About Adept Tattoos

Two Locations to Serve You Better!

ADEPT  is an AWARD WINNING tattoo and body piercing studio with two locations located in the heart of Halifax and Bedford, NS. Most recently ADEPT was named BEST TATTOO SHOP in The Coast’s Best Of Halifax readers choice awards for every year from 2012 to 2019. In previous years, The Coast readers poll has awarded us Gold and Silver placements for the Best Tattoo Shop and Best Artist categories each year. Amber Thorpe is an 8 time Coast Best of award winner, voted Halifax’s Favorite Tattoo Artist Faces Magazine 2012 and has won numerous other trophies .

At ADEPT we offer only the best talent with state of the art equipment and ink, tattooing for the future. All of our work will last and still look great for years to come. We achieve this through thorough training and experience.

We specialize in custom artwork, drawn by our talented artists to fit your unique design needs. Call our shop to book a consultation with the artist of your choice. A consultation appointment is a free service offered by us to the client so they can brainstorm with their artist. This is a chance for the client to give the artist their idea and bring any reference images, and for the artist to figure out what will look good and work with the placement of the piece on the body.

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Hygiene

We use barrier control- this means everything we may come in contact with during the tattoo and piercing process is covered. We have a separate sterilization area specifically designed for the least amount of cross contamination possible. We will gladly guide you through our process because we feel that our clients should know – so don’t be afraid to ask.

Our goal is to make this process as safe and comfortable as possible, for both us and our clients.

Our sterilizer is biologically tested by an outside lab every 2 weeks. An indicator strip is dated and put into each cycle, this ensures that the autoclave is working properly and safely. Results are posted at the front of the shop. ALL NEEDLES ARE BRAND NEW.

Adept Tattoos & Body Piercing Bedford

Bedford Location

  • Adept Bedford
  • 1157 Bedford Hwy
  • Bedford, NS B4A 1B9

Tattoo Artists

Body Piercer

Adept Tattoos & Body Piercing Halifax

Halifax Location

  • Adept Halifax
  • 5525 Nora Bernard St
  • Upper Level
  • Halifax, NS B3K 1B3

Tattoo Artists

Body Piercer

Bedford Artists

[ Click on an Artist’s Name For More Information ]

Amber Thorpe

I grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario where I studied Fine Arts at Stamford Collegiate. Some of the classes included were sculpting, ceramics, painting (acrylics), mobiles, printmaking, and building/painting stage sets for productions.

I started my career in 1998 at Way Cool Tattoos under Harley Charlie (RIP<3) and Crazy Ace (RIP). I learned all there is to know about cleaning, scrubbing, sterilization and how a tattoo studio functions professionally. After about six months of cleaning and drawing, I finally got to do my first piercing.

About a year later, I received an opportunity to open a shop in Medicine Hat, Alberta called Extreme Tattoos with Charlie. I made the journey west and began my tattoo apprenticeship under him. After three years of learning, I decided to venture out on my own. I moved to Calgary and found myself at the Arthouse Inc. where I was for two and a half years.

To further my education, I have taken classes from predominant tattoo artists (such as Deano Cook and Mike Demassi). I have also attended many conventions and been tattooed by artists I look up to. I taught a drawing class called The Art of Tattooing at the Alberta College of Art and Design for two years.

I opened Adept Tattoos in May of 2006. Two hours after I opened the door, a gentleman came in for a tattoo. I asked him what he wanted and he said the Alexander Keith’s deer. So that was the first tattoo I did in Halifax. Since then I started The Maritime Tattoo Festival.

The festival has kept me on my toes and hanging out with some of the best artists to date. I try to keep a hungry outlook on tattoos and my art. I have won numerous awards and am blood borne pathogen certified.

In my spare time I like to cuddle with my fur babies, play sports, competitive billiards, ride my motorcycle and interior/landscaping design.

Instagram: @ambertattoos

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Amber will be tattooing out of Hart & Huntington in Niagara Falls, ON starting June 1st 2023
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Jason Sapp

I was born and raised right here in Halifax where I started my tattoo career by managing a couple of local shops. After feeding into my need for art I hung up my manger position and picked up my first tattoo machine in 2016 and taught myself how to tattoo! After a year of tattooing in Halifax I started to feed my eager for travel and growth as an artist and ended up in Vancouver B.C where I started tattooing and shop manager at Geronimo Tattoo. Working along side some great artists and really brought my skills up.

I work hard and always take in new information and open to new styles. I don’t like to limit myself and love to raise the bar with my tatting. I have spent a few years after traveling and working at different shops guest spotting and settled in a couple of shops for a while. The Inkroom in Kelowna, Ink and Iron Grand Prairie as well as Halifax’s best shop Adept!

I ran my own private studio out of Penticton, BC for the past 2 years where my art has really taken off and I feel I’m at the level I been striving to be at. Having creative freedom really opened my eyes and I’m excited and eager to bring what I have learned to Adept as well as feed off other great artists and continue to grow as a person and artist.

In my spare time I’m a family man to my baby girl. I also spend lots of time on my motorcycle with my woman and live an active outdoors life. I can tattoo anything that comes though the door and can relate to a lot of topics. I’m into graffiti painting and loud art. I’m laid back easy going and actually listen and give the client what they want! I can do a wide range of styles but my passion falls in black and grey realism, color realism and bad ass script and fine line work. I also am sick at cover ups, and love a challenge. I work on full sleeves, heads and hands! Tattooing is my passion and helping my clients make a tasteful statement!

If ya want a badass tatt, come hang out!

Instagram: @rarebreed_tattoo

Kassandra Lois

Hello! My name is Kassandra, an artist illustrator and now tattoo apprentice!

I have always had a passion for illustration. I love making prints, stickers and other handmade art goodies. My goal is to create things that spark joy in others.

While I always loved the idea of becoming a tattoo artist, it felt like an impossible dream that would never happen. In 2022 I started my tattoo journey at Adept Tattoos. Working and learning under Amber Thorpe, and I have now accomplished my impossible dream.

I look forward to creating fun tattoos that make you smile 🙂

Instagram: @kassandra_lois

– photo by Evan Purney

Roy Sushmita

Hey,

I’m Roy (she/her), but you might know me as Sushmita Roy or Frozen Ink And Art. I’ve been diving into visual art for a good decade since my college days at Delhi University, India.

I’m all about experimenting—painting, clicking pics, sculpting stuff, and yeah, tattooing is my jam! Love to meet people as I find inspiration from their stories. From small fine line, typography to realistic inkings, I’ve tried it all, improving every day focusing on one small step at a time. 

My personal art? Well I am still exploring however for now It’s a mash-up of photorealism

alism, surreal bits, and geometric vibes—a mix that tells stories in its own quirky way. 

Guess what? In 2022, I made history as India’s first woman tattoo artist to ink a full-body suit in just three months! Quite a thrill ride, I’ll tell ya.

Now, here in Canada, I’m bouncing between cities in Canada, soaking up the vibes, and finding inspiration in its diverse scenes. I don’t have a permanent studio—I crash at different spots, doing cool art gigs wherever I land.

Currently working at Adept Tattoos in Bedford, NS.

Whether it’s capturing life through videos, snapping cultural moments, or creating stuff in paint or sculpture, my art screams diversity, resilience, and the beauty of everyday life.

So, if you’re into making some art together or got a rad project in mind, hit me up! Let’s create something awesome!

Instagram: @frozeninkandart

Halifax Artists

[ Click on an Artist’s Name For More Information ]

Nithik VK

Hello, I’m Nithik, an engineering student at Dalhousie University who moved from India to Halifax in December 2022. My artistic journey began in 2019, focusing on black and gray realism. This passion led me to tattooing, where I started my apprenticeship at 902 Tattoo Collective in January 2023, tattooing there for a year and later joined Adept Tattoos and continuing my journey. Specializing in black and gray realism, fine line, microrealism, and watercolor. I continue to explore my love for the arts.

Instagram: @nithik_ink

Natasha Thornhill

I am from Newcastle, England. After traveling a lot of Europe and South East Asia I decided to relocate here to Halifax in the summer of 2022. I have been tattooing and piercing for many years and also owned my own studio back in the UK for a number of years meeting many amazing people along the way. I enjoy painting and producing digital art. My favorite styles are black dot work, florals and mandalas. I am also versatile in other styles of work. In my free time you’ll usually find me traveling, doing water sports or watching football.

Instagram: @nttattoos_

 

Piercing

Halifax Piercer

Greg Brown

Halifax Location
Follow Greg on Instagram:
Schedule a Piercing

Greg always knew he wanted to have an exciting career in body piercing so he left his small home town at the age of 16 in search of greatness. In Alberta is where he honed his skills for many years and now with 22 years of experience he is here to offer only the best of service. With multiple techniques for each piercing and vast knowledge in human anatomy you can rest assured your piercing is done correctly and with the proper jewelry. Greg can do any and all body piercings imaginable as well as microdermals. If you have an idea for something new or a fun modification project in mind Greg is the right piercer for you.

Bedford Piercer

Andrew "Bo" Bagnall

Bedford Location
Follow Andrew on Instagram:
Schedule a Piercing

Meeting Greg Brown was what first sparked my interest in piercing. So when the opportunity to become his apprentice came, I jumped on the chance and never looked back. I’ve always been a very technical person and the precise art of piercing came very naturally.

My upbeat personality and easy going nature is a great asset for putting nervous clients at ease before a new piercing.

I can do the rubik’s cube in under a minute, and love to do party tricks. Come in for a new piercing or jewelry and be entertained as well.

What To Know

Piercings are done by appointment only. For a client to sign for themselves, they must be of age with a government-issued photo ID.
(ID, Drivers License, Passport) Ages to sign for yourself with a government-issued photo ID are as follows:

  • Ears, Facial, Navel, Nose – 16 years old
  • Genitals, Nipples, Tongue, Surface, Microdermal – 18 years old
  • Navel, Nose, Septum – 14 years old with parental consent
  • Helix (cartilage) – 12 years old with parental consent
  • Lobes – 4+ years old with parental consent. We’ll pierce children as long as they can ask for the piercing themselves.

*Parental consent is not accepted for piercings that you must be 18+ for.
*A health card or birth certificate is not acceptable as the only form of ID for a minor to sign for themselves.
*Parental consent requires a health card or birth certificate for the minor & government-issued photo ID from the Parent.

Greg's Recent Work [ Click an image to enlarge ]

Andrew's Recent Work [ Click an image to enlarge ]

Cosmetic

At Adept Tattoos Amber Thorpe has been performing cosmetic tattooing for many years, including facial tattooing (eyebrows etc.) and nipple tattooing.

Amber takes pride in helping breast cancer survivors / reconstruction patients to regain confidence in their bodies. Local Halifax surgeons refer their patients to Amber regularly. Most recently Amber spoke at the Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day Event and works closely with that community of doctors to continue to provide this valuable service.

Amber is currently working out of Ontario, but will be back at Adept Tattoos in Bedford in February. For mastectomy tattoos please call 902-405-4009 ext 2 to book for February.

 

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Recent Cosmetic Work [ Click an image to enlarge ]

Contact

Tattoo Artist Contacts

Body Piercer Contacts

Schedule a Piercing