Women in Business Feature

Angel Ink Tattoo

Women in Business Spotlight: Shawna of Angel Ink Tattoo

Small businesses are the heart of Downtown Oregon City, many of which are women-owned! We recently got to learn more about Shawna Holder, the owner and artist behind Angel Ink Tattoo. Keep reading to learn more about Shawna and how she creates dreams with ink!

Shawna has been tattooing for over 20 years, and started Angel Ink Tattoo in a small Portland studio in 2001; eventually expanding to Oregon City in 2008, she loves the industry and owning her own business. Shawna enjoys the quaintness of the downtown area and the sense of community she feels working here. You can find Angel Ink at 508 Main Street, Oregon City, Oregon. They are open!

Not only is Angel Ink one of the friendliest tattoo shops around, but they offer “custom tattoo pieces, coverups, permanent cosmetics, and micro blading.” Their list of services even include Henna, and you might catch their mobile tattoo studio at an event when the time comes! How cool is that?

Angel Ink is licensed and insured, sterile and sanitary. Further mentioning, “we strive to be above and beyond state regulations, all of my artists are certified in blood-borne pathogens, first aid and CPR.”

You’ll find Shawna, Matt, John, Todd and Falcon inside the shop ready to put your vision to work!

To no surprise, Angel Ink has glowing reviews online, one client saying, “Shawna cares about her art & her clients. She is very professional & attentive, (and) it’s always a wonderful experience!”

Angel Ink Tattoo feels bright and open; and they provide a clean and comfortable space for their clients. With artwork on the wall when you walk in and a a large selection of tattoo ideas on display, it’s easy to stay a while.

Shawna has the “work hard, play hard” mentality and says “I love to put dreams in ink and seeing the look of joy on peoples faces is why I do it!” When she’s not working with your clients, she’s teaching students who have a dream to ink! 

If you’ve had the desire to become a tattoo artist, Shawna is the person to learn from! She runs and teaches students at Angel Ink Tattoo School in the same building. More information about that program can be found here.

Shawna mentions how rewarding it is to teach, saying “to see new aspiring artists make their dreams come true of working in this industry is another one of my joys”

When she’s not inside her shop, she enjoys being part of the Oregon City Chamber of Commerce. She has a huge love for her cats and dogs, growing food from her garden, oil and acrylic painting and she loves to cook! 

With COVID-19, the wildfires and the snow/ice storms, this past year has been challenging for most people and businesses, and Shawna was reminded of how beautiful humility is and that people are more important than things. 

Shawna and Angel Ink rolled with all the punches this past year, and even though the shop was closed for 10 weeks and the school was closed for 12 weeks, they are now busy and feel very lucky to be open when other shops have had to close up. 

Shawna is grateful for the community’s support for her and the artists at Angel Ink and the best way to further support them is with referrals, saying “each and every referral is very much appreciated!”

Would you like to learn more about Angel Ink Tattoo? You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

What’s a piece of advice for other aspiring women or folks who want to start their own business or make money doing something they love?

“Keep your eye on the prize! Even if it seems impossible… Find a way to do it anyway. Believe in your dreams and they’ll always come true.”

You might wonder how she balances it all. Well, Shawna says by prioritizing and doing a little bit of each task each day is what moves the needle, and being grounded by spiritual practice attributes to her ability to manage all the things.

She also likes to spends time being in the outdoors bicycling, camping and hiking.

If you’re looking for a new place for your next piece, Angel Ink Tattoo can be the spot. From tattoo’s to permanent cosmetics, the shop does it all. Pop in and meet with one of the artists for a consultation.

How to connect with Angel Ink Tattoo & Angel Ink Tattoo School

Tell your friends and family about Angel Ink, and stop in at 508 Main Street, Oregon City, Oregon. 

  • Visit their website to learn more about them, schedule a consultation and to see the work that they do. 

INTERESTED IN MORE ABOUT ANGEL INK TATTOO SCHOOL

THIS BLOG POST WAS WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY ASHLEYANN BURNETT, OF SIMPLE SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY, WHO IS A VOLUNTEER WITH DOWNTOWN OREGON CITY ASSOCIATION. IF YOU’RE A WOMEN IN BUSINESS IN OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. CONTACT US. LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER, CHECK OUT OUR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.