Empire Arts Gallery makes its mark on community with exhibits, tattoos

Empire Arts Gallery was founded in 2020 by Brandi Smart and Malia Rifkin, with the mission to have a place for artists to show and sell their work and build community — and for clients to be tattooed in a safe environment.

Credit: Photo by Ford Kent

Credit: Photo by Ford Kent

“They are both women and tattooers — in a kind of a toxic, kind of masculine, kind of gross environment usually,” Locklar said. “And so they were like, you know, we’re going to do our own thing.”

Locklar joined in 2021, initially as an artist participating in one of Empire Arts’ shows and later as a tattoo apprentice. Sara Slick, manager and tattoo apprentice, joined the following year. Slick said the nature of the job is a balancing act, noting that she and Locklar are involved in both tattooing and organizing gallery events. Slick described the dynamic as collaborative and full of care, and said that the two of them are “fantastic co-workers and low-key besties.”

Locklar said the blend of gallery, studio and boutique feels natural, and one will often lead visitors to another. “The three elements really work together because we can make art doing this, we can help people show their art and then they can sell their art to the boutique. It’s really symbiotic.”

For example, when the art community is welcomed through the gallery exhibitions, many visitors discover the tattoo studio. Ultimately, the tattooing funds the space and keeps the doors open — a reflection of the DIY spirit of the artist community in creating spaces for artists.

“Tattooing is very collaborative. So if you get someone that you really click with — which is, I would say, most of the time — they would come back,” Locklar said. “We are not your traditional tattoo shop; it’s a much warmer place.”

Andie, who was mid-session with Locklar, agreed. “I’ve been dealing with tattoo shops for over 20 years. You go to a lot of them. It’s very hard. This one’s very soft. In other words, you feel more welcome.”

That intentional approach is grounded in the gallery’s values: Slick and Locklar feel that the studio being operated by females allows them to bring a better and intrinsic understanding of bodily autonomy and its importance to tattooing.

“Sometimes we’ll have clients who maybe aren’t as talkative, and we’ll check in with them and ask: ‘What do you like when you’re getting a tattoo? Do you want me to talk to you?’ We try and make them feel comfortable and not like they have to perform or anything like that,” Locklar said.

The emphasis on fostering an intimate environment also extends to the gallery, where they hope people can approach the art without feeling intimidated.

Credit: Photo by Jessica Locklar

Credit: Photo by Jessica Locklar

“We get the opportunity to work with the same kind of artists that would be in larger, more prominent galleries,” Slick said, “but they also enjoy featuring work here because most of our pieces are in a price range that accommodates more people. Here, we welcome a true casual collector.”

Empire Arts plans to host more events in addition to gallery shows, which will rotate every other month instead of monthly. The organizers are constantly experimenting — one example being a pivot away from pop-up markets, a decision informed by feedback from vendors and recognizing the oversaturation of such markets in Atlanta.

While Locklar finished the cover-up, a collective prepared the gallery for its mid-June show, “We Are Still Here,” which was to open the next day with an art showcase, market and open-mic event. Slick explained that “We Are Still Here” served as a bridge between “CHROMA” — the gallery’s recent group show spotlighting Asian American, native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander artists in Atlanta — and Pride month.

Locklar describes Empire Arts’ shows as consistently femme-forward and edgy, and said owners and organizers are interested in highlighting underrepresented voices.

“We will kind of play with that just to see what fits in the space the best,” Slick said. “That’s the fun part of curating. And then, me and Jessica just sound like maniacal, insane people in the gallery. Just cackling together.”.

Empire Art Gallery’s current exhibit, “GAGS,” is a small works exhibition featuring more than 50 submissions by LGBTQIA artists.

The show was put together through the gallery’s first open-call to artists. Slick and Locklar emphasized that in its celebration of pride and queer joy, it aims to go beyond merely symbolic representation.

“We’re not doing a soft Pride show; it’s not like rainbow flag Pride,” Slick said. “It’s a bit more loud, in a positive way. And I feel like the kind of artists that we have involved and the kind of attitude behind it has a subtle protest vibe, where we’re all like, ‘Yes, we’re loud, we’re here, we exist and there shouldn’t be any shame around it.’”

If you go

Empire Arts Gallery

“GAGS” continues through July 12. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Free. 1939 Hosea Williams Drive NE, Atlanta. empireartsgallery.com/the-gallery.

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Mitali Singh is an Atlanta-based writer who is passionate about exploring the intersections between the arts and culture. She is a student at Emory University, studying English and creative writing. Her poems have been published in Eunoia Review and FEED.

Credit: ArtsATL

Credit: ArtsATL

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