Not all that long ago, tattoos were generally taboo in polite society.
Sure, some in the military had them, and maybe outlaw motorcyclists or similar rougher, counter-culture figures. If anyone had one, they likely kept it well-hidden, especially in the workplace.
But in the last few decades, ink has moved into the mainstream, and spotting impressive body art on someone can be more of a conversation starter vs. a signal to stay away. People proudly show off everything from their kids’ names to favorite movie characters to inspirational messages, even meaningful Bible verses.
A Pew Research Center survey in 2023 showed 80 percent of Americans are more accepting of tattoos, a significant bump from 20 years ago. Plus, more people are getting them, especially women of all ages and members of the ‘millennial’ generation, the demographic born between 1981 and 1996.
Tattoos are also an amazing form of art to create and to wear, said Courtney Helms, owner of Helmzz Deep Ink, a studio in Hayden.
“It’s your art that you’re putting on someone, but it also becomes part of someone else’s body,” Helms said. “And then it’s out in the world and you may never see it again.”
Learn what you like
Helms opened her studio in spring 2024 after studying the media and working alongside other North Idaho tattoo professionals for the last four years. She’s excited to provide clients with any design that they can envision.
Personally, she loves fantasy and sci-fi and would love the chance to illustrate someone’s skin with something from this creative genre. But it’s really about the client and what they want to adorn their body with, cover up or refresh.
“One of my mentors encouraged me to learn to do a little bit of everything,” she said. “That way, if you ever hit a slow time, you won’t just be a one-trick artist.”
But still, fantasy images are always appealing.
“‘Lord of the Rings’ is my all-time favorite, but really, I like anything nerdy,” she said. “I also do a great Obi-Wan cosplay.”
The studio is full of images from Star Wars and other favorite franchises. Its name is even a combination of her last name and the site of a pivotal location in the Tolkien universe.
Overall, she calls her style “illustrative realism,” featuring impressive, almost realistic linework. Her Instagram portfolio shows everything from detailed animals and plants to tarot cards and anime characters to vivid designs like mandalas.
When new clients request a tattoo, she encourages them to arrive with ideas of images, colors, and styles they like on Pinterest or Google. Then she’ll meet with them and discuss their concept further.
“Once someone has done their research and knows what they like it’s easy for me to pull from that,” Helms said. “But tattoos are permanent and you can tell when someone isn’t quite ready.”
Roundabout route
While some tattoo artists have always been interested in the media, Helms initially gravitated to other types of art. She considered tattoo art cool but never thought it was a medium she could pursue.
“I always loved to draw, and in school I chose as many art electives as I could,” she said.
She and her family moved to North Idaho right before she entered middle school. After her freshman year of high school, they moved back to California.
She attended art school after high school, where she focused primarily on painting and sculpture. But she burned out fast.
“I didn’t know what else to do anymore, so I dropped out and ended up working at a high-end car dealership,” she said. “But soon I felt like my very soul was being sucked out of me.”
Around that time, COVID moved in, which caused her to reflect on her life and her interests, including a new view of tattooing.
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“I felt that there was a possibility that I could die without doing what I really wanted to do,” she said. “So I moved back to Idaho, visited studios around Coeur d’Alene, and didn’t give up until I got an apprenticeship.”
Eventually one of them allowed her to learn the complex and permanent process of applying ink to skin. Now, she can’t imagine doing anything else.
“I love what I do – it’s different every day,” Helms said.
She also encourages other artists to explore this field, even if they know little about tattooing.
“If you’re the type of artist who flits around and can’t land on one particular medium, you are the type of artist who could love tattoo art,” she said. “Everyone’s skin is different and everyone wants different designs in different places.”
Getting along
Helms said the local tattoo community is generally supportive and encouraging, which she learned wasn’t always the case in the past.
“A few former coworkers said the culture used to be different, more cutthroat,” she said. “Now there is enough work in the area due to the growth of the industry. We all just want each person to get the best tattoo possible.”
She said Cassie Eisenhour, co-owner of Snoogans Tattoo in Coeur d’Alene, has an especially good local reputation for her artwork as well as helping clients find the best artist for what style of tattoo they’re seeking.
It’s also a pretty progressive world, especially for a younger, female artist who also is a business owner.
“Everyone in the area is pretty chill, but before I owned my own place, there were a few clients who came in and said, ‘oh, you’re a girl – you can’t tattoo me,’ but the owners were pretty good about dealing with this,” she said. “There’s some great artists around here, and with tattoos, it’s really about the art.”
Helms enjoys helping people find something meaningful and unique to decorate their bodies.
“We love each person that comes in here,” she said. “It can be a lot of fun.”N
By: Joe Butler
Photography by: Joel Riner
As seen in the 2025 Winter/Spring edition