Christel Perkins is a veteran. She’s a veteran of a rather dull childhood in Wyoming. She’s a veteran of many long years in the food service industry. And she’s a veteran of nearly 20 years in Denver tattooing.
She’s been in Fort Collins for a few years, where she worked at a shop before opening her own. The most recent addition, Gingko Tree Tattoo, is an oasis for those seeking ink that focuses on illustrative realism influenced by American and Japanese traditional styles in a welcoming environment. “I specifically created this shop in opposition to the dark side of tattoo culture,” she said, adding that the place is decidedly inclusive, queer-friendly and woman-of-color-owned. “I opened this shop three years ago with a multi-tiered rebuttal on this industry. I wanted to create a safe and calm environment to foster creative growth and community on my own terms,” she added.
Perkins moved to Colorado to attend the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, where she got her bachelor’s in Fine Art Painting. “I came to Colorado to seek bigger opportunities, to seek my fortune,” she said with her typical wry humor. “The hope was to be a professional painter, but I was fairly realistic about it,” she added. It was only a matter of time before tattooing found her…