When Marsena “Mars” Martinez moved to Loveland several years ago, she came with an idea that became reality in late 2021 — a women owned and operated tattoo and oddities shop, a place where artists could learn and grow in an uplifting environment and where clients could feel safe and comfortable as they got their tattoos.
Martinez is the founder and owner of Fallen Desires Tattoo and Oddities, operating out of a home along Garfield Avenue just near downtown Loveland.
Martinez described herself as a lifelong artist who fell into tattooing from that love of creation.
“I have always been interested in finding a career within the art field,” she said. “I just started getting tattooed and realized that felt most at home for me. Everything just kind of clicked after getting my first tattoo that this is something I would really enjoy doing every day and still be able to make an impact and a difference. With tattoos you can make big impacts on people and I just enjoyed that about it.”
However, as she got into the industry, she saw some concerning behavior from many of her male colleagues. This, she said, included her mentor. She said in her apprenticeship she was told that as an artist if she was not attractive and something to be desired, she wouldn’t go anywhere.
She said she realized that she couldn’t be the only the female tattoo artist undergoing this, describing the industry as sometimes being difficult for women entering it.
While she didn’t think she could change the industry at large and fix its problems, particularly in how it treats female artists, Martinez wanted to create a safe space for women to work and not have it be anything more than learning, growing and doing good tattoos.
“This is my one way I can maybe change it to make it better and start the ripple on how you are supposed to treat customers and respect each other as artists,” she said. “Whether that is mentor and apprenticeship … or just coming into work and feeling safe to be yourself and work without having that unrealistic expectation on women in the industry.”
And over the last few years Martinez has done just that, establishing her shop just near downtown Loveland and building an artist and client base.
The shop sits in a home near the corner of Fifth Street and Garfield Avenue. The inside boasts multiple rooms for artists and clients to have some privacy while they work alongside walls full of different drawings and oddities that the store also sells.
Martinez said she has always been a collector of oddities and thought it would make for a great addition to the store, not only to sell but to help create the feeling she was going for, from skulls arranged in glass domes to snake skeletons and more.
She also said she feels it fits in with the idea of tattooing, seeing the beauty and importance in something sometimes deemed taboo.
The artists who work at the shop described it as a great place for female artists to learn and grow and for clients to come and get work done in a setting that doesn’t make them uncomfortable.
Kay Parker, shop manager and a former apprentice of Martinez, said she started at the shop at its founding. She said that having a place as an artist where you feel safe, supported and validated means a lot. She also said the group at Fallen has something special and important: great teamwork.
“The downfall of every business is not having that teamwork,” she said. “We are always willing to help each other learn more.”
Kye Newlove said she joined the shop a few months ago after seeing on Instagram they needed a new artist and loved the look of the shop.
“Being able to learn and grow from other women has been a big thing for me,” she said.
Newlove also commented on the importance of the space feeling welcoming to clients, saying many come in and feel at ease realizing they are in a safe space.
Anne-Elise Chapman, who joined the shop in March, said being around like-minded women has given her the opportunity to grow as an artist.
“We all have a mentality where we look out for each other,” she added.
Ella Lopez, Mars’ current apprentice, said she was thankful that she landed at the shop, as being new to the tattoo field can be intimidating..
“To be able to be in this space where it is more welcoming and supporting, it’s … (a) better learning environment,” she said.
Lopez also said she was happy to be part of something like Fallen and the vision Martinez is working to create.
“It has been really cool to build upon that and add to that and help Mars (in that vision),” she said.
Martinez said she has loved making a name for herself and her fellow artists at Fallen Desires over the last two years, adding, “we are here to make good art and we are business-focused mindset women.”
As she keeps creating, Martinez said she hopes that what she is doing is meaningful for the artists she works with and the clients.
“It is super discouraging as a woman in the industry to try really hard and do your best and be your best and work day and night drawing your best drawings every single day and providing good customer service, and be a mom and somebody’s partner,” she said. “I think people don’t realize it is a lifestyle and it is very consuming; we live and breathe tattoos. I feel like (the artists) see what a boss should be like. I genuinely care about where they are going, where their best career choices are going to be a and how to step out confidently.”
More information on Fallen Desires, 515 N. Garfield Ave., and its artists can be found at fallendesires.com.
