Meet Crystal Godsey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Godsey.

Hi Crystal, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I fell in love with the art of tattooing right out of high school and decided to get really serious about my career when I was 25. I have worked at several different shops spanning from Tennessee Florida New Jersey and Georgia and met incredible artists that kept me constantly inspired and learned a wealth of knowledge that helped shaped me into the artist I am today.

One key point of tattooing I have always kept in the forefront of my Focus was understanding my audience and making connections with my client base and always considering the process from their perspective. Listening to the story behind each tattoo helps me create a piece unique to each person. I believe making each person feel important and understood in the Tattoo process is very important and has been a major factor in growing my clientele following. As an artist that has been in the tattoo industry for over ten years, I have learned the importance of being adaptable in tattoo styles and branding. Taking all of the things I have learned through the years helped me shape my vision for Empire and what I hope to achieve in the industry. I am also a cancer survivor and have started a nonprofit charity called Tattoos for cancer and the mission is to provide tattoo services for breast cancer survivors in the state of Georgia free of cost to the client and all donation proceeds go to pay the tattooers participating in services.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t believe goals anyone sets for themselves will be easily achieved. Yes, I have had obstacles and struggles. I don’t think anything I have faced has been any harder or more difficult than the next tattooer. I think the struggles in terms of career goals are the same for everyone and I believe that is making a clear career path and being willing to make the sacrifices and stay disciplined and focused and excepting that being uncomfortable is part of the process. Nothing worth having is easy and nothing easy is worth having. Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% is what you decide to do with it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a tattoo artist specializing in black and gray, geometric, and lettering. I am mostly known for lettering and black and gray. I am mostly known for lettering because there are very few artists that specialize in that style and as far as I know I am the only female in the area that does it so I think that makes me unique and sets me apart from other artists and shops.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I am always excited to work on collaborations. I am currently working on a collaboration for a leg sleeve I’ve designed for myself and collaborated with a local Atlanta artist to tattoo it on me. Together we were able to take my concepts and fine-tune it to the perfect piece and have already completed two sessions. The collaboration started by me finding another artist with a similar style I felt I would work well with and could trust to tattoo me and reached out to him. In the case another artist would want to work with me on a project, the process would be similar. Just ask me!

Pricing:

• $200 minimum
• $200 hr.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.empireinkstudio.com
• Instagram: @omnist_art
• Facebook: Empire Ink ATL