Just a stone’s throw from the shoreline of Trinity Beach, Pins and Needles is a cosy, beachside tattoo studio with a laid-back vibe and creative spirit. Stepping into the studio on Saturday 21 June to start the first day of a four-day work experience was a big step for Cape York Partnership school-based trainee, Solace Barnaby.
The Year 12 Djarragun College student is being supported by the Schools to Jobs (S2J) program, which helped her secure a school-based traineeship with the Cape York Partnership Communications team. Through her traineeship, Solace has been developing skills in communications and marketing, including content creation, writing, social media and design. Knowing her long-term dream is to become a tattoo artist, the S2J team organised this work experience placement at Pins and Needles Tattoo Studio. This hands-on opportunity allowed her to explore her passion for tattooing while continuing to grow as a young creative.
“Being given this opportunity to work at the studio, even for a short time, was an experience I didn’t expect to be given,” Solace said. “I’m extremely grateful to Schools to Jobs, my manager and the studio owner, Tayah Armstrong-Ryan for organising it and bringing me that step closer to becoming a tattoo artist.”
On her first day, Solace immersed herself in the rhythm of the studio, learning how the space operated, chatting with the resident artists and soaking up the creative energy. The highlight of the day came when she had the chance to observe one of the artists at work, carefully tattooing a design onto a client’s arm. Watching the process unfold up close, from stencil to finished piece, gave Solace a more in depth understanding of how tattoo artists bring tattoos and art to life for their clients.
“Watching the artists work up close was a really interesting,” she said. “I really enjoyed watching the whole process from sketching the design to the tattooing itself.”
Over the following days, Solace fully embraced every opportunity. She spent time developing her own flash sheets, looking through collections of original tattoo designs, experimenting with styles, linework and shading techniques. She also began drafting larger, more detailed pieces, refining her creative process with feedback from the studio’s artists.
Between drawing sessions, she observed the professionals in action, watching closely as they prepped, inked and finished tattoos for a diverse range of clients. One of the most exciting moments came when she was given the chance to tattoo a design of her own onto synthetic skin.
“It may not have been real skin but being able to get hands on with the professional equipment has made my passion stronger,” Solace said.
On her final day of work experience at the studio, Solace wrapped up her placement with a heartfelt gesture, she presented Tayah with a print of her own artworks as a thank you. It was a meaningful way to express her gratitude for the opportunity to learn and grow. Throughout the day, Solace continued soaking up as much knowledge as she could. She spent time designing a custom tattoo piece, carefully sketching out the concept and refining the details with input from the artists. She asked thoughtful questions about the journey to becoming a professional tattooist, including the necessary training, equipment, licensing and how to build a client base.
To Solace’s surprise, the day ended on a high note when Tayah offering to give her a small tattoo as a lasting reminder of her time at the studio and a symbol of encouragement as she continues to pursue her dream.
“School to Jobs, Djarragun College and Cape York Partnership have always supported my dreams of becoming a tattoo artist,” Solace said. “It’s something I’ll always be thankful for and remember well past my traineeship. I doubt I would have been offered any opportunities like this from anywhere else.”
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