Written by Zoё Frantz
Edited by Léah Champagne
In the last few decades, tattoos have evolved from a point of social stigma to a marker of individuality, personal taste and, most importantly, self-expression. A city that takes pride in its multiculturalism and creative spirit, Montréal is home to countless talented tattoo artists. One of them is Audrey Lune, or Luna (@by.luna97 on Instagram), a Montréal native whose meticulous line work and love for her craft have earned her a reputation for tattoos that serve as small works of art. While getting my newest tattoo in January, I had the opportunity to sit down with Luna and discover her story.
In her youth, Luna was reluctant to become a tattoo artist; amid her family’s deep roots in the industry, where her father, grandparents, uncle, and cousin were practicing already, she wanted to be “different,” as she put it. However, after years of immersion in the culture and being in the family shop every day, she fell in love with the magic of tattooing, both through the process of designing a piece and in seeing the joy on a client’s face when their vision had come to life. “Being around it every day, seeing it constantly, I realized it was always my passion […] Finally, I was like, “I love it. It’s amazing.” It’s really the family thing.” It therefore makes sense that Luna’s biggest inspiration is her family, both her grandparents and, notably, her father: “When I saw him tattooing at first, just trying and being so passionate, that changed me.” Additionally, he showed her what tattooing could be and where the art form was going. She recalled how tattooing used to be: someone would come in, pick a flash design from the wall, and that was that. However, her father “built a new type of tattoo that wasn’t here when it started,” working with his clients to produce a collaborative design unique to them and their story; this is how Luna tattoos today. She also admires Swiss tattoo artist Filip Leu, whom she believes is “one of the greatest,” and whose wisdom, overlaid with the smell of cleaning products and ink in his house, changed her life.
It was the COVID-19 pandemic that prompted Luna to fully commit to tattooing as her craft and life’s work. While working in the real estate industry, she began doing permanent makeup. Once lockdown started, a lack of clients and her desire for change (paired with her father’s suggestion that she just try it out) all led her to tattooing. So, she had her creative start at Les Matantes, a nail salon, and later moved into her family’s tattoo shop. Although initially reluctant to see her family at home and at work every day, this environment provided her with daily love, support, and inspiration. Then, two years ago, her parents moved to the countryside (while continuing to tattoo), and her family agreed it was time for Luna to spread her wings. This led to Luna opening Salon Honeys in the Mile-End:
“I feel like in Montreal, there’s not a lot of one-stop shops. It’s more of a Toronto thing or a New York thing. I wanted to bring that here. So my two best friends—one does aesthetics—we were like, “Let’s just start a business together and have fun. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. If it does, amazing.”
From this, Salon Honeys was born, offering an oasis where clients could get a variety of aesthetic services (including tattoos, piercings, and nails) done in one place, and even with their friends. This is the beauty of the shop—it takes away the pressure and intimidation that can come with getting a tattoo, especially if it is your first one: “In tattoo shops, people are usually a bit scared. It’s a big deal to get a tattoo. But this place, you can come with your friends, and it’s comfortable.” Even the name Honeys (named after Abba’s iconic anthem, Honey Honey) signals the welcoming, feminine atmosphere that the shop exudes.
Along the way, Luna has made a name for herself at many pop-ups and conventions in Québec, Toronto, Ottawa, and even Bali. This has allowed her not only to meet countless other amazing creatives and tattoo aficionados, but also to hone her skills and discover her favourite styles to do (although she loves to do everything). In her own words, she loves doing “tiny stuff” because she likes the challenge of tattooing on a small scale, namely small permanent makeup freckles shaped like hearts and other whimsical shapes. Moreover, although some people laugh at “Pinterest tattoos,” she is of the mind that “If you love it, you love it,” and hopes to venture into microrealistic portraits and other imagery next.
Above all else, Luna immensely appreciates her clients, who not only trust her to bring their ideas and dreams to life but also return with new ideas. While she loves art and tattooing, what really drives her is the people:
“…The thing that gets me going is people. It’s meeting new people, hearing stories. Most people think I’m just listening because I’m getting paid, like “yeah, whatever.” But no—when I go home at night, I’m like, “Oh, I wonder how that went. Oh, I hope that date went well.” It’s really a personal thing more than art or business.”
Today, Luna could not be happier or more fulfilled; tattooing has become not only her full-time career but also her love and passion, and she has no intentions of quitting or leaving Montréal anytime soon. She loves waking up every day and making someone’s life a little brighter, whether through the conversations that happen between needle strokes, memorializing a major event in someone’s life, or making someone feel more themselves. Ultimately, this joy and meaning is how Luna knows tattooing is what she was born to do. To that end, her biggest piece of advice is to do what you love: “If you love something, just go for it. There’s no moment in life that’s going to be easier.”
Every tattoo session with Luna has truly been a pleasure; not only is her work outstanding, but she makes the shop feel like home. My visit in January was not my first nor my last with her, and to anyone considering getting a tattoo, my advice is twofold: do it, and make sure it’s by Luna.