EPISODE 079 | When Tattoos Become Part of Healing with Golden Yeti Art Collective

What happens when tattooing becomes more than art?Tattoo artists Jeff Barnard and Caitlyn Campbell explore the emotional side of tattoo culture, from memorial tattoos and scar coverups to free areola tattoos for breast cancer survivors at Golden Yeti Art Collective in Franklin, Tennessee.They discuss how tattoos help people reclaim their bodies after trauma, grief, abuse, and cancer, and why the bond between tattoo artist and client can feel deeply personal. Jeff and Caitlyn also share what life is really like inside the tattoo industry, including apprenticeships, sexism, face tattoo stigma, and tattoos becoming mainstream.The conversation takes an unexpected turn when Jeff opens up about his own kidney cancer diagnosis and how years of working with survivors reshaped his understanding of fear, healing, and recovery.