Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara And Filipe Da Silva.
Hi Kara and Filipe, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Sacred Vessel was founded by husband and wife team Flip and Kara Da Silva. We first dreamed of opening our own studio when we were just 21 years old. At the time, Flip was working construction during the day while apprenticing in tattooing at night, and Kara was beginning her own journey in permanent makeup. Over the years, while building our careers and raising our three children, we slowly worked toward turning that dream into a reality.
When we finally opened Sacred Vessel, we wanted to create the kind of studio that felt calm, welcoming, and personal. Rather than a traditional tattoo shop atmosphere, we wanted our clients to feel like they were spending time in our home, with a one on one experience where they could feel comfortable and genuinely cared for.
Today, Sacred Vessel is a reflection of something we’ve been building together for years. For us, it has always been about creating meaningful art, connecting with people, and giving each client an experience that feels personal to them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building a business while raising a family has never been easy. We’ve always been very hands on with both our children and our business, and without babysitters or nannies, it has truly been a tag team effort between the two of us.
Kara opened KaraBellaPMU in January 2020, only to have COVID shut the business down just a few months later. In many ways, that period became a reset for us. Filipe eventually left his career in commercial glass work to focus entirely on tattooing, and we began putting everything we had into building our business and our family.
Growing a small business in the post COVID economy has brought its own challenges, and it certainly hasn’t been a smooth road. But through every setback and unexpected turn, we’ve continued to work together and trust God to get us through each storm.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At Sacred Vessel, we offer both tattooing and permanent makeup, with a strong focus on detailed, refined work. Filipe specializes in micro-realism, portraits, black and grey realism, and highly detailed pieces with a smooth, polished finish. He’s also begun apprenticing other artists, which has been especially exciting for us as we continue growing our team and sharing what we’ve learned.
Kara specializes in permanent makeup, including microblading, powder brows, lip blushing, and permanent eyeliner. Her approach is centered around classic, timeless beauty that enhances someone’s features while still looking natural and effortless.
What we’re most proud of is the experience we’ve created together. We’ve built Sacred Vessel around quality, personal attention, and making people feel comfortable and confident. We’re proud that something that started as a dream between the two of us has grown into a business where we can create, teach, and continue building something together as a family.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
When it comes to finding a mentor, it’s important to find someone whose work you genuinely admire, but also someone you respect and connect with as a person. You’ll be spending a lot of time learning from them, so the relationship itself matters just as much as their skill.
For networking, some of the best opportunities we’ve found have come from simply getting out into our local community and introducing ourselves. Social media is an incredibly useful tool, but in such a connected yet disconnected world, there’s still something really valuable about putting yourself out there face to face. Visit local businesses, introduce yourself, make genuine connections, and let people know what you do. Sometimes the simplest approach is the one that opens the most doors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://share.google/RN71azV8UMyaUt0RJ
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacredvesseltattoos?stkn=MXYyam5qamN5N2FhYg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
