Birdhouse Tattoos

10/04/2026

Sunflowers on a rainy day😁

10/02/2026

10/01/2026

It’s the season!!

09/22/2026

They don’t know.

09/19/2026

Any resemblance? Yeah, we know old school.

Painless Nell (real name Nell Bowen) was a pioneering traditional American tattoo artist who, along with her sister Painful Jo, operated a famous tattoo shop and shooting gallery in San Diego during the early-to-mid 20th century. Known for their bold flash designs and role in shaping San Diego’s Navy-rooted tattoo culture, the sisters were iconic figures in the industry, with Nell eventually preparing for retirement in the late 1960s by selling her extensive flash collection to artist Tahiti Felix, which was later published as The Painless Nell Collection.
Their shop, originally located in downtown San Diego before moving to Ocean Beach, was renowned for its bustling atmosphere and unique combination of tattooing and shooting gallery services. The legacy of Painless Nell’s is preserved through historical accounts from clients who received tattoos there in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as through the rediscovered flash art that highlights their significant contribution to the Trad American tattoo style.

09/12/2026

Some seriously solid traditional work by Wren. Wow, she must be a real knockout!

08/22/2026

Wren and Conor took a few designs from the book and brought them to life on the wall of Birdhouse Tattoos SRQ. Come on down a get a piece of history on your flesh forever! Saturday deals going wild!!!