hi! i'm elise!
"About me" is always such a loaded statement. What is it about me the reader would like to know? I guess I'll start with the most interesting things about me. I grew up in Peabody, Massachusetts. I started college at Roger Williams University in 2007, subsequently transferring to Stirling University in 2010 after a study abroad semester. I completed both an Undergraduate and Master's Degree; Undergraduate in English, class of 2012, and Master of Letters in Publishing, class of 2013. Upon returning to the states, I wasn't quite sure what my next moves would be. The job market was lacking, and a fresh faced 24 year old wasn't what the industry was looking for. I ended up in Washington state for the better part of five years, where I learned to tattoo. I've been tattooing for almost a decade, and in that time, I have learned and grown exponentially as a person. I opened my own studio in 2021, the very first tattoo studio in the history of Newbury, a town founded in the 1600s.. On the backside of a pandemic, I had no idea how it would all pan out. Thankfully, it has been a success. This career path has allowed me the opportunity to practice my craft in ten different states, as well as here in Scotland.
Despite all of this, I still felt like something was missing. I left Scotland in 2013 for what would be the last time until December of 2023. A decade away from the country that stole my heart was too long. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't daydream of returning. I wasn't quite sure the best avenue to do so, and then someone suggested going back to school. I had never considered that as an option, especially at. my age. So, I said why not? I found Glasgow School of Art and fell in love all over again. I had originally wanted to go to art school, but it wasn't an option at the time. Now, I am able to pursue a new path, while maintaining my love for tattooing.
Some other things I have accomplished in recent years have been learning to snowboard, learning to rock climb, getting back into the wilderness, learning to ride a motorcycle, along with various crafts like knitting, macrame bracelets, and hand-made dream catchers, just to name a few. My goal was to ride a motorcycle before I turned 30, which, with the help of my father, I accomplished. Since then, I have ridden cross country from California to Massachusetts, completed the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, as well as multiple charity events, or "runs." I have two dogs, Ares and Athena. They are my whole heart and my life wouldn't be nearly as full as it is without them. I am also incredibly lucky to have the support and love of my amazing parents and brother, as well as friends that have become family.
Thank you for hanging with me throughout this journey over the next few years, starting over, in all the best ways.