Hello! I'm Mary Buell, the professional illustrator and artist behind your favorite Northwest Arts & Recreation projects. For years, I've poured my creativity into bringing visions to life through paintbrushes and digital mediums. Now, I'm thrilled to announce the next chapter in my artistic journey: fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a tattoo artist.

This winter and spring, you'll find me immersed in intensive training as a student at the esteemed Oregon School of Ink in Prineville, Oregon. I'm eagerly translating my established artistic skills and keen eye for detail into the intricate world of tattoo artistry.

Looking ahead to Summer 2025, I'm excited to establish The Inksmith right here in Prineville. My vision is to create a unique and upscale tattoo experience unlike any other. Unlike a typical tattoo shop, the Inksmith will be a private and comfortable studio designed for a relaxed and personalized experience.

But The Inksmith will be more than just a tattoo studio. It will be a space dedicated to celebrating local artistry. Our studio will feature a curated retail space, a charming gift shop showcasing the beautiful work of talented makers and artists from our community.

At The Inksmith, we believe in fostering a community of artistic expression. Our studio will be home to two talented artists who share a deep passion for both the art of tattooing and the creative process. These individuals possess a unique artistic vision that will translate into truly exceptional tattoos. We are fortunate to be neighbors to some of the most respected veterans of the tattoo industry in Prineville, creating a supportive environment where we can learn, grow, and continually elevate our artistry.

Follow my evolution as I learn and grow in the art of tattooing! I can't wait to share this exciting new adventure with you and, soon, welcome you to The Inksmith.

Tattoo Student

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Work in progress with my feet… not going to be done before class today, but I still “nailed it.”
Working on some realism today. No pressure, but I am drawing my mentor’s OG machine. Feeling anxious about getting things rolling with fake skins and practicals. Trying to trust the process. But with some fun things happening, more skin in t
Homework 11: a geometric design on a specific body part. I chose to use Scott’s calf as inspiration and incorporated our honeycomb. It’s just missing some bees. 🐝 🍯 Just printed the outline on stencil and will transfer it to face sk
Homework 10: A Celtic Knot inspired design. Added Viking Runes that held similar meanings to the Celtic Knot I chose. Imagine this as an arm wraparound piece.
Homework 9: Basic WG tattoo design…but I elevated it with my own abstract/geometric style. My high school students wanted me to incorporate butterflies when I told them about the prompt. So her you go 🌼🦋☯️
Homework 8: A little neotraditional fun for my @usmarinecorps friends and hubby. #semperfidelis I’m going to make a part two to this with more detail and realism…Marine themed. Stay tuned.
Fun little classroom activity where we had to draw a “zoomed” in or micro view of something random in any style. 🖊️ Decided a geometric key would be fun. 🔑
Homework 7: Realistic Fruit… 🐉🤘
Weekend progress… baby steps. A few technical difficulties with my paper type not loving my pencils, but pushing through it and crossing my fingers it comes together in the end. No tracing allowed. No eraser after the initial blue sketch.
Shared this in my story yesterday, but we are channeling our inner Bob Ross and playing with oil paint 🎨 This is my first time using oil paint and it has been frustrating in ways, but ultimately fun to learn. Learning about light, contrast, color
Fun homework assignment playing around neotraditional with my own spin on it. Obsessed with the cactus and excited to practice these lines on fake skin.

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Visit Us

778 NW 3RD Street
Prineville, OR

Hours
Coming Soon

Phone
(503)385-3934