'Ink Master' veteran creates new kind of tattoo shop in Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Arkansas tattoo artist Katie McGowan was angry with her then-boyfriend when she decided to go to Austin, Tex., to audition for "Ink Master."

“I needed a reason to get out for the weekend,” she said. “As good an excuse as any.”

Four years, three seasons and a few franchise spinoffs later, McGowan and her apprentice-turned-best friend have opened a small tattoo shop in Little Rock called Love Spell Tattoo.

When she auditioned, McGowan had only been tattooing for four years—a very short amount of time in the industry. She was confident in her tattoos but had not expected to be invited on to the show.

“It takes years to develop, like a skill that you can consistently apply and bang out amazing tattoos, like, every time,” she said.

The first audition went well. So did the second. Soon came an invitation to appear on Season 6 of the show.

Competing on the show, McGowan said, was a reality check.

“I was kind of a baby tattooer," she said. "And being in that environment, I mean aside from the exposure, was the best thing that could have happened to me. Just being critiqued by other tattooers. Trying to prove myself, I felt like it really helped me develop my style and get my technique down.”

McGowan was doing a lot of neo-traditional tattoos — bold lines, rich colors, realistic images — on the show. And when the season started airing on Paramount Network, then called Spike, Arkansans began requesting that type of work from her.

“I really started to hone in on what I love to tattoo,” McGowan said.

Her Instagram shows multicolored tattoos of animals, feminist imagery and bold floral designs. She was recently hired to tattoo a Burger King chicken sandwich on someone amid a recent debate about fast-food chicken sandwiches.

“I had fun doing that one,” McGowan said. “They keep us on our toes.”

She went from having around 4,000 followers on Instagram to about 70,000 after the season aired in 2015. Now, she has 106,000. That kind of following keeps her motivated to create better and more interesting work, she said.

“I want to be consistent. I want to keep people interested,” she said.

Love Spell Tattoo co-owner Jesse Perez started as Katie’s apprentice.

“I'm super honored to have been her apprentice,” Perez said. “I've worked around a lot of people in the industry and I feel like Katie's one of the hardest working people. Katie is a hustler. She's constantly grinding, she's constantly critiquing, leveling up and adapting.”

Halfway through Perez’s apprenticeship, McGowan left to film "Ink Masters." Perez already had an impressive portfolio of illustrations but relied on McGowan to teach him how to tattoo. He waited while she competed. And eventually, they began working together.

McGowan said she wouldn’t want to open a shop with anybody else. She said they share a similar vision. Both want to create a fun environment where anyone can get their first or 50th tattoo and feel comfortable.

“You don't have to be cool,” Perez said. “We're not cool. So we don't care if you are.”

Their new shop sits in a 432-square-feet Spanish Revival-style building off of West Markham Street in the Stifft Station neighborhood. McGowan calls the space cozy.

“We just wanted something that was really personal and that's why this space was really appealing," she said. "Because it's small and it almost forces people to be close. When the shop is full it creates a familial vibe that we wanted.”

The exterior is simple and traditional. The interior, however, is modern, bright and feminine. Above the two tattoo chairs, there's a glowing neon pink sign that says "Love Spell." A few flash tattoo designs and trophies decorate the walls. Floral wallpaper lines the bathroom.

“There's not been a lot of shops in the area that have been Mexican American-owned or woman-owned and that was something that, for me personally, was really important to showcase,” McGowan said.

They also wanted to be able to schedule their work around their personal lives.

"Jesse is super hardworking and committed, but he’s also very balanced," McGowan said. "He’s able to prioritize his family and his work. I think that can be really hard and he’s able to do it and that's something that I really respect, especially in a business partner.”

Unlike most tattoo shops that operate through a hierarchy with the owner at the top, Katie and Jesse make their own appointments, do their own work and make their own money. They split the bills down the middle.

“This is the first time that I've ever truly felt like I am an independent contractor and have agency over what I’m doing," McGowan said. "And that was really important to both of us."

Both in their work and their personalities, McGowan and Perez balance each other out. McGowan specializes in colorful designs and Perez is passionate about black and grey tattoos. And dad jokes.

“We have too much fun,” Perez said. “I think I’m funny but I’m not. I can be very annoying.”

Tattooing, and being tattooed, can be an intimate experience -- Perez recently spent more than seven hours tattooing a client. He and McGowan sometimes order food with clients, swap stories and, since Perez is about to become a father, test out dad jokes.

"I know I need to shut up when clients put in headphones," Perez said.

Perez, who has most of his torso and one of his arms completely covered in tattoos, said he still gets nervous before getting new ones and that makes it easier for him to connect with his clients.

“When somebody comes in and trusts you with something like that, you can't help but want to have a connection with them or talk to them,” Katie said. “It's truly humbling, honestly."

Both artists have had the opportunity to work in larger tattoo markets, such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Perez was born in Los Angeles and grew up looking up to L.A. tattooers. And Katie is regularly working on the West Coast with "Ink Master." But they're proud to contribute to Little Rock’s evolving tattoo scene.

“I want to be a good representation of tattooing," Perez said. "I feel like it's important for me to help put The Rock on the map."

They picked a good neighborhood to do just that.

“Stifft Station is really blossoming into a really beautiful marketplace,” McGowan said. “A lot of young creatives are opening spots in places like this.”

McGowan, who is from Arkansas, said that since Little Rock is uniquely situated in the middle of the U.S., it is more accessible to out-of-state clients. She enjoys talking with clients who are visiting Little Rock for the first time.

“People love coming here," she said. "The Southern hospitality, it’s very powerful. And we put a big sign out front because we are proud to be in this space. We want locals to know that we are happy to be here.”

While traditional tattoo shops can feel exclusive and intimidating for people who are new to tattoos or people who want something small or trendy, Love Spell was designed to embrace the community. Sometimes that means creating giant custom chest pieces, and sometimes that means giving college best friends tiny matching finger tattoos.

“Every tattoo deserves to be executed well,” Perez said. “It’s permanent, so it should be the best it can possibly be.”

And while they both keep their calendars full weeks in advance, they said they are always open to walk-ins.

“We put a big sign out front because we are proud to be part of this space and we want locals to come see us,” McGowan said.

The locals have come to see them. The window sills at Love Spell are lined with plants Perez and McGowan have received as housewarming gifts.

“I can cry thinking about it, just the welcoming and the acceptance,” McGowan said. “It's almost like people have been waiting for us to, like, do our own thing.”

McGowan, Perez and Love Spell will appear in an episode of "Ink Master: Grudge Match" in December.