Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin Cordell.
Hi Caitlin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
If I were to tell my story I would start with my present life as an artist and walk backward. I haven’t always been an artist though art has permeated my life since I can remembers. Most of my career and life activities have centered around supporting young people in overcoming challenges and barriers. I have educational and professional experience in social work. I’ve worked in youth homelessness, workforce development, violence prevention, sexual health, and youth leadership. I’ve managed dozens of staff across large counties, but in 2023 I decided that I needed to let the artist in me have a chance, and I transitioned to being a fully time tattoo artists. I’ve loved tattoos since I was 16 and had considered loosely what being a tattoo artist would take, but I was also very committed to my youth work career path. I’d been an illustrator most of my life but thought of it more of a hobby. In 2017 I renewed my commitment to a drawing practice and started teaching myself the technique of hand poking, which is a method where the artist manually dips the needle into the ink and then into the skin rather than using a machine. After lots of practice on myself I had friends start to ask if I would do tattoos for them and this turned into a small side business. In 2020 I had a friend and tattoo shop owner offer to mentor me in machine tattooing after seeing my work. Machine tattooing gave my skills a major boost and my clientele grew. In 2023 I decided to take the leap to full time tattooing! My 16 year old self would have never dreamed she could become a tattoo artist, so it still blows my mind that I’m getting to do this professionally.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’m in the world of two very technically challenging crafts. Tattooing and self-publishing. I published a Tarot Deck in 2025 called the UnrulyBeings Tarot. It was a project eight years in the making; both the art and the writing of something of this scale was tremendously arduous. Working with local and foreign printers was also taxing as remote communication as well as working in paper products means you have to wait long periods of time before you can say print. There was a lot of stress with tariffs, with moving deadlines, and with being comfortable putting my heart and soul out into the world. This Tarot Deck has so many parts of me in it, which is, at times, quite nerve wracking.
Tattooing is a whole different story. Learning a craft on my own (for the most part) and building up the skills and confidence to open my studio took a lot of time, mistakes, and overcoming fear. I’m so lucky to have people in my life who really believe in my skills and ability or I wouldn’t be here.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m drawn to details and texture and light and dark. Black and white has always been a part of my illustrative style since I was a kid, so I think there’s something innate about that in me. I work a lot in plant and animal symbolism; I think there’s something innate in humans that makes us understand our experiences through the flora and fauna that we come into contact with. We see this in the earliest of hieroglyphic art. I’ve always been drawn to using animals and plants as symbols. There is something beautifully profound about the pure ways animals and plants express themselves.
I’m very proud of the way my business cares deeply about my client’s well being. I want my clients to know I care about the reasons behind their tattoo idea and I make space to talk about it. I also care about collaborating with my clients and getting their feedback on the art I’m making. I set up free 30 minute consultations to anyone who wants one and I always send the art for the tattoo ahead of time and allow my clients to offer feedback. At the appointment I check in regularly with my clients about their comfort. Being intentional with my clients means they know I care about their needs and feel safe speaking up when they need something different.
I often ask my clients, “what would make this even better?” and I hope that helps people feel safe to say exactly what they need to feel good. One of my favorite things about tattooing is when people feel a renewed sense of beauty in themselves after they get art on a part of their bodies that maybe had trauma, a scar, or just didn’t feel like them. I just love that.
I’m also very proud of the Tarot Deck I have made. It took a very long time and sometimes I wasn’t sure if it would come into existence, but it’s here and I think it’s stunning. There is a lot of intention and craft in this deck and I believe it can be a very powerful tool for healing.
Any big plans?
Mostly I’m hoping to get the UnrulyBeings Tarot into more hands. I want to run workshops and seminars for people to learn about Tarot and about my deck. The current socio-political climate is really troubling, and I think lots of people are struggling with how to navigate the stress and escalating aggression that permeates our culture. I hope to create spaces where people can learn together and create more meaningful connections to themselves and others using this deck.
Pricing:
- 150/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.unrulybeings.com
- Instagram: @caitlincordell23 @unrulybeings
