that though, Caleb is an incredible human being that I am honoured to be able to call a friend. Caleb, thank you for believing in me. As an artist obviously – but thank you for believing that I, Jessica, have what it takes to be successful in this industry. As I’ve witnessed what you’ve created with your own two hands, and with the standards you hold, your opinion means the world.

Next goes out to a couple really special people in my life that have gone above in beyond to love and support me. Sarah, thank you for being the best hype-person anyone could ask for. You’ve always encouraged anything artsy in my life and I love you endlessly for it. Thank you for being my first victim and allowing us the lifelong joy of being able to see the start of my career on the back of your leg. I appreciate you so much. Self doubt comes around a lot less with a friend like you. Corey, thank you for supporting this crazy change with so much enthusiasm and interest. From getting me my first machine, to letting me stab you for FAR too long, to asking everyday how my tattoo went – your genuine interest in what I’m passionate about is so incredibly special to me. Thank you so, so much. I love you.

Last but not least is definitely my family. We may have different interests, hobbies and lifestyles, but I love you guys so much. I will always be grateful for the level of support you’ve had for me in every adventure, but especially with this one. It’s been such a blessing to have you guys in my corner where I can share in my successes and lean on you if need be. Mom, thank you for never letting me fall too hard. Dad, thank you for your excitement and interest in this – even if it is *tattoos*. Jake and Ash, thank you for your support and interest in my work. I love you all!

Website: Heartandskin.com

Instagram: @jessicalynntattoos

Other: Email: jessica@heartandskin.com