A tattoo artist who suffered from postnatal depression uses her studio as a safe space for people to talk about their mental wellbeing.
Charlene Healey’s tattoo facility has been based at Studio Earlestown since February, where she also offers piercings as a trained body piercer.
She previously worked at a studio in Bury where she completed her training, however, she moved to a closer studio following her partner’s car accident which left her in bed.
She said: “I’ve always wanted to be a tattoo artist and have wanted to do it ever since I left school; the only thing I passed my GCSEs at school was art so I was already on my way.
“It took me a while to get into it, and it wasn’t until I had my little girl that I was able to work part-time and train at the same time.
“Luckily a friend of mine who I used to work for had a tattoo shop and I just asked him if he could take me on as an apprentice, so I was lucky to know someone who would train me.”
The tattoo artist detailed the range of styles in the competitive industry.
She added: “There are so many different artists and styles to choose from.
“It’s so much more than just bringing people in and getting tattoos of just a name; we’re artists and we want to create things that people might not necessarily be able to imagine in the first place.”
Charlene said she always wanted to become a tattoo artist after leaving school
Many of his designs are floral designs
Charlene offers her studio as a space where clients can talk about their mental health, as she herself suffered from postnatal depression after the birth of her daughter.
The mother-of-one said: “It wasn’t great, I didn’t know what was going on, but I was lucky enough to get help and I had friends and family. family around me.
“I always get a tattoo when I’m tired or not in the right place.
“I have a half-colon tattoo for sanity, and it’s one that I try to encourage people to get if they’re not in the right place.”
The 35-year-old also explained how she changed her price list to accommodate customers during a cost of living crisis and is currently running a raffle with a chance to win a free one-day session.
She said: “Money is tight at the minute for everyone that’s why I try to create small fresh designs and offers so someone can still get a tattoo and get it done within the limits of the budget.”
To learn more about the raffle and Charlene’s business, visit her Facebook page here.
