Van Cleave Aesthetics

07/30/2026

One of the greatest honors of what I do is not just creating meaningful tattoos, it’s being trusted with the stories, memories, and moments behind them.

Thank you for being willing to sit down and share your experience in my studio, from the moment you walked through the door to the moment you left with a piece of art that carries personal meaning. Your words help others understand what it’s really like to be in my chair: a private, intentional experience where your story matters.

Every tattoo has a reason. Every client has a journey. I’m so grateful to be the person you trusted to bring your vision to life. 🤍

Thank you for supporting my small business, sharing your experience, and helping others feel confident taking the first step toward their own meaningful tattoo.

If you’ve been thinking about a custom tattoo and want an artist who takes the time to understand your story, I would love to work with you.

✨ Van Cleave Aesthetics
Private Luxury Tattoo & PMU Studio
Franklin, TN

📍Book through the link in my bio or DM me to begin your consultation.

💬 Tell me in the comments: what story would you want your next tattoo to represent?

07/30/2026

✨ A subtle transformation that changes everything. ✨

Before: lips that felt a little washed out, uneven in tone, and needed constant liner or color to look defined.

After: soft, natural-looking color, enhanced shape, and a beautiful “your lips but better” finish that wakes up the entire face. 💋

Lip blushing is perfect for adding symmetry, restoring a youthful tint, and creating effortless color that lasts — without the daily lipstick routine.

⏳ My calendar is filling for the next round of lip blush appointments, and these transformations are limited. If you’ve been thinking about enhancing your lips, now is the time to reserve your spot.

✨ Van Cleave Aesthetics
Private Luxury Tattoo & PMU Studio
Franklin, TN
📍Book through the link in my bio or DM me to claim your appointment.

💬 Comment “LIPS” or send me a message to see if lip blushing is right for you.

07/30/2026

This custom piece was designed for an incredible middle school theater teacher Jennifer Keith and brings together the symbols that speak to her heart. The flowing water represents her element. The piece unites the ideas of strength, intuition, and the ability to adapt through every season of life. The cardinal is a loving tribute to her dad, a reminder that those we love are never truly far away. The compass symbolizes trusting her journey and always finding her way, while the stars add a little magic, a little hope, and a dash of wonder to the path ahead.

I love creating tattoos that are more than beautiful. They mean something deeply personal to the person who wears them. They become daily reminders of the people, memories, and values that shape who we are.

Now I’m curious… if you could choose just three symbols to represent your life story, what would they be? Tell me in the comments! I can’t wait to read them.

WaterElement TattooStory FineLineArtist FranklinTNTattoo MiddleTennesseeTattoo WomenWithTattoos TattooInspiration VanCleaveAesthetics

07/27/2026

Community + Connection.

07/27/2026

07/24/2026

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement. It can cause tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

One of the everyday challenges Parkinson’s can create is the loss of fine motor control. For my beautiful client Pat, applying eyeliner had become frustrating because her hand was no longer steady enough. She chose permanent eyeliner and brows to restore a part of her daily routine and regain a little confidence and independence.

It was an honor to help her. Today we finished her second session, and the results are now complete. Moments like these remind me that permanent makeup isn’t just cosmetic. It can improve quality of life.

When working with clients who have Parkinson’s, extra care is important. Considerations may include:
• Involuntary movement or tremors during the procedure
• Muscle rigidity that can make positioning less comfortable
• Medications that may increase bruising or affect appointment timing
• Fatigue, making shorter or split sessions more appropriate
• Healing that may vary from person to person

Every client deserves an individualized approach, and I am grateful for the trust clients like Pat and others, particularly those with complex conditions, place in me.

07/16/2026

Every tattoo carries meaning, but some carry an entire family history. Mochi’s portrait was created as the newest tribute to the beloved dogs who have filled her mom’s life with love, laughter, and companionship.

Mochi is a saddleback Shiba Inu, a breed admired for its fox-like beauty, spirited independence, and unmistakable personality. Shibas have a wonderful way of making you laugh when you least expect it. They’re clever, expressive, mischievous, and endlessly endearing, equal parts dignified and downright goofy.

Mochi has brought all of that into her family’s life. She is sweet, full of character, and so completely adored that she simply had to take her place alongside the other beloved dogs who have shaped her mom’s heart and home.

I believe the most meaningful tattoos are the ones that celebrate love, and there is nothing small about the love we have for those who walk beside us on four legs. It was a privilege to create this portrait and preserve a little piece of that bond forever.

Thank you to this dog mom for trusting me with such a special tattoo. ❤️

07/12/2026

This client came to me as a referral from his cousin. He want originally sure what he wanted to cover his existing tattoo, but after we talked for a bit, he shared that he wanted to represent one of his favorite verses with a symbol of strength and renewal. The challenge was coming up with a design that felt true to his path as well as using subject matter that would also adequately cover the existing infinity symbol with the red hearts. The solution was a tiger with his favorite flowers - the beautiful roses - and his verse that together provide a combination of soft and strong that encourage him to press ever forward.

Concepting and ideation are parts of the design process that I deeply enjoy. It’s all about teasing out hints and clues to what will empower you to be your most authentic self, then translating those clues into a larger framework of appropriate visual ideas.

What do you think? Is this an effective cover up tattoo? Swipe to the next frame to see where we started.

07/09/2026

We’ve been working on this arm for a while and here you can see her healed butterfly at the top (she says it’s her most complimented piece!), her healed botanical piece at the bottom, and her brand spanking fresh and new dimensional horseshoe between the other two big pieces. She has plans for at least one more to balance out the arm on the back side and then we’ll see! It’s always my pleasure to sit with Lauren Tysco. Looking forward to the next piece. 🫶

07/09/2026

POV me: “Hey Siri, what’s a professional bug scientist called?” 🦋

My perimenopause brain couldn’t recall the word. An entomologist. It’s a much fancier title than “bug scientist,”
don’t you agree?

This tattoo tells a beautiful story…

Her father is an entomologist who successfully propagated a unique butterfly species that was later officially recognized and published. Rather than choosing just any butterfly for her tattoo, she chose HIS butterfly, and she sent me a picture of the page for me to create her tattoo. Now it has metamorphosed into a permanent tribute to the work he dedicated his life to and to the bond they share as father and daughter.

Families. They aren’t always simple. Relationships can be layered, imperfect, and ever-changing. But love has the power to unite and heal over time and distance.

And sometimes love and loyalty can be represented through meaningful acts of permanence to honor those who have shaped us. Those who loved us through everything. Those who never left our heart.

In this case, it looks like a butterfly, a few hours of dedication and grit, and a beautiful way to forever express, “I’m proud to be your daughter.” 💙

(Nicki Johnson, it is always an honor.)