Kate Hellenbrand, better known as America’s Godmother of tattooing, lived her life according to her own rules…
When Kate Hellenbrand started tattooing in 1971, in America there were roughly 300 tattoo parlors!
Kate was born and raised in rural Utah, grew up as a tomboy, and always dreamt of being a cowgirl: she had very difficult and traumatic childhood experiences growing up, went to art and design school, and stated that Tattooing simply saved her, it was the joy of her life!
Kate stumbled across tattooing in her youth, thanks to her relationship to Mike Malone and their fascination with tattoos first and their involvement with the first Tattoo! exhibit at the Museum of American Folk art in NYC, later! She started tattooing with Mike in their apartment (called Cat Fish studio) while tattooing was still illegal in New York. She later learnt the trade from names like Paul Rogers, Huck Spaulding, and Zeke Owens, and ended up tattooing under Sailor Jerry’s wings, nine months before he passed.
She became part of an extremely important group of tattooers at the time. Names like Ed Hardy, Tom DeVita, Sailor Jerry and Mike Malone (aka Rollo) himself, becoming the total exception to the unspoken law that wanted no women to mess within the Boys club!
She was one of the rare women back then to be granted access to this world and she took the bull by the horns and rode it! Her career in tattooing spanned 50 years! At the time there were only two other known women tattooing: Cindy Ray in Australia and Rusty Skuse in England!
Today she is remembered as the Godmother of American tattooing.
Kate is certainly a tattoo icon today, she was a trailblazer of the industry, and she opened up the doors of tattooing to women. But back then the world was totally different from today.
Let’s not forget that men at the time were not really fond of having women in their studios. Unless they were getting a small tattoo in their private parts or were sitting quiet, pretty and sexy.
Sailor Jerry himself made no mystery about his misogynistic views. But he took Kate under his wings nonetheless. And Kate jumped into a male dominated industry just for the love of it, without even realizing or caring about the unwritten rules or what society might have thought of her and that was badass.
She was a badass. And a revolutionary woman, because tattooing simply wasn’t considered a job for a woman at the time.
She was also the only woman to tattoo at Tattooland east LA, with Jack Rudy and Freddie Negrete (you can see more in the documentary movie Tattoo Nation).
Kate also always cared deeply about preserving tattooing and its history and tradition, and fought a long battle to make sure Sailor Jerry’s name and legacy were not used (and abused) improperly. She was also a writer and held several seminars and lectures on tattooing around the world.
I had the honor to participate in her memorial/celebration in Austin, Texas, hosted by Kate’s beloved husband, and last apprentice, Ross Von Seggern. A simple installment, in the lovely German School space, with some of her favorite objects on display, her beloved Sailor Jerry tattoo machines, flashes, paintings in her honor and of course lots of pics of Kate through the years. And soothing Hawaiian tunes in the background.
Kate had a very intense and adventurous life, like a movie, really lived to full extent, not just looking into a screen when the old school way was the only way! Kate left her mark in the tattoo industry, and will always be remembered and honored by her peers.
Jack and Carrie Rudy who were long time close friends, were in attendance at the memorial, so were Winona Martin, and Shane Enholm, who also performed his music on stage, at the nearby venue The Mohawk, where few female tattooers and long time friends showed up to have a drink or two and to pay their respect.
Kate was known to be very direct and opinionated, strong and a bit intimidating at times, but also fun and open hearted when it came to fans and a few chosen people. During the celebration, we had the pleasure of viewing the projection of a beautiful documentary on Kate, put together by Angela Lancaster, and that got everyone tearing up.
Kate found love late in life, and got married to Ross at the age of 76, after decades of celibacy. Always independent and on the move, she lived and was on the road for most of her life, from Salt Lake City, to NYC, Philadelphia, to England and Honolulu, to Anchorage and East Los Angeles and finally settled down in Austin, where she passed.
This is how her husband remembers her “She tattooed until she was 77 years old. She was truly a pioneer and an adventurer.
Never in my life had I met a woman like Shanghai Kate.
Kate was a timeless soul. She was, is and always will be one of the Greats.
She truly was a woman of magic’.
We will always remember her smiles and laughs and her wit sarcasm.
There will never be another Shanghai Kate!
Rest in peace and thank you for everything you have done for women in tattooing!
“I first got to know “Shanghai Kate” in 1977 at Good Time Charlie’s Tattoo parlor in E. Los Angeles, Ca. Kate is widely considered to be the “Godmother” of modern Tattooing for good reason. She was a Trailblazer & one of the earlier Pioneers of the “Tattoo Renaissance” that started in the late 70’s, Kate witnessed it all… from the earliest Tattoo “Conventions”…all the New styles of Tattooing that emerged from the Good old Days to the present. Kate paved the way for so many Women who Tattoo today… (whether they know it or not) Kate also had the Personality to “Hang Tough” in a Very Male-dominated profession at the time. Kate was always able to “Weather all the Storms” she experienced on her Tattoo Journey. Kate will forever be Missed and Remembered in the Tattoo Universe..” – Jack Rudy
“Even though I knew about Kate for many years I didn’t actually get to meet her in person until the late 90’s. I would see her at conventions and made sure I got to spend some time with her. It was a treat for me to be able to chat with Kate since we shared so many things as women in the tattoo industry. She would talk to me about how she was working on preserving Sailor Jerry’s legacy, which was not an easy task, especially when it was publicily exploited. Through the decades of knowing her, she was always working on this with a passion and I admired her so much for her determination and respect for history. Kate had worked and owned shops, worked for others and definitely left her mark as a trail blazer on many levels. Jack Rudy talks about her in his book of memoirs called TATTOO MAN, THE STORY OF GOOD TIME CHARLIE’S, which I highly recommend. Kate lived a life that seemed to be bigger than life itself, a bright burning star that touched many lives and I know influenced many people in the world of tattooing. I feel fortunate that I got to spend the little time that I did with her, and there will definitely never be another Shanghai Kate. After suffering for a few years, I am glad that she doesn’t have to suffer any longer. She will be greatly missed. RIP dear one.” – Vyvyn Lazonga
