In a small studio in Kindersley, tattoo artist Dane Ritchie is leaving his mark both literally and figuratively. As the owner and sole artist of 13th Moon Tattoo, Ritchie has spent the past four years bringing custom designs to life in the small Saskatchewan town. His path to tattooing, however, was anything but conventional.
“I was invited into tattooing,” Ritchie said. “I met a group of OG artists from Saskatoon who were building a shop. I got in with them, helped build the shop that I had my first lessons in, and I gave up my business as a construction worker, building homes, to get into tattooing and haven’t looked back. It’s been a long road, but a very good one.”
"I used to joke with my guys that I had working for me, that there was only one way I was getting out of it and that was if I could make art my living. But there's only one way of making money as an artist, and that's if you're a painter and dead." he joked. "And then tattooing fell in my lap and I couldn't pass up the opportunity."
Tattooing has taken Ritchie across Canada and beyond. Though he started in Saskatoon, he spent the next 10 years of his career in Edmonton, working at two of the city's top-rated studios before branching out on his own. His experience at Eye of the Lotus and The Fountainhead, where he was eventually instated as a co-owner, helped shape his skills and industry connections. But in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the world, Ritchie and his wife reassessed their future.
“My wife and I had our son in Edmonton and that happened right at the very beginning of COVID,” Ritchie said. “We’d always planned on making our way out here, but we didn’t think it was going to happen for a few years. But COVID happened, and we kind of reassessed a lot of our priorities and what we wanted out of life. And we decided to jump at the opportunity to make our life happen here.”
Ritchie quickly found success in Kindersley, where his studio has been in high demand since opening.
“There has been no let up. It’s been steady from the moment my doors opened,” he said. “At one point, I was booked out 14 months. It’s a little bit odd to know what you’re going to be doing next year. But it’s coming in at a much steadier pace now.”
"People expected that I wasn’t going to be around long before moving on, but we’ve made this home, and I plan on bringing good tattooing to Kindersley for a long time while also maintaining yearly trips to learn and bring back those lessons to share with my clients."
While he specializes in a variety of tattoo styles, Ritchie’s small-town setting has pushed him to be adaptable.
“In the city, as an artist, you could become a kind of niche artist,” he said. “Being out here and being the only shop in town, I’ve always been quite versatile in what I can accomplish, but it’s really forced me to open my eyes to a lot of different styles.
One style Ritchie hopes to master is Japanese traditional, a time-honored approach known for its bold lines, flowing compositions, and rich symbolism. Rooted in centuries of history, this style often features motifs like koi, dragons, and peonies, each carrying deep cultural significance.
“Every image, every line, every colour choice and aspect of the composition has meaning and tells a story unique to the wearer,” Ritchie said. “It is the responsibility of the artist to understand these aspects to ensure authenticity. As I mature in this craft, I find myself being drawn to this style as it fits the body so well, is timeless, and is guaranteed to last for the lifetime of the wearer.”
“That one, because it’s so steeped in tradition, generations worth of information and knowledge that I have not had access to, it hasn’t felt right to delve into without proper training,” he said.
Though Ritchie has welcomed guest artists to his studio from abroad, he has no immediate plans to take on an apprentice.
“I don’t feel like I know enough to pass along the information in a way that is going to be beneficial to anybody that would be sitting in an apprenticeship role in my shop,” he said. “I could teach a lot, but I still feel as though I am a young student.”
Still, he values the responsibility that comes with the trade. “Stewardship of this craft is held in high regard for me, and when the time comes, I will be able to confidently pass along what I know,” he said.
For those considering a tattoo, Ritchie encourages thorough preparation. "The consultation is the first and most pivotal step to making a good tattoo." he explained, "It's your body and It’s your body and I’m here to guide you but the process will be much more fluid with an initial direction set. Consultations are always free as I want us to both be excited about the tattoo and often new ideas are born through the conversation as we develop the idea into reality."
Beyond tattooing, Ritchie spends time helping his in-laws during harvest, temporarily shutting down the shop each year to work in the fields. He also prioritizes time with his wife and young son, balancing a steady flow of clients with family life.
Ritchie plans to continue making regular guest appearances at several Edmonton tattoo shops throughout the year, reconnecting with friends, working with long-time clients, and learning alongside some of the city's top artists. Additional guest spots are also in the works!
As he settles into Kindersley, Ritchie looks forward to bringing quality tattoos to the west-central region for years to come. “The connections made with my clients over the years make all the long days and even longer nights of drawing all worth it,” he said. “Every day I am a part of someone’s ‘big day,’ and that is not lost on me. I love this job and the opportunities it affords me.
More local artist spotlights:
- Local Coleville artist spotlight – Hannah Watson (Syzygy Dice)
- Local Kindersley author spotlight - Kristin Kuffner
- Local Kindersley artist spotlight - Jade Prior (Jaded Studio)