We recently connected with Caitie and have shared our conversation below.
Caitie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Art has been my only constant. I’ve been creating since I was old enough to hold a crayon. But finding my purpose was a deeper journey rooted in my upbringing. Growing up as an undiagnosed autistic person in an abusive and neglectful home, I often felt like I didn’t have a voice or agency over my own environment. I knew early on that whatever I did with my life, I wanted to be a protector and to give others the consideration and safety I didn’t always have.
When I discovered tattooing, it felt like the stars aligned. It gave me a way to connect my lifelong passion for art with my deep drive to help others. I realized that my neurodivergence allowed me to be attuned to my clients’ needs, and the art became a medium for connection. My purpose isn’t just about the art pieces; it’s about ensuring that when a client is in my chair at Bone and Lily, they feel the safety, agency, and care that I didn’t always have. Helping people reclaim their bodies or mark their milestones in a space built on trust is what I’ve been working towards my whole life.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the Owner and Principal Artist of Bone and Lily, a private tattoo studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. While my portfolio features a lot of realism, portraits, and fine line work, I have a deep love for illustrative, spooky, and cottagecore themes, especially stylized, mystical lady faces. However, I consider my true professional specialties to be trauma-informed and sensory-friendly care.
What makes Bone and Lily exciting and distinct from the traditional, often intimidating tattoo shop environment is that we value the human experience just as much as the art. I built this studio to be a sanctuary where people of all backgrounds and abilities, especially neurodivergent clients or those with past trauma can advocate for their needs without fear. In practice, this means offering things like silent appointments, adjustable lighting, explicit consent checks throughout the process, and a private environment where clients can truly relax.
It has been incredibly rewarding to see how much this holistic approach resonates with the community. We were founded in August 2024, and in just over a year, Bone and Lily was voted Tennessee’s Best Tattoo Studio of 2025, verified by guidetotennessee.com. That award is so special to me because it validates all the years of hard work and love I have put in to get here and lets me know we’re moving in the right direction. I am so proud to work alongside my team member, Renae, to continue raising the standard for what a supportive tattoo experience looks like.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first and most impactful quality is resilience, which is deeply woven into my family history. I’m from a small town in West Virginia, and I come from a long line of survivors. My great-grandfather was a Scottish immigrant who came to America as an indentured servant to the coal mines, but he was just one of many hard workers in my family. I was raised by two generations of single mothers who always did whatever it took. My granny worked in factories and my mom went back to college when I was a toddler to become a teacher all while navigating a traumatic marriage and divorce. Watching them rise every day taught me that you don’t wait for safety or success; you build it yourself.
The second is empathy, specifically through the lens of my own experiences. I was bullied a lot in school and growing up traumatized and autistic meant I often felt misunderstood. Instead of hardening me, I have worked to allow those experiences to open my heart and make me aware of how others feel. It taught me to read the room and anticipate what someone might need to feel safe. In my career, that sensitivity allows me to understand the vulnerability of my clients on a deeper level, shifting my focus from just ‘doing a tattoo’ to truly caring for the person in my chair.
The third is patience and a love for the process. Everything I do requires slowing down and enjoying the steps, not just the result. Whether I am playing guitar, baking, painting, sculpting, or tattooing, I have to respect the time it takes to create something worthwhile. Understanding that artistry is a slow process allowed me to master my craft without cutting corners.
My advice for aspiring artists of all types:
Prioritize your mental health and your community above everything else. Many artists come from a painful background and it is so easy to burn out trying to be perfect, but you cannot pour from an empty cup. Talent is just a matter of practice and dedication; if you keep working, the technical skill will come. But to hold space for others and create art that feels real, you have to nurture your own mind first. Take care of yourself so you have the emotional capacity to show up for your people and your art in a way that is authentic and true.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
I think about this question often and live my life as if this is already the case. I have known grief since I was a very young child, and having lost so many people I care about while dealing with my own health challenges, I learned early on that ‘someday’ is never guaranteed. That reality has been the main driver of my entire life.
Because of that, my answer isn’t about changing my life, but deepening it. I have lived for my art, built Bone and Lily, and loved people with my whole heart because I feel that the best way to honor the people I’ve lost is to live for what truly matters and without regret for whatever time I am given.
So I would spend that decade exactly where I am: creating art in as many forms as possible, loving my community in Knoxville, and pouring everything I have into my studio. I would spend those ten years ensuring that I leave behind something beautiful: art that lasts longer than I do and a space where people felt loved.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://boneandlily.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitiebriannatattoos?igsh=ZTdyc3RzNTR4MDU5
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560208324752
Image Credits
Tattoos and headshot : Caitie Brianna
Studio photos – Liz Lyons @ Cantrell Architectural Media
Best of Tennessee – guidetotennessee.com (i bought the rights to use the photo)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
