Jessica Valentine

Native New Yorker and contestant on Season 15 of Ink Master, Jessica Valentine says she wanted to tattoo since she saw her first one at age five. So, at 22 years old, she started working in a shop as an assistant and worked her way up to being a full-fledged tattoo artist. She tells GO that when she got into the industry, “you could count on two hands the amount of lady tattooers in the city.” Tired of sexual harassment, homophobia, and racism that is common in the industry, Jessica dreamed of opening a space for women and queer people. From that dream she created a small, private studio called Haven in Brooklyn, NY. As she recognized the increased need for a safe, comfortable space, Jessica and her wife, Cameron Cox, expanded, and in 2022, they opened the doors to a bigger and safer tattoo shop. She says the biggest reward is seeing happy clients, and she feels humbled when “clients thank me for making a safe space for them, when they tell me their experience with me was the best one they’ve had getting tattooed.” Haven also gives back. They often raise money through tattoo flash fundraisers for causes related to Black Lives Matter, trans rights, displaced people, and others. For Jessica, being a queer woman has greatly impacted her work. She says, “My whole existence is about being a strong bitch [and] making it in this cishet male dominated industry.” It hasn’t been easy, though. Jessica says a lot of men aren’t happy about what she’s doing or about women having spaces for themselves, but she’s determined: “It just gives me more ammunition to continue to do what I’m doing.” –SS