about studio evolve tattoo

Studio evoLve is all about evolution, which to us means moving forward through experimentation, education and pushing limits. We wish to combine our artwork with the way the shop looks and feels in order to better the client’s experience in our environment. Providing excellent tattooing in a comfortable space is essential to a positive client experience. Studio evoLve will integrate tattooing with other mediums of art to create a space where tattooers not only work together, but for themselves – where they come to work with open minds and a willingness to help each other, so everyone learns and grows. This is not only for the betterment of the studio, but for that of ourselves, as people and as artists. We want to push limits of skin technically, but we also want to push the social acceptance of tattooing by changing the way we are viewed in the community – from a misguided deviant subculture into true artisans of our skilled and beloved craft.

Our main goal in opening a tattoo studio is to develop a positive environment geared toward customer service and artistic creativity, which is driven by our respect for the tattoo industry and passion for the craft. Studio evoLve will be a tattoo shop, an art gallery, a creative space and a artistic center for our tattooers, our industry, and our local community. People will hopefully be inspired, impressed and relaxed within the space as soon as they enter the studio. We want them to be pleased by what they see and feel, as if they are somewhere different, special, safe and clean. At studio evoLve, the clientele and staff will always feel good in the space – not only because of the design, but also because of the way we all treat one another. This business is not only about our careers and our futures, but also about how we respect each other, our clients, and our industry.

Studio evoLve is a custom tattooing studio, reaching out to all of the 18-and-older men and women in the Tidewater region. What we are offering is an experience rather than just a service, unique to most of what else can be found in the area. We hope to attract clients that seek out an artist based on the understanding that tattooing is an art, it is permanent, and that responsible decisions should be made with that in mind. We will educate the public, as much as we can, on what it is that we do, especially those unfamiliar with the concept of custom tattooing. We aren’t a typical “street shop” with a big walk-in client base, looking for a quick tattoo they have chosen from a wall…but rather, we strive to be an exclusively custom, by-appointment tattoo studio where everyone is welcome. When a client walks in for the first time, there will be a greeter at the front who will help to guide them toward the artist best suited for their personality, lifestyle, and artistic desires. They will be able to then meet, or set an appointment with, the artist to discuss the ideas they have. Getting a custom tattoo is an investment of time, on both the client and tattooer’s part. The reward in the end will be a one-of-a-kind piece of art that the wearer can proudly display for a lifetime, and an experience that is both very professional and personal.

We were lucky enough to have found a private space in a building, overlooking the lake of Mt. Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach, just minutes from highway 264 and Town Center. The two floor studio can be described as “modern vintage,” which really sums up our concepts of tattooing and business as well. Clean, mostly white, classic design, mixed with modern accents, and bold colors is the design path we’ve chosen. We have found antiques and discarded items, and brought them back to life in a modern way. We hope you enjoy your time spent in our space, as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it.

Gabriel Cece has been tattooing since 1995. He has been published numerous times in magazines, won awards at conventions, developed a consistent custom-based clientele, and has earned his way in the industry, enough to realize his dream of owning his own shop and being able to give back to the tattoo industry all that it has given him. You can view his personal website @ www.gabrielcece.com. For information on joining the family, please contact gabriel at gabrielcece.llc@gmail.com