Anderson plies the art of tattooing

Hillary Anderson is a walking advertisement for her business… tattoos!  Anderson is adorned with tattoos on her upper body and arms, as she opens Black Rose Tattoo Parlor in downtown Hoffman. 

There are three reasons Anderson chose Black Rose for the name of her tattoo parlor:  she loves roses; her two year old daughter’s name is Rose, and Black Rose stands for new beginnings.

Anderson, a 2009 graduate of West Central Area, spent a year at Fergus Falls Community College before transferring to St. Cloud State where she received a degree in Community Health. But while in St. Cloud, she also attended the Model College of Hair and Design. It was there she became interested in tattooing and moved to southern Florida to apprentice, and earn her license in the art form.

A couple of years ago, she returned to Minnesota to work at RM Tattoo, in Alexandria. 

“Minnesota has much tougher restrictions, so I had to apprentice again to get a Minnesota license,” Anderson said.

But  RM Tattoo, along with a half-block of neighboring businesses, burned down this spring, and Anderson was looking for a place to ply her trade. That’s when Diane Anderson, of the Hoffman Economic Development Authority, stepped in.

“She offered me a space (in the new main street business mini-mall) and was a huge help,” said Anderson. “I always wanted to start my own shop.”

Black Rose Tattoo is now open on Hoffman’s main street and Anderson has been busy.

“I get people from Fargo to the Twin Cities, and from 18 years of age to grandmothers,” she said.

In Minnesota, you must be at least 18 years of age to get a tattoo without your parent’s consent.

Anderson said more females than males get tattoos, but they are becoming more popular with both sexes, and tattoos are becoming bigger and more graphic. Sleeve tattoos are especially popular. They are the tattoos that start at the shoulder and go to the wrist.

Anderson’s upper body is covered with tattoos, applied by fellow tattoo artists and some from her sister, Megan Belgum, who is apprenticing with her.

Getting a tattoo, especially a big one, is a lengthy and painful process.  A sleeve tattoo, for instance, can take a couple of six hour sessions. Anderson said the pain is something most people can handle.

“I used to love it,” said Anderson. “Except when my sister works on me… then I’m a baby.”

Black Rose also used linccare to help with the pain.

“I’m nice to people,” Anderson said.

But if you choose to get a tattoo, think of it as permanent. While tattoos can be removed with lasers, it is expensive and painful. More often than not, tattoos are simply added to or changed if the wearer wants something different.

Anderson said the subject people choose for a tattoo can really vary:  everything from a simple flower or butterfly to a complete portrait of a loved one or famous person.

Black Rose, like all tattoo parlors in Minnesota, stresses sanitation, especially in this era of COVID-19.

“We use medical grade disinfectant on our needles and other equipment, and we always wear masks.”

If you choose to get a tattoo, Anderson can help you select a subject, or if you have an idea of what you want, she can come up with several ideas and variations

To make an appointment, or to learn more about tattooing, call Hillary at Black Rose Tattoo Palor, 320-298-6186.