Meet Kara Kozlowski | Tattoo Artist/Studio Member

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

Hi Kara, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When Fair Winds Tattoo Collective became an idea, it was out of necessity to create a safe working environment for artists, and challenge the traditional tattoo studio environment.

This environment is typically unsustainable. A traditional studio takes on average 30% to 50% of any one artists income per tattoo. When one studio is owned by one or two people, those two people live high on the hog as all of thier artist make them money. This is a great business plan, until said artists realize they can do the same. They leave to open their own studios, and the cycle continues. This leads to an over-saturated market, and quality / pricing fluctuations that have a detrimental impact on artists trying to produce good art at a accurate price.

I knew there was a way for artist to maximize profits and a studio still thrive without taking a percentage or a large sum of the artists income. The local industry didn’t need more of the same, they needed something radically different.

Why not a co-op? Or co-op of sorts? A Collective!

The idea was finally there. Our studio needed every single artist to take on an equal share of responsibility for financial and logistical overhead.

Thus, Fair Winds Tattoo Collective was born. Our studio provides a safe environment for artists to have control of their own schedules and pricing. This business model incentivises the artists to stay in the studio due to them having partial ownership. If more studios adopt the business model, it could mean the end of the high turn around rate through out the tattoo industry, and alleviate the over saturation in the market. With the market healthy, quality tattoos, and healthy competition will become the norm.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My career didn’t start in the tattoo industry. It started at the Art Institute of San Diego. I originally thought animation or media arts would be a great segway into the art community after 4 years of naval service. I always knew I wanted to do something with art, and after my sudden medical retirement from military service, I felt there was no better time.

I very quickly realized that animating wasn’t for me, but I didn’t know what to do with the education i had received. The opportunity to become a tattoo artist was
happened upon by chance. I walked into a tattoo studio one day, spoke with the owner of the studio about my art education, and he gave me a chance to get my career started.

From that day on I fell in love with the art, the lifestyle, the music, and the clients. I immersed myself in a totally new world
and found that this new career would overtake my life, and quickly shed light on a necessity to find a balance between the personal and professional aspects of my life.

I struggle to this day to make time for my family and enjoy the little things, without worrying about getting back to my clients in a timely manner, keeping up with latest tattoo industry trends, and producing quslity art. I really have to make a conscious effort to keep work at work . It’s definitely a difficult thing to love your job this much.

Over the past 6 years I’ve learned to put my phone down at home, let the difficult clients go, and to never sacrifice my worth. My husband told me, “The money will always come. ” For me, clear and defined boundaries protects the precious time I have with my family.

As for the new generation of tattoo artists, I’d have to say get hungry. You have to know what starving feels like to find the drive to compete in this industry. At this point tattooing isn’t a career for me, it’s a compulsion, a tick, an itch, a shiver. When you can’t help it but create for others, you might be lucky enough to thrive.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My husband and I are huge foodies. Since everyone flies into Denver, I’d say we would stay up there for entertainment and food.

First a two hour trot through MeowWolf, then dinner a mile away at Bao Brewhouse for dimsum.

Down here in the Springs, Saturday food truck rally and the Ballon Glow.

Ikko Drive Thru Sushi is also amazing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Thank you to my co-members for taking initiative. I could never have done this with out you.

Website: Www.fairwindstattoo.com

Instagram: @karaforniatattoo