Delray Beach resident Ronda Gale, pictured with one her paintings, has used tragedy to steer her from tattoo art to fine art. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Delray Beach resident Ronda Gale has changed her career focus from her 30-plus years as a tattoo artist to pursuing fine art, a clothing line, writing, mentoring budding tattoo artists, and hatching plans for a reality TV show about tattooing.
Through Sept. 27, her shell sculptures are being exhibited at Persistence of Matter at the Cornell Art Museum, “showcasing artists who transform the forgotten into the unforgettable.”
Gale’s turn did not come lightly; she’s had three wake-up calls, with the latest a year ago. In a severe boating accident, she broke her neck and shattered her arm.
“I’m not able to tattoo,” Gale, 57, said. “I’ve always been a fine artist, too, and the accident granted me the time to fully go into that route. So, I would say that’s my direction.”
In the 2017-2018 time frame, she ended her marriage and lost her parents, one of her brothers and a best friend. These events also caused her to rethink her work values.
“I’ve realized how precious time is with loved ones and family,” she said. “I was tattooing until 2 in the morning every day, and when I was invited to be on movie sets and go on shows, I’d be like, ‘No, I’m working.’ ‘No, I have an appointment.’ And my work really ate my life away.”
In 2021, a fire at a pizzeria next door spread to her tattoo shop, destroying all her artwork, her collection of others’ artwork and books. That spurred her to create a new business, Hell Her, presenting her murals, paintings, sculptures and clothing line. Hell Her is used in the context of “hell” meaning bad times, and “her” equating to one’s elevated self.
As Gale develops her new ventures, she recalls how her tattoo career followed a rich trajectory, starting with temporary tattoo transfers on the streets of New York City. “I was doing tattoos at street fairs, and I would set up at different bars and events and hire friends to paint on tattoos, and then I started to think about doing real ones,” she said.
“Back then, it was a very secret underground world,” she said. “It was mostly a male-dominated profession, and they’re tough, a lot of bikers and people like that. People didn’t want to teach you, and so it was very hard to get your foot into the door to learn it.”
However, she persevered and did find some initial places that would accept her.
After attending a summer program in Italy, Gale “stayed and tattooed,” she said. “I traveled to different shops and different places. It was such a different world. I loved it there. Everybody was so giving and sharing and nice.”
There she was exposed to different styles. “I had been taught what we would call ‘single-needle,’ very fine-line tattooing; there, it was ‘seven-needle.’ The first shop I went to in Europe, their motto was ‘bold will hold.’ So, I learned a whole different aspect to tattooing that I didn’t know. It was an interesting transition for me.”
Her favorite tattoos: “I love doing things that go with your body, things that flow with a part of your body, not just a small stuck-on tattoo.”
Her least favorite: eyeliner, eyebrows, beauty marks: “I’ve really stayed away from the cosmetic world,” she said.
She counts singer Rod Stewart, magician David Blaine and actress Sarah Michelle Gellar among her clients.
Stewart wanted a thistle, the flower of Scotland, and a rampant lion, the symbol of Scotland. For Blaine, she tattooed his logo, a cherub and little initials. For Gellar, “I did a little piece, I don’t even remember. I think she got a Japanese kanji for patience,” Gale said.
— Christine Davis
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A. I was born in Long Beach, New York. I grew up in Island Park, on the water. I always say I grew up in the water. Boat life, beach life and being surrounded by ocean was a great way to grow up, and it’s still a necessity in my life. I studied illustration at Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and lived in the gritty rock ’n’ roll streets of the Lower East Side, which shaped a lot of who I became creatively.
While in school, I worked for Temptu, doing temporary tattoos and design work, including Robert De Niro’s tattoos for the film Cape Fear, which ultimately led me into tattooing professionally. Later, I studied painting in Florence, Italy, at Polimoda and spent years traveling and working throughout Europe as a tattoo artist during the early days of tattoo culture. Living in other countries and being surrounded by art, history, and different cultures really opens your mind creatively and personally. Growing up between the ocean and the intensity of New York gave me both grit and beauty, fast-moving and calm. I think that energy still exists in me and everything I create.
Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. I’ve worked as a professional tattoo artist for over 30 years, as well as a painter, illustrator, muralist. Over the years, I’ve tattooed high-profile clients across music, film and entertainment, created public beautification projects and murals, exhibited artwork, and more recently began developing sculptural work using reclaimed shell fragments gathered from Delray Beach dredging and shoreline restoration projects.
I’m most proud of the recognition I’ve received throughout the years, from the Society of Illustrators while in college to more recent honors like winning the Woman of the Arts award in Long Beach, New York. Most of all, I love speaking to groups about transformation, mind-set, and overcoming adversity through creativity.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A. Do what you love, something you lose time doing, and it won’t feel like work. Find a way to create value from what naturally interests you. It’s important not to let other people’s opinions discourage your vision. Never tell yourself, “I can’t,” and don’t let anyone else dim your dreams, no matter how extreme they may seem. I did it for years, but I don’t allow myself to anymore.
Q. How did you choose to make your home in Delray Beach?
A. I knew I wanted to live somewhere along the Florida coast where I could surf, and even though there’s not much of that here, nothing hit me like Delray Beach. I had artwork in an exhibit during Art Basel Miami Beach and spent a few days in Delray afterward. I instantly fell in love with “the Village by the Sea.” It reminded me of my hometown, Long Beach, New York, “the city by the sea,” but times a thousand. A few weeks later, on Jan. 1, 2025, I was living here.
Q. What is your favorite part about living in Delray Beach?
A. I was drawn to Delray’s energy on the Avenue, the sense of community, and of course, the beach right across the street. Delray has a mix of nature, culture and excitement, and still somehow keeps a small-town vibe. In a lot of ways, it feels like a blend of my hometown beach life and the creative energy of New York City. You don’t find that just anywhere. There are always fun community, business, music, and art-inspired things to do, and great restaurants, too.
Q. What book are you reading now?
A. I usually read several books at the same time … and of course the Delray papers and magazines, too. I tend to bounce between psychology, spirituality, creativity, mind-set and business books. In the mornings, I’ll often listen to a Joe Dispenza meditation or creative visualization audio. Being a reiki master, I often refer back to reiki manuals by Nitya Vink. Right now, I’m also reading and following the work of local mind-set entrepreneurs Ryan Zofay and Tracy Litt.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. When I’m creating, I usually listen to relaxing instrumental music with an upbeat, chill vibe. Dancing and movement always gets creative energy flowing. Classic rock and my secret love of old disco always does the trick.
Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A. “Don’t believe everything you think.” A lot of the negative things we think about ourselves were placed there by other people’s opinions and judgments, so recognize that critical voice in your head and don’t let it control you.
Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A. I think we can learn something from everyone. The day we think we know it all is the day we stop growing. My parents, Jack Hoelzer and Judy Good, influenced me in very different ways. My mom was like an angel, always encouraging and supportive, while my dad, an artist himself, was a tough Marine and perfectionist who pushed me to do things “right.” My brother, Ken, has also been a huge source of strength in my life and has always been there for me.
Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?
A. I’d like to see Emma Stone or Leslie Mann play me … or back in the day, Bette Midler. They all have humor, quirkiness, and a strong edge with a little bit of chaos mixed in.
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