Help Megan and Terry Keep Their Studio

Megan has been a tattooer in San Francisco and San Jose for over 15 years, and Terry (Tay) is a multimedia artist and calligrapher. Together, they've developed a business based in the Mission. Founded on love and mutual respect for their crafts, the two work collaboratively to curate tattoos as Sigil Contemporary.

 

Sharing their home within the community is not just a feature of their work: it's the foundation. However, a final straw has landed on their business as they are being forced to close their studio immediately. As if missing work due to COVID for the previous two weeks wasn't enough to add to this worst-case scenario, Tay is currently preparing to donate his kidney to a family member on the East Coast, and Megan is about to enter an extensive outpatient mental health program for CPTSD, requiring her to attend a treatment center twice a week for 8 hours for two months. Combined with building a new studio and working full time, the timing of these setbacks has put them in a financial crisis. They are faced with two options: either find the funds to support their family during this transition or lose their home altogether.

 

Creating this campaign was a tough and humbling decision. Many may know that Megan has worked full time to support herself independently since the age of 15, and is not the type of person to ask for help. For her, this work is deeply personal. Creating and maintaining an intuitive, intimate, and familial type of tattoo experience is the basis of her business. With current rental market rates in San Francisco, relocating isn't an option - and for Megan, serving the Bay Area is essential, as it's the only home she has ever known. Making this situation even more challenging are her health limitations: in 2021, Megan had a grand mal seizure resulting from exhaustion and has suffered chronic effects ever since, including short-term memory issues and fatigue. She is acutely aware that her body could not handle overworking itself again. Offering clients accessible, large-scale tattooing is not just an artistic preference, but a physical requirement that would not be possible working in a traditional tattoo model.

 

Of course, Megan and Tay are aware of their privileges. The entire world is down bad right now. They are knowledgeable of the importance of prioritizing marginalized communities, which is why their work has centered on a diverse base of clients and friends - all of whom they consider chosen family. To continue to earn money so they can stay in the home they have built, they will need to open a studio immediately.

 

The goal of this fundraising campaign is to support Megan and Tay to keep their home. $15,000 is the total amount they need for a deposit, furnishing, and legal fees for a new studio. They must continue to earn income after being forced to close their current space, effectively resulting in missing one full month of work after already missing two weeks of work due to COVID. The new studio has been chosen nearby so Megan and Terry can continue maintaining a familial-style tattoo business and keep a mixed-media workspace. This is the first and hopefully only time a crowdfunding campaign will be needed for their livelihood. The overhead for the studio will drastically increase, and they are consolidating everything to change how they live. It is understood that many people are deserving of support at this time. Any amount truly helps. - Cary