bear

they/them

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is a ritual tattoo artist and integration guide. They have a passion for collaboration and holding space for clients to engage in deep healing work. They love to create illustrative, art nouveau and fine line minimalist tattoos in a range of motifs including figures, botanicals, geometry, queer and pop culture references, kink and sex-positivity, as well as occult and esoteric imagery. Bear believes tattooing is a rich and complex practice that culminates in telling the life story, marking points in time and wearing them as a visible reminder of who we are, where we’ve been, and what our hopes and dreams for the future may be. Outside of the shop bear spends a lot of time hanging out with their cats, tending to plants, ethically foraging, and studying the mysteries of this wild world we live in.

FAQs

  • Custom Tattoo - This begins with a brief in-person or virtual consultation. Sometimes it it necessary schedule a draw-on session to map out the design more specifically. You would then pay a deposit roughly 1/3 the cost of your quoted time (ie: 2hrs, $150). At the beginning of your tattoo session we will sit down together and go over the design to make sure any final details look good. At your tattoo appointment if we need to an hour or more of redesigning I will charge that time at $100/hr.

    Ritual Tattoo - This session is designed to be extra supportive to the creation process of your tattoo. There’s built-in time for centering the self and grounding into the process. We would meet for a brief call to introduce ourselves and to let me get a feel for what would be supportive for you during our Ritual session. The ritual session is roughly 4 hours in length, and depending on your unique needs can include a sound bath, card readings, guided meditation, vocal toning, self massage, gentle stretching, dance, or singing, and ends with us brainstorming and collaboratively drawing your piece together. We then schedule your tattoo session(s) and meet at the Red Clover Tattoo Collective shop space to complete the vision. There is a required $333 deposit for the ritual session and covers the cost of the time we use. Tattoo session(s) are billed separately on sliding scale. At the beginning of your tattoo session we will sit down together and go over the design to make sure any final details look good.

    Collaborative Custom Tattoo - This is a hybrid session which combines the additional co-creation time of the ritual tattoo sessions but would not include the add-ons (such as the sound bath, tarot reading...etc). Our consultation would be the same as a custom tattoo and at the end of the consultation we would schedule one or more in-person drawing sessions where we workshop the design together. Once we both feel good about the design, we would schedule your tattoo session(s).

    Flash - Pre-drawn designs posted in a highlight on my Instagram page.

    Free BIPOC Tattoo Session - I do two free tattoo sessions a month for BIPOC clients.

    Touch-Up - I offer a free touch up for 12 months after the completion of your tattoo. If it has been longer than 12 months, or you're requesting a touch up of another artist’s work, I will charge hourly at the sliding scale prices.

  • Tattoo sessions are block scheduled in quarter, half, and full days. The sliding scale cost for tattoo sessions are as follows:

    1/4 day session (2 hrs): $275 - $375 ($75 deposit)
    1/2 day session (4 hrs): $600 - $875 ($175 deposit)
    Full day session (9 hrs): $1,000 - $1,750 ($300 deposit)

    Your tattoo deposit, collected at the time of scheduling your first tattoo session, will be credited towards the final session of your tattoo project. Payment for your session will be due in full by the end of your appointment unless otherwise specified by previous arrangement or payment plan.

    Sliding scale is offered for people facing discrimination due to social factors such as race, gender/GNB, class, disability, etc. as a means to try and provide access to a positive, affirming tattoo experience to a broader range of clients and budgets. Sliding scale offers artists like myself the ability to keep our work inclusive and accessible to the people while allowing us the means to earn a living wage. The goal of the scale is to acknowledge and work to circumvent the basic fact that personal truths such as one's skin, gender, disability, family economic status, etc. can and do act as access barriers to some basic life necessities, experiences, and thus overall healing and health. Every month two time slots (between 1-4 hours each) will be available FREE of charge to BIPOC applicants. In addition to free slots I offer flexible payment plans, down payments, or other payment arrangements to people in need of a tattoo who cannot afford the base price. Monthly free slots as well as the sliding scale pricing are "honor system" based.

    Here is a short list of sliding scale payment considerations:

    • Does my race, caste, class, gender/GNB, income level, education level, physical or mental disability status limit or hinder my access to employment, money, stable housing, child care, health care, utilities, food security, physical safety, family or community support?

    • Am I a home/property owner?

    • Am I a beneficiary of passive income from the labor of people I rent to or employees who work under me? (ex: I am a landlord or for-profit business owner)

    • Have I received a free college education? (ex: schooling expenses were purchased by my parents or a relative)

    • Do I own multiple marketable or liquid assets? (ex: boat, car, motorcycle, house, vacation house)

    • Am I able to receive monetary support from close relatives, or am I the beneficiary of a trust fund, college fund, or otherwise related fund not of my labor (ex: I do not need to crowdsource or rely on mutual aid should I face a financial emergency)

    • Am I at an increased risk or under threat of public violence, at an increased risk or under threat of police interaction, court processes, jail, or psychiatric imprisonment due to one or more of the aforementioned social factors?

    • Am I at risk of losing my autonomy or rights via anti-human legislation?

    This is not an exhaustive list. Please use your own judgment.

  • Free color testing is available for melanated people who want to know how certain colors appear on and/or react to their skin.

    You do not need to be an established client or seeking a full tattoo to receive the color test.

    No deposit is required for a color test.

    Color testing is available by appointment only.

  • There are two available session slots every month for a free tattoo for Black, Indigenous and people of color. BIPOC slots are 1-4 hours.

    To claim one of these spots, fill out my booking application form and select FREE BIPOC as the desired tattoo type.

    I may have a waitlist at the time of application. My booking assistant will reach out to let you know when you can expect to book. Slots will be selected on a first come, first served basis, and based on my ability to execute the idea as understood in the booking form.

    Free slot applicants do need to submit a $50 refundable deposit at time of booking. Should you no-call / no-show, cancel, or reschedule with less than 48 hours notice, or decide during the session that you no longer wish to get tattooed for whatever reason, I will keep this deposit. When these circumstances happen it puts undue burden on the Collective and myself, and takes away opportunities from individuals who would greatly from the free tattoo slot.

  • Please do not arrive early to your appointment; do your best to arrive on time. If you are going to be more than 5 minutes late please send me an email to let me know.

    Please arrive at your appointment well-rested and having eaten a full meal shortly before (if possible). Tattoos can be painful, and pain can be labor intensive for the brain and body. This can lead to a dip in blood-glucose levels, leaving you light-headed and unsteady on your feet. If you have scheduled a long session plan on bringing a snack or meal and liquids. There will be candy and water available, however I am not aware of each individuals dietary needs/concerns.

    Please be aware that alcohol and certain medications in the bloodstream, such as aspirin, can act as a blood thinner or blood "slicker" and cause excess bleeding during tattooing.

    It is not necessary for you to shave the proposed bodily location prior to your tattoo appointment as I will have to shave the area either way.

    Please wear clothing that is comfortable and easy to move/remove from the part of your body we are tattooing, and will be non-constricting and non-abrasive to the tattooed area after your session.

    Be aware that the clothes you bring may end up with permanent ink stains. Please wear clothing that does not have sentimental value or articles that you wouldn’t want stained.

    You will receive aftercare instructions from me via oral explanation and print-out. Any questions about the healing process can be relayed to me directly through email.

  • You must give 48 hours notice when canceling or rescheduling an appointment so that your time slot may be made available to another client.

    If notice is given more than 48 hours in advance, your deposit will be saved and credited towards your rescheduled session, and you will not have to pay another deposit to reschedule.

    In the event of a no-call / no-show, or you notify me less than 48 hours, your deposit is forfeited. You must pay another deposit to reschedule your appointment.

    Deposits help safeguard both myself and the Collective from the lost income of a last-minute cancellation.

  • The shop has both street and lot parking. There are no steps into or throughout the building, and the entryways have accessible push buttons for those who use mobility aids.

    Bear’s tattoo table is weight rated for a stationary load up to 1500 lbs. The shop also has a 33-inch wide padded chair that can support up to 600 lbs.

    Each of the 4 bathrooms has an ADA accessible stall. The toilets are pedestal style, as opposed to wall-mounted. While the bathrooms have gendered labels (part of building code), we encourage everyone to use whichever bathroom is preferred. Doors into the bathroom are not automatic. Red Clover still will have a stock of period products in the shop for those who need them, just ask!

    We have a collection of fidgets/stim tools, and encourage you to bring whatever you need to feel safe and comfortable (blankets, headphones, favorite foods, pillow/bolsters, etc.).

    We are still requiring everyone to wear masks inside the shop space.

    All this information and more will be sent to you as part of your appointment details.

  • The shop carries both adhesive bandages (a couple different brands) and more traditional gauze pad bandages.

    The biggest advantage of adhesive bandaging is that it seals the tattoo, protecting it from dirt and bacteria, and is lower maintenance.

    Generally, adhesive bandages are left on your tattoo anywhere from 3-5 days, depending on the brand and your body’s tolerance level. Some people are allergic or sensitive to adhesives or certain brands of adhesive bandages.

    An adhesive bandage test can be offered before or during your tattoo session to determine if a reaction to the bandaging is likely to occur during healing.

@cunningbearz

contact bear

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Madison, WI