When Lilly Gouge was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2020, she was given two options by her doctor: either take medication or find a way to reduce her stress.
Gouge, a boat captain in the summer and fire rescue EMS during the off season, was ready to shift gears. She had always had an interest in drawing, and finding herself at home during the early months of the pandemic allowed her to hone in on her craft.
“I sat down and started drawing, and I was really bad, like really bad,” Gouge said. “I just kept at it, like every single day I would draw again, and again, and again.”
A close friend of hers — a tattoo artist — “had been bothering me for a few years” about when she was going to get into tattooing. She ended up apprenticing out of state but getting her license to tattoo in Alaska.
Since then, Gouge has been operating her own private studio, Feral Designs Studio, tattooing since April 2023. Her aesthetic is clean and minimalist, inspired by Alaska’s plants and wildlife. She occasionally uses color but prefers working in black and grays, she said.
“What is a way that I can create art and also sustain myself?” Gouge said. “Tattooing felt like a really viable option to do that.”
While Gouge works in a private studio, her space is in a building with a number of other tattoo artists, including Erin Scott, Elizabeth Gittlein of Fable Tattoo Studio and Ember Fandel of Ember Inks.
“I feel like I’m surrounded by this really, really great community that aligns with my vision on what I would like to see in the tattoo community going forward,” Gouge said. “Lots of support, no competitive misogyny or anything like that, just a lot of good vibes.”
Feral Designs Studio will have its first walk-in day event on Sept. 16, with more than 50 pre-drawn designs available for tattooing. There will be three first-come first-serve appointments available by signing up in person at Gouge’s studio on 3820 Lake Otis Parkway.
“I understand that not everybody can plan three months in advance, and I really want to remain accessible … I’m really excited to see how that goes,” she said.
Designs are available to view before the walk-in event on her Instagram page. Appointments and inquiries for September and October can be made by emailing feraldesigns907@gmail.com.
Sam Davenport is a writer residing in Anchorage. She's a leo and a plant-person, and loves spending quality time with her dog, Aspen. She is a Real Housewives fan and has been called a Bravo historian.
