Meet D’Lacie Jeanne

We recently connected with D’Lacie Jeanne and have shared our conversation below.

D’Lacie, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I think it would be difficult to pinpoint an exact moment when I knew what my calling was, but a handful of events do standout.
I became interested in drawing as a child watching my grandmother draw and paint. We spent many hours creating art together as she slowly taught me how to make my drawings look more life-like. When I was 8 years old, I was in an accident that left a large scar on my body. This event had a cascade effect on the way that I viewed myself. My home life was also very difficult. My family’s traditional values led to lots of children and not a lot of income to support everyone. The scarcity in our home naturally led to disordered eating habits. As I matured into adulthood and moved away from my hometown, I began to learn about body dysmorphia and CPTSD. I continue to learn and soothe those parts of myself through therapy as an on-going practice of healing.

When I first met someone with visible tattoos, I was fascinated. The thought of placing beautiful tattoos on my body was exciting. I imagined what it would be like to transform my body into a colorful living canvas. As I began my own collection, I respectfully asked my artists questions during my tattoo appointments. My curiosity grew. In high school, other teens would ask me to design tattoos for them. I spent every moment that I could spare in art and photography classes. My supportive art teacher saw my potential. She would give me additional assignments outside of class and encouraged me to keep going.

People have always confided in me and said that I was a good listener. At some point, my love of tattoo culture and my empathy for those who have survived traumatic experiences sort of melded into this idea of being a tattoo artist that could meet you where you are. I don’t think I fully embraced my calling until about 8 years into my professional tattoo career when I realized that the service that I provide is different from the way that a lot of tattooers engage with their clientele. Getting tattooed is a part of my of how I learned to love myself, inside and out. I hope to share that with every woman+ that needs to find hope and inspiration, because we are worth it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a professional tattoo artist and designer of 20 years, based in Portland, OR.
I specialize in botanical and creature illustrations in both color and black and grey. My designs range from the delicate and soft color palettes, to the dark, deep and moody. In recent years I have begun to study the art of surface pattern design and I am looking to expand my craft to this medium.

Creating a sensory safe environment for neurodivergent folks and post traumatic growth are at the forefront of the intention in my private studio. I welcome folks to be vulnerable and authentic during their tattoo appointments, if that feels accessible. I believe that the world benefits from having more safe environments where we can put down the burden of trauma and be seen and heard authentically as our whole selves.

My website caters to folks who like to prepare for their tattoo appointments. I provide lots of information about how my process works, with pictures and explanations about how people can more effectively communicate about the tattoo that they are seeking. I have been told that my energy during tattoo appointments is very calming and that, for many, my studio feels like home. It’s warm and comfortable and we listen to gentle music in the background while we work.

I design for people of all skin colors and all body types at any age. Broadleaf Studio is located in an ADA accessible building. I am proficient in everything ranging from large scale sleeves and body suits to small mementos, and am skilled in the art of cover-ups and re-works. I work efficiently and refrain from taking unnecessary breaks. I have lidocaine available to ease the discomfort of the longer sessions. Getting a tattoo is never painless, but I try to make the experience as easy as possible.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

If I could offer advice to folks considering tattooing as a career-
Looking back, I would say that finding someone to mentor you in the early years is crucial. Yes, it is possible to figure it out without a mentorship, but you’ll grow and learn much faster with the help of someone, or a shop, that has a decade or more of experience. The tattoo schools really aren’t an adequate education on their own, these provide the fundamentals of tattooing with little guidance after that.

Go to tattoo conventions and attend seminars. Learn from as many artists as you can. There are so many phenomenal tattooers that teach seminars covering many aspects of technique, from drawing and design to machine building. Find seminars that are relevant to you and learn as much as you can.

Lastly, if customer service isn’t your thing, then tattooing is gonna be really challenging. Think of this as the ultimate customer service job. From the moment you begin consulting with your client to the finished and healed product, you are providing a service that requires excellent communication and the ability to collaborate on an idea that will likely live with your customer for the rest of their lives. That’s a big deal and something that could be a really special experience, or an awful experience that they regret. There are tons of artists out there that they could go to. A negative experience could inspire them to go elsewhere or end their tattoo collecting endeavor entirely. Great customer service takes practice, humility, and a lot of patience. Learning people skills before you begin tattooing will have great rewards in the future.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

Over the past year, I have faced some pretty serious health issues that could be linked to 20 years of tattooing. If you’ve ever sat and watched how we do what we do, your first thought might have been, “wow, look at this person’s posture…”

Even the best tattoo chair designs still place us in tedious positions to be able to make a beautiful tattoo. The more experience the artist has, the longer they have been challenging their own ergonomics. I sustained a spinal injury last year that made my job nearly impossible to do without a lot of pain. Thanks to a successful surgery, I am once again living a pain free lifestyle. The injury forced me to take a deep look at my relationship to tattooing and what would need to change in order to accommodate continuing on this career path.

Ultimately, I made the decision to switch to a standing tattoo style with a table that elevates high enough to allow me to have good posture while I am tattooing. This has completely eliminated the awkward hunched over position of tattooing in a chair. It is a game changer, and I would highly recommend considering the switch to any of my tattoo artist friends.

This year I am prioritizing my physical health and creating a sustainable work environment so that I can continue doing what I love- adorning my beautiful clientele with colorful nature tattoos and sharing memorable experiences along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.broadleafstudiopdx.com
• Instagram: @broadleaf_tattoo

Image Credits

Natalie Kristeen Photography