Shara Rose Tattoos

Roma/Firenze/Siena/San Gimignano
I ran my fingers over cool Carrara marble and made a mission to find the Medici Giraffe; I cried in front of art painted & human and with honor greeted Caravaggio, Titian, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Gentileschi, Bernini & Ghirlandaio. I spoke Italian and laughed till my sides ached as much as my heart from how beautiful and special this country has proved to be, alongside some unforgettable travel partners ( ) Ruins ancient and medieval had me eye-lolling in ecstasy like Mary in all the revert iterations I met her in, and so finally, sadly, full of gelato and pasta and love and inspiration, I'm departing Italy 🖤🇮🇹

After getting my bearings in Rabat, I spent ten days outside Temara meeting the land, entertaining myself sans wifi and staging mutiny for tea and honey. I met my sweet Mariam and other two- and four-legged friends and was accused of working "too hard" (how very American of me). I got a sickening new farm hat and taught myself how to make jam out of white mulberries I picked. During an urban interlude here in Casablanca I've been in disbelief over the utter dream this has all been. Everyone is so kind, curious and helpful here in Morocco while I've been able to marvel at the treasures of this special city. I've spoken loads of French, thrown in Arabic and Darija, and gotten to see friends from the Beiruti days. Settling up my life in America for this little sabbatical has been entirely worth it, and the adventures have only just begun 🖤🇲🇦

I arrived in Portugal one week ago, making acquaintance with the city of Caldas da Rainha, an hour-ish north of Lisboa. This beautiful land full of fresh treasures carries a palette trend-lining from dark sweet to herbal & spicy, all flavors I get to mull and maw in awe over daily. It took me twenty years to make my way back to Europe- the return to curious timidity in untangling the mouthfeel of a new Romance language and observing the particular Portuguese personality all a gentle, welcome way to spend my endless days.

I’ve taken the week to breathe after my headlong American exit and had a chance to simmer in reflection of the work I put in to get here. I did some incredibly satisfying tattoos for some amazing people, and pushed myself in a way I didn’t know I had in me, so I’m excited to share some of the art accomplished before my move here. I might be on a sabbatical from tattooing at the moment, but also I gotta show off a little, ya know?

Thanks to Nichole for your trust and love in traveling to get this tea party sleeve with me, it turned out so gorgeous! No tech used, just a pencil & paper to size, hoping to fill & finish….in a few years? We shall see.

I’ll post some photos of my adventures….later….maybe. If I feel like it. Até já!

Wrapping up my life here in San Antonio has kept me consistently frazzled like a madwoman, but that doesn’t leave me ungrateful. Being slammed with work right before my departure, while hard for my non-hustle attitude, has shown me the amount of support I have nurtured these last six years back in my hometown.

Sweet Jamie here started coming to me in 2020, when I was still using coils and was cord-bound to my station. I loved creating her magnolia upper arm all those years ago. She returned when I first opened BOTTLEFLY to complete the half sleeve, and I missed her during these in between years! I was thrilled when she got at me to complete her full arm with this badass bat & praying mantis showdown. This sleeve really shows my maturity as an artist, me I’m so honored that y’all have come along for the ride with me.

I’ve got scads more beautiful last minute tattoos to post, but I think my relationship with Instagram has been obviously one of contempt. I do want to share my work though! Plus I’m sure I’ll be sharing more of my ventures as I traipse across the globe.

Thanks again everyone, for your continued support over these years. Im not even really sad to close . I feel so accomplished that I succeeded in keeping my business open for the duration of the lease, and am using that chapter close as an opportunity for a new adventure, especially while the world is on fire.
🪰
🪰
🪰

I wanted to start off 2026 with some news- I am making plans to leave the US again come April.

While this breaking information probably won’t shock the lot of you, it has still been hard to make this post, and I’ve been fretting over it for a few weeks now. Returning to my hometown of San Antonio has been an incredible learning experience, rife with sometimes painful but more often illuminating and precious moments of growth.

After 6 solid years back in Texas, I am ready to embark again on a modern journey of exploration, for an indeterminate amount of time- I daren’t date it, not after claiming in 2013 “I’ll only be gone six months!” not to return for 8 years. But along with the urge to travel is the need for rest. Tattooing is a rewarding art, but my body and brain equally need a necessary break if I’m ever to continue tattooing long-term. I’ll be doing guest spots abroad as well, so I might be coming to a city near you!

I’m excited to sell everything I own, close the studio after my 3-year lease concludes, shed (most of) my possessions and embark into the world. I hope you’ll follow my journey, and with some mental rest & renewal, I’ll probably be ready to face social media more frequently.

I am taking bookings for February & parts of March. Email me at [email protected] with the subject line BEFORE YOU GO so I know my post sent you. I will try to get everyone booked, but please be patient as I will also be juggling the closing of the rest of my life here.

If you’ve seen anything in my studio that you’d like to purchase or have happened to come to my little flat and know of something there you want, get at me. I will be posting things throughout the rest of my time here.

Thank you for everything, Texas, I am so grateful. Cheers to this next chapter of life!