Young Artist Takes on Tattoos

“Ever since I was little I’ve loved to draw even if it wasn’t the best. I’d paint, draw, or even just doodle as much as I could and growing up in a tattoo shop helped push me to love art,” junior Ella Wynn said.

Being artistically inclined,  Wynn spends her time tattoo designing. Ever since she picked up her first pencil, Wynn says art helped her drown out the racket of everyday life. 

“I love art because when I draw I feel like I can disconnect myself from reality and draw something that doesn’t have to be realistic, and I can take control of it and change it how I wish,” Wynn said, “I love being able to express myself in ways that people will understand that’s not written or put into a video.”

Wynn started working at her dad Quinton Wynn’s tattoo shop, Southtown Tattoos, in July 2019. Consisting of everything from realism to cartoons, Ella designed over 30 tattoos. Relying heavily on her surroundings as inspiration for her pieces, Wynn draws people modeled after her friends and animals. This method works well  based on how her father rates her progress.

“I think there is a lot of room for improvement, as with any young artist. We grow and learn and I am very proud of her so far,” Quinton Wynn said.

Ella plans on expanding her artwork to become her future career. Although she loves the atmosphere of her dad’s business, Wynn wants to go to college and let other parts of the world see her artwork.

“I plan on moving after I get a good amount of money and probably going to college just to have the experience of it. I love the atmosphere of the tattoo shop but I don’t plan on staying in Fort Smith my whole life,” Wynn said.