julia mei fegelman (she/her) is an asian-american + midwest native designing and handpoking tattoos in bloomington, indiana.

pine needle pokes began in 2019 on her dorm room floor when she was beginning undergrad. she taught herself how to tattoo by practicing on willing friends. as julia’s self-taught practice grew, so did her desire to navigate her asian american diasporic identity through tattoo work and nature objects. since then, pine needle pokes has grown into a full-time small business and tattoo studio.

in her practice, julia strives to create a safe and empowered space for everybody, deeply valuing open communication, informed consent, and a trauma-informed approach to client relationships. her practice revolves around being gentle and honest, and these are also the reasons why she continues to love the handpoke method.

julia graduated from indiana university with a BFA in graphic design in 2023, and transitioned into tattooing full-time from her private studio that spring. she has been tattooing for over 5 years.

you can often find julia performing music around bloomington with her band, prairie scout.