Brenda Lynn Watkins was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, but her family moved to Toronto when she was 2 years old. She moved a lot as a young adult, and found comfort and stability in being creative. From a young age, Brenda Lynn began drawing, and could lose herself for hours listening to music and making art. At the age of 11, Brenda Lynn entered the foster care system and faced many of the chall
enges that children in care must deal with. She ended up struggling with PTSD and other mental health issues throughout her teen years, but still felt anchored by art. Brenda Lynn gave birth to her son at 16, and continued to work hard to finish high school as well as draw, and won an art award in grade 11, Graduated with honours, while working part time at tim horton's. After high school, Brenda attended Durham college for Dental Hygiene, but decided that raising her son and working would allow her to spend more time with him. Brenda Lynn got married and had a daughter. She wanted to grow as an artist, but between a difficult marriage, mental health issues and fibromyalgia (a condition that causes chronic pain in all areas of the body) there were many obstacles to overcome. There were a couple of very painful years as Brenda Lynn's health was poor, her marriage ended, she lost primary custody of her children, and her sister passed away of a drug overdose. Brenda Lynn ended up seeking more intense professional help for her mental health; during this time, doctors diagnosed her with Bipolar Disorder and depression, and Brenda Lynn realized that she needed to work hard to take charge of her future. Her passion for art had remained throughout all of the ups and downs in her life, and Brenda Lynn decided to use her passion and skill to become a tattoo artist. Beginning in January of 2016, Brenda Lynn was able to be an apprentice of Scotty Kennedy as well as Inspiration Tattoo in Peterborough, honing her craft and gaining new skills. As she has branched out on her own, Brenda Lynn is making a name for herself in the local industry, with many repeat clients and referrals. Brenda Lynn is creating a safe place for her clients to be themselves, feel relaxed, and be part of the creative process in order to make their body art unique and personal. Having faced her own issues, Brenda Lynn is comfortable and calming to people who are going through various challenges. Clients have told her that they are amazed that she is so "intuitive" and that her calming presence helps to ease their anxiety. Brenda Lynn Watkins is an emerging tattoo artist in Oshawa who truly cares about her clients, is passionate about her work, and continues to grow both as a person and as an artist.
