Client of the Month: Shawn Boudreaux
What started with a One Shot Wall wizard quickly turned into an entire collection of animals, medieval imagery, and tattoos filled with personal meaning.
For this month’s Client of the Month, we’re highlighting Shawn, a longtime Roswell local whose tattoo journey at Ink & Dagger has grown one piece at a time. From an animal patchwork sleeve by Mark Kalinskiy, to One Shot Wall designs from Bryn Riihimaki and Lilith Jacobs, to custom Pantone inspired pieces by Mel Perlman, his collection is a mix of spontaneity, collaboration, and subtle nods to the people, animals, and experiences that matter to him.
And despite growing up right around the corner, it took Shawn a while to finally walk through our doors.
From Passing the Shop to Becoming a Regular
Shawn grew up in the Roswell area and remembers passing Ink & Dagger as far back as 2010, when he was still a teenager. He knew the shop was there, but after a less-than-great experience getting his first tattoo elsewhere, he stepped away from tattooing for nearly a decade.
That changed during a trip to Tennessee with his wife, where the two decided to get matching tattoos.
From there, as Shawn puts it, he went “down the rabbit hole.”
He and his wife started attending flash events at Ink & Dagger, and One Shot Wall had always caught his attention. When they finally came to their first OSW, one design immediately stood out: a wizard.
“One of the designs just pulled me in,” Shawn said.
That tattoo became his introduction to Ink & Dagger, and the beginning of a much larger collection.
One Tattoo Turns Into a Sleeve
Around the same time, Mark Kalinskiy had recently joined Ink & Dagger. Shawn had seen Mark’s work and immediately connected with his style.
After getting his wizard tattoo, Shawn noticed that one of Mark’s leopard designs was still available. A quick conversation with Mark planted the seed for what would eventually become an entire animal patchwork sleeve.
There was just one catch: there was never actually a plan for a sleeve.
“One tattoo at a time, which is the funny thing,” Shawn said.
The collection continued growing organically. At one point, Shawn decided he would stick exclusively to mammals. He already had a red panda, leopard, and wolf. And then he stumbled across a stoat.
“I was like, he’s adorable! I want him!”
That pretty much sums up the process.
Rather than mapping out every inch of his arm ahead of time, Shawn has let the sleeve evolve as new ideas catch his attention. Now, with very little blank space remaining, he thinks one final animal might finish it off: an otter floating on its back.
Why Animals?
While the sleeve wasn’t meticulously planned, the animal theme itself feels especially fitting for Shawn.
“I love all animals,” he said. “They always stay consistent in life. The type of art that can be portrayed by animals always calls me back and is very grounding to me.”
Wolves, in particular, have always held a special place for him.
After graduating, Shawn got a wolf dog named Beaux, who quickly became his baby. His connection with wolves became even more memorable during a trip to Colorado, when he and his best friend visited a wolf sanctuary.
One of the wolves jumped up, put its paws on Shawn’s shoulders, and essentially gave him a hug. Staff at the sanctuary told him it wasn’t something the wolf did with many visitors.
“I’ve just always had an affinity for wolves specifically,” he said. “But I love all animals.”
Personal Meaning Hidden in the Details
Not every animal in Shawn’s collection is a literal portrait, but many carry subtle connections to his life.
When Shawn asked Mark for a wolf, for example, the finished design ended up looking remarkably similar to his dog, even though he hadn’t asked Mark to base it on him.
His Australian shepherd is another subtle tribute, incorporating the ears of his dog Kota.
“All of my tattoos are nods to something, but maybe not a direct reference,” Shawn explained.
Even his tortoiseshell cat has an unexpected origin. The idea was inspired by Dungeon Crawler Carl and the distinctive, complicated patterns found in tortoiseshell cats.
It also gave Shawn another opportunity to lean into one of the things he appreciates most about Mark’s work: texture and pattern.
“I feel like Mark just knocks it out of the park with texture and patterns, so I knew I wanted him to do it.”
Finding Meaning Beyond the Animal Sleeve
After about a year of building his animal collection, Shawn returned to One Shot Wall with his wife for another round.
This time, two designs immediately caught his attention: Bryn Riihimaki’s sword, titled Rest, and Lilith Jacobs’ snarling orchid dog, Snarl.
While Rest looks noticeably different from the animals covering much of Shawn’s arm, its meaning made the piece feel just as personal.
For Shawn, who has personally struggled with depression, the imagery connected with the idea of loss, moving forward, and finding something beautiful in a darker subject.
“It’s death but looking through the lens of a good light,” he said.
During the appointment, Shawn talked with Bryn about expanding the original sword design with a castle or medieval background. From there, he trusted her to take the idea wherever she wanted.
“I gave her full reign, and she showed me the design and it was so beautiful.”
That trust has become an important part of the way Shawn approaches getting tattooed. Instead of needing complete control over every detail, he brings an idea to the artist and leaves room for their creativity to become part of the finished piece.
When the Shop Starts to Feel Like Home
Shawn’s second One Shot Wall also felt different from his first.
By then, he had spent more time at Ink & Dagger, gotten to know the artists and staff, and become more comfortable in a space that initially felt intimidating as someone who describes both himself and his wife as shy.
During the event, the couple contributed to the raffle benefiting artist Craig Brock’s medical expenses, and Shawn ended up winning a prize!
“I was all excited, and by this point I had met all of the artists and shop employees, so it felt more like home this time around.”
That sense of comfort has become just as important to Shawn’s experience as the tattoos themselves.
The Tattoo That Feels Most Like Shawn
With so many different animals and designs in his collection, choosing a favorite isn’t easy. Each one represents some part of Shawn, whether through its subject matter, meaning, or the experience of getting it.
But if he had to choose one that best captures his personality, he’d probably go back to Mark’s leopard.
“The more I look at it, it’s making this hissing face like it’s pissed off. It’s warning you,” Shawn said. “Sometimes I feel like I look intimidating, but I don’t mean to be, so I can relate.”
There’s another reason the collection feels distinctly his: it doesn’t fit neatly into one box.
“I don’t feel like my tattoos are overly feminine or masculine, which is how I feel.”
Instead, the collection is simply Shawn: a little intimidating at first glance, deeply connected to animals, occasionally drawn to something just because it’s adorable, and always open to seeing where an artist can take an idea.
Trust the Process
For someone who once went nearly 10 years without getting another tattoo after a bad first experience, Shawn now has some pretty simple advice for anyone considering their first tattoo, or the beginning of a much larger collection.
“I think no matter what you do or think you know exactly what you want, everyone that works at Ink & Dagger will be able to help and guide you in the right direction,” he said. “There’s no right or wrong, and I’ve never felt a negative vibe from anyone in the shop. I always feel welcomed and heard.”
Most importantly, he recommends trusting the artist you choose.
“If you trust the artist, it’ll all work out. Every single person I’ve worked with knocks it out of the park. It’s fun to add to a collection and know it’s going to be beautiful and unique.”
From one wizard at One Shot Wall to an arm full of animals and a collection that keeps evolving, Shawn’s tattoos are proof that you don’t always need to know exactly where you’re going when you start.
Sometimes, you just find the piece that calls your name and see where it takes you next.
