Baroque tattooer Deanna James has literally been making her mark since grade school when she won her first art contest in second grade, competing against sixth graders.
Fast forward, and James has already won the two largest competitions for elite national tattoo artists, claiming the top prize for the most coveted tattoo competitions in the nation in 2022 and 2023: Best of Show in Los Angeles and New York, respectively.
James recognized as a child that drawing was something that helped her manage her anxiety.
“I have struggled with anxiety my whole life. I found that if I had a piece of paper in my hand and tried to copy an image, taking my time and drawing it as close as possible to what I saw, it would slow my heart rate down, and I became calmer,” said James.
Skin is a blank canvas, and tattooing is one of the ways people can express their struggles, victories, and meaningful experiences through art. James knows this firsthand, having received her first tattoo at the age of 16.
James and her husband started Eden Body Art Studios three years ago at 13360 Preston Rd. in Dallas, having been in the industry for roughly 15 years, five of which were apprenticeships.
When James was an apprentice, she saw a side of the industry that brought to light the darkness of the often unsafe and abusive environment that many beginning tattoo artists were experiencing.
“Fifteen years ago, there were no regulations in the tattoo industry in Texas — no HR department or people looking out for one another,” James explained. “Not until recently has the tattoo community, specifically women, spoken out against unsafe treatment and are standing up for themselves.”
“I never had great mentors, and that has made me want to teach others, to build a healthier, safer environment because I did not have that,” added James.
James has put her wants into action. She actively teaches other female artists her new tattooing technique, has a primarily female-run studio, leads seminars, and advocates online and in interviews that women should not be taken advantage of in their apprenticeships.
Her new tattooing method incorporates her fine arts background to “transfer oil painting into modern-day tattooing … developing a technique that includes an underpainting layer and then coloring on top.”
“I have turned oil painting into tattooing, producing painterly tattoos,” she said.
Part of James’ passion for offering safe spaces for tattooing shows itself through another avenue: reconstructive tattooing. Since James began advertising free nipple tattooing two years ago, she averages 1–2 reconstructive tattooing appointments a week, offering beauty and wholeness to women recovering from mastectomies.
“All of them have such a powerful story,” James said of her reconstructive clients. “Some are young, others older. For some, this is their first tattoo. Being able to do this for them and seeing them heal is so rewarding.”
Additionally, James has taught other tattooers how to perform reconstructive tattooing at an advanced level, hoping those she has trained will also offer the service for free. So far, James has trained 50 fellow tattoers. Her students are now paying it forward, teaching other apprentices.
James leads by example, putting in the work herself and not expecting anyone to do what she is unwilling to do herself. Her commitment to exceptional art, quality, and safety is leading the industry — and inking a new path of betterment for the tattooing community.
In October, James will enter the invitation-only tattoo international convention held in Germany for the first time — the only competition considered to be of higher caliber than the ones James has already won.