Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Pietracatella.
Hi Marie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey to tattooing isn’t traditional. I went to university for history and art history with the goal of going into art restoration. Unfortunately I graduated the year Covid hit where most museums were firing and not hiring. I bounced around jobs for a couple of years trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I eventually was speaking to a friend of mine, who is a very talented tattoo artist, about how I wanted to get back into the art world. She advised me to try to get into tattooing, so I did. I went from shop to shop for about a year and a half before I found an apprenticeship opportunity that worked for me. I finished my apprenticeship there after a year and a half, stayed an extra year, and then decided to open my own studio: Knight & Day Tattoo in a Sola Salon in Brick NJ
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been an easy road. Finding an apprenticeship in the first place was incredibly hard. I had a lot of doors closed in my face and some opportunities that were financially out of reach.
Another struggle was building my clientele. The shop I was in wasn’t very busy with walk-ins so I had to do my own marketing. Thank God for TikTok and Instagram because that is what allowed my career to jumpstart and grow into what it is today
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am a brand new small business owner. I just opened my studio in July 2026, however I have been tattooing for three years now. I specialize in fine line, illustrative, dot work, and black and grey tattoo work. I’d say I’m very proud that my clients leave having a great experience; that I provide a safe and clean environment and create tattoo designs that are better than they expected.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
This is an incredibly hard question!
I would say that I am a twin. Having grown up constantly being compared to my sister, it really shaped me into who I am today. When you grow up being compared to someone else, you are forced to become aware of your own individuality and what makes you different, despite our similarities. We may have been born on the same day but we are each our own person with our own personality! I think that’s part of why I value personal expression so much in my work. It’s why I view the tattooing process as a collaboration instead of just putting my design onto people’s skin.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://knightdaytattoo.glossgenius.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ink.by.re?igsh=MTNyemNrbDhnZjltOA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ink.by.re?_r=1&_t=ZT-98wRioXREQI
