Meet Connie Westgate: The Artist Behind Heart & Dagger Tattoo
If you've been searching for a tattoo artist in Edmonton, there's a good chance you've come across the name Connie Westgate. As the founder, owner and head artist of Heart & Dagger Tattoo, Connie has spent decades developing her skills as both a fine artist and tattoo artist while creating a studio focused on individuality, creativity and meaningful tattoo experiences.
Located on Edmonton's 124 Street, Heart & Dagger Tattooreflects Connie's belief that getting a tattoo should be about much more than simply putting ink on skin. It's an opportunity to tell a story, celebrate an important moment, reclaim your body or turn an idea you've carried with you into a piece of art.
From Fine Art to Tattooing
Connie's artistic journey began when she was young. Her background in fine arts helped establish the foundation for the detailed, illustrative approach that has become an important part of her tattooing.
She also holds a degree in Women's Studies from the University of Alberta, with a focus on women's health, and has a background in counseling. That combination of art, communication and understanding of women's experiences has become particularly meaningful in her work with clients seeking mastectomy and scar tattoos.
Connie's Tattoo Specialties
Connie is particularly known for neo-traditional tattooing, combining bold tattoo techniques with colourful, detailed and imaginative artwork. Her portfolio includes illustrated fantasy pieces, characters, animals, florals, sleeves and custom designs.
She also specializes in cover-up tattoos, memorial tattoos, mastectomy tattoos and scar cover-ups.
For Connie, these projects can carry a deeper meaning. Her own experience with surgical scars helped shape her understanding of how tattoos can change the way someone feels about a part of their body. Heart & Dagger's scar tattoo work includes designs intended to incorporate and transform existing scars into personalized artwork.
A Tattoo Should Tell Your Story
One of Connie's central philosophies is that the client should never feel like just another appointment. Her approach begins with listening: understanding what the client wants, discussing style and placement, and determining how an idea can become a tattoo that works with the body.
Heart & Dagger offers free consultations, giving clients an opportunity to discuss their ideas, references, placement, size and expectations before committing to their tattoo.
More Than a Tattoo Shop
Connie has also made community involvement part of Heart & Dagger's identity. The studio regularly supports local causes, including the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS), using tattoo events and fundraising initiatives to give back to the community.
Today, Connie continues to create custom artwork at Heart & Dagger Tattoo on 124 Street in Edmonton while helping clients find the right artist and approach for their own ideas.
Looking for a custom tattoo artist in Edmonton? Meet Connie Westgate and explore her work at Heart & Dagger Tattoo.