I’m Graduating! A Farewell to the Apprentice Title and an Open Letter to the Writers of This Chapter

WARNING: Long post ahead (but worth the read, I promise)!

There are a few moments in life that quietly split you into two versions of yourself: who you were before, and who you become after.  I’m grateful to say that finishing my apprenticeship at Ink or Dye Studio is one of those moments.

This chapter of my life wasn’t just about learning how to pull clean lines or pack color without overworking the skin (though trust me, there was a lot of that).  It was about discipline, patience, humility, and respect for a craft that existed long before me and will continue to live long after me.

If you had asked me in 2021 what my “five-year plan” was when starting at Ink or Dye, I never would have guessed I’d end up here.  At the time, I was just thrilled to be involved in the culture on any level.  The days I spent tidying floors and clicking away on a keyboard morphed into an entirely new life path.  While my apprenticeship has ended, this is only the beginning of something greater than I ever imagined for myself.

I wouldn’t have been able to follow my dreams or envision a meaningful career without the help of a few people.  And while I know this blog as a whole is meant to speak to a wider audience, today I want to take the time to thank the people who truly made a difference in getting me here.

To My Nana.

You have always been one of my biggest supporters.  You picked me up when I fell on my face and held my hand when I needed help putting one foot in front of the other.  You supported me in every way i could think of.  You bought me my first ink set on Christmas morning a few years back when I told you I wanted to pursue tattooing.  You call me nearly every day and listen to my wild stories of work and refused to let me entertain the thought of giving up.  Even though you hate every time I show up to our lunches with a new piece of art on my body, we roll our eyes and laugh about it anyways.  Thank you for bringing me peace, stability, and hope.  You are everything to me, and I would not be the woman I am today without you pushing me one step further.

To Grace, my twin sister.

I know we’ve had our differences, and we’ve been through a fair share of hard times.  Yet through every moment of you asking me thirty times if your piercing is infected or complaining about the pain for the ten total minutes it takes to tattoo your tiny ideas, you’ve always been proud of me.  You’ve been my partner in crime, my gossip girl, my favorite TikTok watching buddy and my loudest promoter on the sidelines.  Thank you for continuing to cheer me on — whether you’re on the field with me or watching from the bleachers.  You are, and always will be, my other half.

To my aunts and uncles.

Thank you Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Alan, and Aunt Karen and Uncle Bob, for allowing me to chase my dream job.  Between the endless art supplies, financial support during desperate times, my first iPad, and so much more, I wouldn’t have made it without you.  You saw my potential before I ever could and helped put me through both college and my apprenticeship so I could be where I am today.  I could never thank or repay you enough.

My twin, myself, my Aunt Carolyn, my Uncle Alan, and my Nana.

To Ben, my younger brother.

My angel on earth.  The best little brother a girl could ask for.  You’ve kept me sane.  You’ve been a shoulder to cry on and a true friend.  Your first tattoo was a matching Gravity Falls hand with me, and your second I got to tattoo you myself.  You’ve kept me social, grounded, and over time have become one of my closest confidantes.  Thank you for loving me unconditionally and giving me a reason to stay motivated doing what I love.  You’re the best biker buddy I could have ever found — and an even better brother.

Ben and I after his first tattoo.

To Mom.

You worked your ass off to make up for lost time, and you did a hell of a job.  You taught me what it meant to be my own person: to follow my dreams, to chase the life I deserve, and to do me unapologetically.  You inspired me to become the best version of myself and embrace the good, bad, and everything in between.  Thank you for being a role model of independence and giving me the reality checks when I’ve needed them.  You trusted me in doing several tattoos on you when I first started out, even when I literally had no idea what I was doing half the time. The confidence I have today wouldn’t exist without you there.

Mom and I at my college graduation.

To Austin.

You have been a rock in my life.  You gave me a roof over my head, food on the table, and someone I could turn to no matter what.  You constantly push me to be better, insist on seeing every tattoo before social media does, and let me create whatever I want on you because you believe in me that much.  You show up to the shop and volunteer for anything — asked or not.  You never once gave up on me and made me believe I deserve to be here.  Thank you for your unwavering support, no matter how many times you bug me about when I’m scheduling your next appointment.

Austin and I out riding (fun fact: we met through our shared love of sports bikes!)

To Nora.

My bestest friend and artistic inspiration.  You are one of the coolest people I know and have continuously motivated me to improve my art.  You shouted my name from rooftops in Ohio all the way to Maryland.  I’ll never forget the big dreams we had as teenagers about opening a joint tattoo and glass studio together.  Somehow, those dreams don’t feel so far away anymore.  I’m so proud to see you succeed in the art industry alongside me, and I hope we can continue chasing this together.

Nora and I reuniting after eight months apart.

To Cindy and Alyssa.

I truly could not have taken on this apprenticeship without you.  You stepped into my role and perfected it instantly.  I tell you all the time that I couldn’t have hired someone better.  You believed in me, had my back, stood up for me when I was too nervous to speak, and made the shop a better place.  You’re absolutely killing it, and I appreciate every day that you’ve allowed me to fully commit to my apprenticeship without worrying if the shop will fall apart.  Extra love to our beloved sidekick Alyssa — the best first mate this shop could ask for.

To Hannah, Mike, Justin and Nicole.

You all inspire me and push me to be better every day.  You offer feedback, advice, guidance, and genuine companionship.  My lovely ‘wife’ Hannah — you have been my day one coworker, the forever love of my life, and one of my closest friends over the last five years that has made every day worth showing up for.  Mike — my silent killer in the upstairs that always emerges for a supply trade and the best jokes; you have grown so much since starting at our studio and that alone has inspired me to work just a little bit harder.  Justin — you are such a warmth in my life and have shouted your support from both near and far that has helped me believe no matter where you end up, this industry creates love that last a lifetime.  And my dearest Nicole — I watched you start from the bottom up just like me, and succeed in every way imaginable; you have left legacies in my life and the friendship you and I have is something I will forever hold closest to my heart.

My beloved Ink or Dye Family for “Gothmas” (left to right: Justin, Keith, Hannah, Cindy, Alyssa, me, Nicole, and Mike).

To Izzy, my mentor.

What a ride it’s been for us.  We’ve had our hard moments, but you never failed to remind me those moments came from a place of love.  You’ve told me that in the years you have spent creating for this world, I am the greatest thing you’ve ever created.  Writing that still brings tears to my eyes.  Thank you for molding me into this industry.  You took my first baby steps with me when I was just a little tatt-er tot and pushed me through the door when it was time to walk on my own with nothing but faith and determination.  You never doubted my ability to grow or succeed.  Thank you for giving me two years of your knowledge and time.  I will never take that for granted, and I hope I continue to make you proud.

My hard-ass mentor Izzy and I (and a snippet of our lovely Nicole).

To Keith, the owner of Ink or Dye.

You deserve more than words can explain here.  From the moment I met you, my world changed.  I was instantly drawn to everything you created and everything you stood for.  Life has screwed you sideways over the years, yet even in your most vulnerable moments, you were never weak.  You showed me what strength, consistency, responsibility, and intention truly looked like.  You taught me that there are no shortcuts — that the only way out is through.

I watched you earn everything you have through pure determination.  Through every phase of my time at Ink or Dye, you gave me the space to grow.  You trusted me and believed in me, and that meant more than you’ll ever understand.  You’ve been my biggest role model for the past five years, and I work every day to never let you down.  You, Keith, are a fucking rockstar.  I have laughed harder, built deeper memories, and become who I am today because of you and what you created both with me and around me.  Thank you for planting these seeds and nurturing them for the last five years.  I will give you and this life you’ve given me everything I’ve got.

Keith and I at the shop while I was getting my hair done (he loves to take as many embarrassing pictures as possible).

My Farewell

An apprenticeship isn’t easy.  It’s meant to test you, to force you to confront your weaknesses, your patience, and your dedication.  There were countless days I doubted myself, days where I felt behind or felt like a failure, and days I felt overwhelming pride and joy.  Through it all, Ink or Dye remained a place where growth was expected and earned.

As I step into this next phase of my career, I carry everything this place gave me — the lessons, the standards, the respect for the craft, and the confidence to keep learning.  This is both a thank you and a promise to represent myself and Ink or Dye with integrity wherever I go.

Thank you for believing in me before I believed in myself.

Thank you for trusting me.

Thank you for the foundation.

This chapter will always be inked into who I am as an artist, and as a person.

With love,

Summer