About
Meet the Family
Welcome to Mama Tried, where getting tattooed feels more like hanging out with old friends who just happen to be very talented artists. This isn’t just a tattoo shop; it’s a little hub of family, creativity, and maybe a few too many snacks (but hey, we’re not complaining)..
Mama Tried Tattoo started with a self-taught artist in a small northern town, driven by a passion for art and connection. It wasn’t exactly a straight road—full story coming soon to a blog near you—but it turned into something pretty amazing. Today, we’ve got a team of ridiculously kind, wildly creative, and downright lovely humans who care deeply about making your tattoo dreams come true—and sharing a few good laughs in the process.
Behind the scenes, (and in the front of the studio) our front desk staff are the heartbeat of the shop. These heroes keep everything running smoothly, keep the vibe alive, and ensure you feel like part of the family from the moment you walk in. They’re basically the duct tape holding us all together (but way more stylish). Meet the team below.
Inside our hidden gem location, we’re all about comfort. Need a distraction during your session? We’ve got Netflix. Feeling chilly? We’ve got heat pads. Craving a snack? We’ve got snacks. Oh, and we’re pretty proud to say that 95% of our supplies are biodegradable, and we offer vegan inks, so you (and we) can feel good about our footprint while creating something awesome.
Want to know more about the incredible humans who make the magic happen? Scroll down to read more about the crew. From their favourite styles to fun facts, you’ll see why they make Mama Tried such a special place.
As a thank you to the community who supports us, (and because we love doing it) we participate in many fundraisers throughout the year, so if tattoos for a cause are your jam, watch for these events on our social media!
Whether you’re getting your first tattoo or your fiftieth, we’re here to make it an unforgettable experience. Let’s chat—book a free consultation today and let’s make something awesome together.
P. S. Wondering about our name? Let’s just say it involves a leather cup holder, a kind old biker, and a Merle Haggard song. Curious for the full tea? The whole story will soon be posted on our blog.
Reception
(and so much more <3)
Monika
Born in P.A raised in Southern Alberta! Yay rattlesnakes! 🤢
What do you love most about tattoos? The endless amounts of artistry and expression, there’s always something new and amazing to see!
When you’re not working away, what can we catch you doing? I love reading! and painting and beading! But mostly catching up on movies or gaming :B
What’s your favorite thing at Mama Tried studio? The people hands down, I couldn’t possibly ask for a more amazing work fam. I love seeing everyone’s artwork daily <3!
Sasha
Sasha is a dedicated receptionist with a passion for connecting with people and keeping things running smoothly. Outside of work, Sasha loves spending time with family, whether it’s enjoying a cozy evening at home or exploring the great outdoors. When not outside, you can find her immersed in video or board games, always up for a fun challenge. A creative soul, Sasha also enjoys photography and painting, capturing moments and expressing artistic flair. Whether it’s through adventure or creativity, Sasha embraces life with energy and enthusiasm.
Mary
I was born in Saskatoon, however I moved around a lot as a kid, so I was raised in many places! Living in a variety of places such as Pennsylvania, New York, Toronto, and Yorkton before returning to Saskatoon, was a fun opportunity to meet many different people throughout my life. As a receptionist here at Mama Tried, and one of my favorite parts of the job is working with such a fantastic team and I love how the entire shop is such a fun and welcoming place to be! My favourite thing about tattoos is how they allow people to express themselves and showcase their personalities! Outside of work, I enjoy reading, hiking, being in nature, and spending time with my friends and family. I’m also passionate about aerial arts and practice aerial silks a couple times a week!
Artists
Colleen
Colleen was born in Edmonton, Alberta. With an inherent love of expression through drawing, Colleen knew from very young that she had wanted to pursue tattoo artistry – when she saw her very first tattoo on the ankle of her eclectic and rebellious aunt. She received a Double Honour’s degree in Art and Art History in 2014, specializing in Classical Literature and the art of the High Venetian Renaissance and put herself through school working as an artist’s model for the university’s fine art and medical anatomy classes. It was at this time her fascination with the body and its versatile language began to influence her work. She received a full scholarship to the University of Calgary in 2018 to obtain her Master of Fine Arts degree – drawing specialization – where she formed her thesis around the gestural language of the body and how its movement weaves an epic cycle of visual human narrative. All through school, she yearned to put thesis into practice through the art of tattooing. She received her chance when she fortuitously relocated to Saskatoon and came under Kat’s mentorship in the summer of 2020. For Colleen, each project is viewed as an intuitive artistic process – a conceptual collaboration between artist and client to create a personal narrative which is expressed through the body and its movement. Colleen’s work speaks strongly through the elements of line, gesture and form. While not at the tattoo studio, she can be found viewing art, modeling for art, or making art at her private studio, working on her independent practice, rooted in large scale figurative work. Her art has been exhibited in cities across the Western world, including Saskatoon, Calgary, Seattle, New York, and London, U.K. She also loves to sing, bake raspberry rhubarb pie and ride the rivers and lakes in the summer on her paddleboard.
Sydney
Sydney was born and raised in the beautiful city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and has loved the art of drawing for as long as she can remember. The inspiration of her tattoo journey was kindled by seeing the beautiful work of other tattoo artists, and realizing that she too could turn her passion for drawing to life in the same way. Sydney’s signature style is captured by the fact that she loves delving into projects which are vibrant, meticulous, precise and fun. There is nothing more satisfying to her than being able to enter a space of quiet focus and create a piece of art to be cherished. She is most inspired by the balance and harmony of nature in all its organic shapes and patterns. She also gathers inspiration from literature and cinema as well as her own emotional landscape. Her favourite art movements include the genre of Art Nouveau, Neotraditionalism and the realms of whimsical colour illustration. When not in the throes of tattooing you can find her wandering in nature foraging for wild mushrooms, riding dirt bikes with her partner or cooking up new and exciting recipes in between passionate plays of exciting video game sessions.
Katja
Katja was born and raised in the picturesque city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and was inspired to try tattooing as a new means of creative expression to supplement her wide repertoire of passions and interests. It started out as merely a hobby – another new medium to create works on leather and art boards – but her creativity and curiosity eventually flourished to include the canvas of the human form. Kat is a Renaissance woman, finding pleasure in creating art in a variety of different ways, but it was when she began creating for clients that her drawing skills were really brought to the forefront. The art of tattooing is satisfying to Kat’s curious nature because it is an art medium that is ever evolving and expanding. She loves the process of meeting new and unique people and entering into a creative co-creation with clients. Getting to know her clients and their stories allows her to synchronize their vision with her own inspiration – often gleaned from different genres of art movements and music to create a piece wholly unique and special. Kat’s current tattoo passion projects revolve around refining a unique style which combines realism with the genres of bold lines and neo traditionalism. While not in the tattoo studio, you can find Kat doing almost everything under the sun! She currently is involved in a range of passionate projects including foraging, growing rare and edible plants, chicken farming, historical house restoration, apothecary creation, novel writing, animal welfare, motorbike riding, evolved senior care, alternative health and wellness, martial arts, and dancing.
Daljeet
Daljeet (Dee) is a passionate tattoo artist who loves exploring a variety of styles, from neo-traditional and florals to fine line, geometric, and illustrative designs. Originally from India, Dee moved to Canada in 2018 to pursue post-graduate studies, but her love for art won over. Drawing has been a part of her life since she was young, and inspired by the amazing work of other tattoo artists, she realized she could turn her lifelong passion for art into a career she truly loves.
For Daljeet, tattoos are so much more than just ink on skin—they’re about telling stories, capturing memories, expressing individuality, and creating something deeply personal for each client. She’s an expert in delicate and bold lines, attention to detail, and making sure every client leaves not just happy, but thrilled with their tattoo.
What fuels Daljeet the most is the trust her clients place in her and the chance to bring their ideas to life. She loves working together to transform visions and emotions into meaningful, wearable art that clients can be proud of forever. For Dee, it’s not just about the tattoo—it’s about the connection and the journey she shares with each client.
When she’s not tattooing, you’ll likely find her sewing, embroidering, or mastering her latest hobby—crocheting. These hands-on projects keep her inspired as she continues to evolve as an artist. She’s also passionate about cooking and loves experimenting in the kitchen, bringing the same care and artistry to her meals as she does to her tattoos!
Kathleen
Kathleen grew up in Saskatoon with her nose in as many fantasy books as she could get her hands on. She has been drawing since she could hold a pencil, and spent many of her formative art years drawing animals, fairies, dragons, the Sailor Scouts, and Pokemon. She enjoys a variety of art media, including graphite, watercolour, gouache, acrylic, oil painting, and digital painting and is excited to include tattoo among her arsenal of artforms.
Kathleen has always been fascinated by stories and storytelling (she also has an English degree) and is honoured to be a part of people’s individual stories through her art and tattooing. Much of her artwork is fantasy-inspired and she likes illustrating dark/spooky scenes and concepts. She also loves all sorts of natural subjects, including animals (especially birds), botanicals, and bones. She mainly works in an illustrative style but is interested in many styles and projects – especially neotraditional. She wants people to be as comfortable as possible during their appointments and is happy to work within clients’ comforts and adjust as needed.
When not tattooing, Kathleen can be found with her cat, Smudge, enjoying a cup of fancy tea or a craft beer with a video game, art project, or book in front of her. She also plays a lot of D&D
Murray
Murray was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. He always loved to draw and picked up oil paints when he was 9. After years in the construction industry, he started an airbrushing company. After gaining attention for winning awards for his work, he soon started working in set design at Warner Bros in Gold Coast, Australia. Murray picked up a tattoo machine 6 years ago and hasn’t looked back. He loves to do portrait work, full colour and black and grey realism, as well as dark themes such as horror and the supernatural.