Check Out Kat Bogart’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Bogart.

Hi Kat, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I wanted to tattoo ever since I was in 5th grade and my older sister, Allison, told me what tattoos were.

When I was in high school I was in graphic design classes. I enjoyed it well enough but, it wasn’t my favorite. I looked into how to get an apprenticeship. However, I was always told you would be treated like poop. So, I was terrified and didn’t decide to pursue tattooing until I was about 19/20.

I went to Esthetician schooling before getting an apprenticeship, and while I was in this schooling I was in an abusive relationship. I remember sitting in an empty apartment we were getting evicted from and telling my ex that I wasn’t really feeling skin care, and I was thinking about maybe becoming a mortician, or maybe a tattoo artist. The ex told me tattooing wasn’t a viable option.

A few months later, I was sitting in my spa class and boredly scrolling on Facebook. As I was scrolling an ad came up for a tattoo shop looking for an apprentice. If you know anything about apprenticeships, this isn’t really normal.

However, I decided to take a chance and message the tattoo shop. I sent my high school art portfolio and my mentor asked me to come in for an interview.

At this time I lived in Columbus, OH. The tattoo shop was an hour away in a town called Washington Court House. I had never even heard of this town, but, I personally believe in fate. So, I took the chance and after I graduated from The Spa School I started my tattoo apprenticeship. My mentor was nice enough to pay me $20 a day to work the desk. That is pretty unheard of in a tattoo apprenticeship.

Shortly after my apprenticeship started, my now ex and I officially broke up. I moved into a vacation home my family had (thanks Mom + Harry) and now had to drive 2.5 hours (both ways) to WCH for my apprenticeship. I could’ve easily said that was way too long of a drive, But, I knew that this was my chance to learn how to tattoo. So I did it.

During this 2-3 month period, the house I was staying in actually caught on fire while I was at the tattoo shop. I lost almost everything except my dog and my cat.

Eventually, an apartment above my first tattoo shop became available and I moved in with what little I had my dog and my cat.

For 2-2.5 years I lived in WCH and I worked at a Starbucks. I worked 5-11 at starts and 12-6 at the tattoo shop 5 days a week. (Excluding the time during the pandemic)

In August 2020, I went full-time tattooing, and in October 2020 I decided to move closer to a big city. My friend and co-worker Drew started a new shop called Everybody Tattoo in Mason, OH. They were kind enough to hook me up with our owner Ben Little and I got the spot!

I’ve been at Everybody for 2 years now and many more to come.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been more like a roller coaster, has it its ups and downs, sometimes bumpy, sometimes smooth.

The driving thing was super obnoxious, it made it so I had very little social life/free time.

Working 2 jobs is very stressful and tiring.

Apprenticeships are hard, especially when you’re tattooing permanent things on people and you have no idea what you’re doing.

Imposter syndrome is the worst and I have a very bad case of it haha.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I feel I’m known for my dotwork/fineline stuff. When I was in high school I had a period of time when I made myself exclusively draw in pen. No room for mistakes and you really have to control your hand pressure and speed to make different textures/tones. So I feel like that helped me a lot.

I also love doing more Neo-traditional stuff. I did a fox recently and I’m super proud of it.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My dogs. I love my dogs Fen and Ruby. I do what I do so I can put them through doggie college haha.

I also love hiking when I can and finding bones in the woods. Seeing nature and the cycle of life is fascinating. It also gives me inspiration for art and whatnot

Video games also bring me lots of serotonin.

Pricing:

• Pricing is really hard and depends on the piece!
• $150/hr

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tattooeverybody.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katbogartink/?hl=en