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Skin Deep
Sparrowhawk makes getting
a tattoo like a day at the spa
By Grace Huseth
W hile some tattoo parlors can be grimy affairs, a trip to Sparrowhawk at Studioplex
in Old Fourth Ward makes tattooing feel more like a day at the spa.
The self-proclaimed intimate, feminist-inspired studio is an amalgamation of
many different styles. The space stays bright with white walls, a fresh fig tree, fine
art oil paintings and a comfy midcentury couch. Owner Amy Leavell Bransford, who also owns
Aviary Beauty & Wellness Collective in Studioplex, used the help of interior designer Gavin
Bernard and Atlanta based fiber artist Sonya Yong James to create macrame like partitions so
tattoo tables have a private, but open feel. “The space has evolved into a gallery space where our
clients are the canvas,” Bransford said.
Sparrowhawk may attract women, but Bransford has found both men and women trust
the space and the expertise of tattoo artist Cori James. There has been some cross-pollination of
clients from Aviary, as well as clients who wish to support the female run shop and many who
seek out James for her tattoo visions.
Cori James has been tattooing in Atlanta since 2012 and is known for her own trademark
technique: first she starts with a strong black outline, adds in black shading and then adds
in color to make tattoos pop. This method allows for creative expression while a set process
guarantees a tattoo that continues to look good years later. At Sparrowhawk, James tattoos by
appointment only to ensure clients have time to curate the best design.
Bransford met James at Aviary, while the artist was getting a facial. James voiced she
was growing restless at a tattoo shop in the city and wished she could tattoo somewhere like
Aviary that offered a more personal feel.
There’s something about being in the chair that makes people open up. “When you are
in a facial room, it’s very private and people share all sorts of aspects of what’s going on in
their life,” Bransford said. “When you are in that environment you feel like the entire world
passes through and you partly become a people connector.”
As Bransford got tattoo business licenses for Sparrowhawk, she decided to get further
licenses for other needle aesthetic services like microblading. She soon hired Juliana Ramus,
who uses the microblading tattooing technique to create semi-permanent tattoos for flawless
eyebrows. The former researcher in real estate finance was growing weary of corporate
culture when she took a big leap into the world of microblading.
“I knew I needed support and that I had so much to learn in this business because it
works so differently than a big corporation,” Ramus said. “This was a huge risk, but I’m so
glad I did it and now I do this full time.”
Ramus clients range from those who are simply over tweezing to those who have
alopecia or other hair loss concerns. One of her recent clients suffered from trichotillomania,
Wed-Sat 12-6, or by appointment | info (5) ideagallerychamblee.com
5346A Peachtree Rd. Chamblee, GA 30341 (404)-308-0794
Top, Cori James, Amy Bransford and Juliana
Ramus outside Sparrowhawk Studio at
Studioplex in the Old Fourth Ward.
Above, A playful take on the Daleks from
Doctor Who created by Cori James.
Right, Macrame partitions allow tattoo clients
privacy without reeling closed in.
a type of impulse control disorder that results in pulling out hair. Ramus was able to use the
client’s blank canvas to create new eyebrows to frame her face. “Now she doesn’t have to worry
about that stuff,” Ramus said. “It might seem insignificant to some people, but it’s been a huge
part of her life.”
Sparrowhawk is expecting a rise in microblading clients this season. Since summers in
Atlanta are so hot, many women like to pare down their beauty routines to avoid melting
makeup and microblading eyebrows takes one step out of the grooming process.
“I’ve supported other women entrepreneurs at the Aviary, including people who are afraid
to leave well established spas and go out on their own. It’s been gratifying to me, as a publicist
who has gone into the beauty industry, to be part of that,” Bransford said.
The studio plans to acquire include a few more tattoo artists this spring, but doesn’t expect
a full staff to blossom any time soon. “One thing that I learned from Aviary is that it’s really
important to wait for the right team and sometimes that takes some patience,” Bransford said.
“It’s a bit like being in a band, working in a space this small with only four or five players, so
you want to make sure everybody has a specific highlight.”
Sparrowhawk is located in Studioplex, 659 Auburn Ave., Unit G3. For more information,
visit sparrowhawkatl.com. OH
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I.D.E.A.
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GALLERY art gallery!
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1 8 March 2018 | [d
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