Shows
Her Ink EmpireBuilding Artist Communities with Kristine SchomakerIn this episode, I sit down with Kristine Schomaker—artist, mentor, and the founder of Shoebox Arts, Art and Cake, and the new nonprofit January Arts. Kristine shares how her journey as an artist and leader has evolved and how building community, offering resources, and creating space for artists has shaped her career.
We talk about her nonprofit launching this fall, her long-running Perceive Me project, and how navigating body image, self-worth, and the art world has all come together in her work. Kristine also opens up about dealing with depression, cancer, and how finding the right su...2025-07-2351 min
Her Ink EmpireHow Artists Get Paid with Ray BeldnerIn this episode I sit down with Ray Beldner, an artist, educator, and longtime mentor who shares his journey through the art world and how building community, mentorship, and practical knowledge have shaped his career. Ray opens up about moving from San Francisco to the Sierra foothills and now to Dallas and how those changes impacted his life and work.
We talk about what’s missing from traditional art education, how the outdated gallery model limits artists, and why connecting with art consultants has completely changed how he supports himself as an artist. Ray also shares how bu...2025-07-1632 min
Her Ink EmpireTattoos, Trauma, and the Journey Back to Wholeness with Kelsey HarperIn today’s episode, I got to sit down with Kelsey Harper.
Kelsey is a clinical psychologist, a writer, a little witchy, and a survivor herself. She offers virtual therapy for folks with trauma, complex trauma, and borderline personality disorder across different states. She also hosts the Initiated Survivor podcast, where she speaks directly to the issues facing survivors of gender-based violence and sexual violence—and shares parts of her own recovery story.
Kelsey shares how intuitive tattooing became a key part of her healing journey. We talk about how tattooing brought her back into her...2025-07-0950 min
Her Ink EmpireSelf Taught and Sold Out with Jessica HitchcockIn today’s episode, I had the honor of sitting down with Jessica Hitchcock. Jessica is a self-taught artist who transitioned from working as a full-time Director of Finance and HR to building a thriving art business—without a formal art degree.
Jessica walks us through the years it took to build a consistent income, how she planned her financial runway, and why visibility was the key to her growth. She shares how she uses Instagram, live painting events, and structured pricing to stay both creative and grounded as a full-time artist.
In this...2025-07-0253 min
Her Ink EmpireHealing, Honoring, and Holding Space with Clare StorckIn this episode, I sit down with Clare Storck- a midwife, mother, and longtime friend—who shares the powerful journey that led her to get an intuitive tattoo during one of the most challenging seasons of her life.
Clare opens up about her daughter Tilly’s diagnosis, the intensity of a 70-week chemotherapy treatment, and how she found strength in marking that experience through deeply meaningful body art. She shares how she felt called to get a tattoo placed exactly where her daughter’s tumor had been, how Tilly’s favorite color “rainbow” shaped the design, and why the expe...2025-06-2524 min
Her Ink EmpireHealing Through Art with Jade ChungIn this episode, we’re diving deep into creativity, healing, and reclaiming your power as an artist with the incredible Jade Chung—art therapist, healer, and visionary guide.
We talk about what it really means to be an artist, how art connects to healing, and how trauma can show up in our creative process.
This conversation is for you if:
✅ You’ve ever felt blocked or shut down when sitting down to make art✅ You wonder if you’re “allowed” to call yourself an artist ✅ You’ve felt like being with yourself in the crea...2025-06-1842 min
Her Ink EmpireReclaiming Creative Power with Sophia KaminskiIn this episode, I’m joined by Sophia Kaminski—an LA-based musician and singer who recently launched her own singing and piano studio, Kaminski Voice Studio. We explore her return to music after an eight-year break, and how she’s consciously choosing to come back to singing on her own terms—through embodiment, intuitive movement, and expression.
Sophia shares how her journey with voice started at 11, how classical training shaped her, and why now, she’s letting the groove get in. We talk about what it’s like to move through resistance, what different sounds feel like in the body...2025-06-1138 min
Her Ink EmpireFrom Vision to Ink: The Journey of Intuitive TattooingWelcome to the very first episode of Her Ink Empire! In this episode, I’m sharing something a little different. Recently, I had the opportunity to be a guest on Rebecca Lapage’s podcast, where we dove deep into my journey as an intuitive tattoo artist. I wanted to share that conversation here because we explored so many meaningful aspects of my story and how my sacred tattoo process came to be.
During the interview, I opened up about how my journey with intuitive tattooing really began—from being that creative kid who loved face painting to discov...2025-06-0409 min
Her Ink EmpireTeaserWelcome to "Her Ink Empire," where I, Justine Almaraz—tattoo artist, educator, and founder of Earth Altar Tattoo Studio—am on a mission to redefine what's possible in tattoo education and creative entrepreneurship.
As a passionate tattoo artist, I spend my days creating meaningful art on my clients' skin, while also guiding fellow artists to build thriving, creatively aligned practices. Whether you're just beginning your journey, an established artist looking to scale, or a visionary creative building your own empire, this podcast is for you.
My experience spans years of perfecting my craft, growing a succ...2025-05-1904 min