My name is Tesia (‘Tesh-ah’) and I am a professional tattoo artist located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I started tattooing the year and the month that I turned 30 - I am a firm believer that it’s never too late to change careers. I have a scientific background and hold a Chemical and Bio-Sciences diploma as well as a BSc. double major in Environmental Sciences and Physical Geography. I spent most of my 20s in post secondary education, and have worked in multiple labs as a researcher. My last significant research job was working in the University of Winnipeg’s astrobiology lab working on a paper I would later have published in the Scientific Journal of Astrobiology. I was also involved as co-author in a number of other papers (1, 2, 3, 4) before I decided to leave that life behind.
Since childhood, I’ve always been known as an artist. I chose to pursue post secondary scientific studies because I adored science, but at the time I also didn’t believe there was a way for me to successfully pursue a career in art. It was a very tough decision for me to make as an 18 year old whether I would go to art school, or try to pursue something I was led to believe had a more guaranteed future. Tattooing wasn’t a super popular industry when I graduated highschool, so it was something I never considered for myself at the time. However, I never stopped creating art on the side. Even throughout my education, all my peers knew I was also an artist. When I became jaded with science and needed a change, I quit my research job and threw myself back into my art, doing commissions full time and selling prints at festivals and craft sales, and finally decided to seriously pursue becoming a tattoo artist.
My style is more illustrative surrealism. I love mixing various flora and fauna, or exploring human and animal anatomy. I custom design every piece for each client. I love making my clients’ ideas come to life, and creating art that they will love and appreciate on their body forever.
Getting a tattoo is a very intimate and trusting process, and my goal is to make you comfortable and confident in the studio I work in. I am a safe space for LGTBQ+, BIOPOC, and non-binary folks. I will always respect your pronouns and your boundaries. I will never tell you your skin is too dark for tattoos. If you have anxiety, I will try my best to accommodate you in ways that will help you to feel comfortable and calm. Please always feel free to be honest with me if you want to make changes to your design.
I really look forward to working with you! Please read over some testimonials if you’d like some more insight as to how my clients feel about me and my work and the space I create for them. I like to be very clear and concise in my e-mails and writings regarding my business, which can make me seem hard and intimidating, but I am a genuinely warm and easy person to get along with in person.