“Shanghai Kate” Hellenbrand (1942-2022)
Considered by many as “America’s Tattoo Godmother” Shanghai Kate is widely recognized as a tattoo trailblazer and credited for having had the longest career of any other female tattoo artists in the US spanning nearly 50 years. A self-proclaimed farm girl from Utah, Shanghai Kate developed her career in New York before moving to Hawaii and working under the mentorship of Sailor Jerry Collins. Kate was later introduced to Ed Hardy where she then found herself among the likes of Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete at the iconic Tattooland in East LA where she developed her single needle, chicano style tattoos. Shanghai Kate continued her career, mentoring younger artists, especially women and championing the preservation of tattoo history up until her passing.
Here’s to Shanghai Kate. America’s Tattoo Godmother.
