EASTHAMPTON – To kick off the new year, the Eastworks building welcomed its only tattoo shop, Saint Lament Studio in suite 126.

“We could never put what this means to us into words. The freedom, the ability to give our clients something special, to have a peaceful and beautiful space to work in that we call our own. It is everything we wanted and we are so excited, so grateful, and so humbled,” said co-owners Rachael Lovell and Giordano Luca.

The two said they knew that it would be risky to open up their tattoo shop during a pandemic but they said that they tried not to think too much about it and were not going to let anything stop them.

Lovell told Reminder Publishing that she became interested in becoming a tattoo artist because she realized that with tattooing, she could do art for a living while also helping people in a way.

“Tattoos can help people feel more comfortable in their own skin. Tattoos can help people celebrate, mourn, or remember. Tattoos, and the act of getting tattooed, can help people heal and that was something I wanted to be apart of. Tattooing just seemed to be perfect, and it is. I could not imagine doing anything else with my life,” Lovell said.

She has been tattooing for about five years and previously worked at Three Kings Tattoo in New York City. Lovell lived in Brooklyn for the past three years but is originally from Western Massachusetts.

Luca who is originally from Connecticut but grew up in Massachusetts has been tattooing since July 2017. Before opening Saint Lament Studio, he was working at Lucky’s Tattoo and Piercing in Northampton.

Tattooing was never anything Luca noticed or thought about before but he figured it might be fun to do. He shared that he was really into visual art at the time.

“After doing my internship, I thought the industry was really cool and definitely something I wanted to make into a career,” Luca said.

Lovell and Luca said they opened Saint Lament Studio because they were both searching for a different environment. After some talks that they had together, it became obvious to them that they were looking for the same thing with the same ideals, and knew that together they could create the perfect space.

The two met in 2013 when they both began their apprenticing at Lucky’s Tattoo and Piercing in Northampton around the same time.

“I have always appreciated the camaraderie and support between us, from even the beginning, and I suppose that is what lead to us opening this studio together,” Lovell said.

"We are both so incredibly thankful for all the support we have already been shown, and we are so excited to share this new space with you. We have put a lot of thought, care, and love into this studio, and we absolutely cannot wait to tattoo you all,” said co-owners Rachael Lovell and Giordano Luca.

Saint Lament Studio is appointment only and plans to stay that way for the foreseeable future because the two believe they can focus on their client more.

“I like taking the time and making each tattoo and appointment an experience, a collaboration. I like to create custom tattoos for my clients – to make them something special and thoughtful, that’s just for them. I feel I don’t get to do that as easily and successfully doing tattoos as walk-ins,” Lovell said.

While the studio has set minimum rates, Lovell and Luca said if any client has any questions about their specific idea, they would be happy to provide a quote.

To see their work, visit their Instagram accounts, @rae.love and @gioluuca.

Lovell and Luca said they would keep the space clean and sterile. With the pandemic in mind, both Lovell and Luca will be wearing masks at all times, and they require clients to wear masks as well. They will be taking touch-less temperature checks of each client, and asking them to come alone to their appointments, to limit the number of people in the room at a time.

To book an appointment or request a quote and know which artist an interested party would like to work with, they can email the pair at their personal emails at raelove.tattoos@gmail.com and gio.luuca@gmail.com. If someone is unsure who they want to work with, they can send an email to saintlamentstudio@gmail.com or call 203-1100.