Echelon Tattoo
“Helping people reclaim their body, commemorate something meaningful, or leave feeling more empowered in themselves - it’s kind of a little magic spell that we get to cast.” At Echelon Tattoo in Midvale, that sense of transformation lives in every corner of the shop. It can be felt in the artwork covering the walls, in the velvet couches and antique curiosities scattered throughout the space, and most importantly in the partnership between co-owners Ashley Thomas and Desiree Keys. Though their journeys began thousands of miles apart, both women found their way to tattooing through art and a desire to connect with others. Together, they have built a studio that feels less like a tattoo shop and more like a creative community where artists and clients alike feel welcomed, respected, and inspired.
For Desiree Keys, art began in the mountains of Northern California. Born in New Jersey, she moved west at age eight and eventually grew up on eleven acres surrounded by forests, animals, gardens, and open space. Nature became both her playground and her inspiration. Some of her earliest memories are of sitting around the table with her four siblings, drawing together as a family. Her parents would bring home boxes of old fax paper, and the children would spend hours sketching figures and imagining worlds. Outside, Desiree hiked, raised animals, worked in gardens, and developed a lifelong fascination with the beauty of the natural world. The flowers returning every spring, the surprise of spotting wildlife, and the quiet wonder of being outdoors continue to influence her artwork today.
At sixteen, her parents gave her a tattoo machine. Living in a remote area with few opportunities for formal training, Desiree taught herself through experimentation, practice, and determination. She married at twenty-one in 2008, raised children, and continued drawing and tattooing whenever she could. Though family life required her attention, she never stopped creating.
In 2015, Desiree and her family moved to Utah seeking new opportunities. They arrived with little money and settled in Manti where they lived for five years before relocating to the Salt Lake Valley. Living in a basement apartment while saving for a home, she began wondering whether tattooing might become more than a personal passion.
A family connection led Desiree to Ashley Thomas. The two met through a local silversmith who had seen Desiree’s artwork and suggested she reach out. A search for guidance quickly became something much larger. Desiree joined Ashley’s studio, refined her skills, and found not only a mentor but also a friend. “Ashley was a great person to go into business with. She’s trustworthy, smart, and really takes care of the people who work with her. Going into business with her expanded what I felt I was capable of.”
Ashley’s own path to Echelon began on the opposite side of the country. Raised in Clinton, Connecticut, a small shoreline town, she grew up in a single-parent household where art became both refuge and escape. During difficult periods of childhood, drawing provided stability. Armed with little more than paper and pencil, she could create worlds of her own. “I had an art teacher who was such a formative person in my life. The art room was a safe place where I could create and dive into my imagination.”
That encouragement helped transform a shy teenager into a confident artist. After earning a graphic design degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 2003, Ashley began pursuing tattooing seriously. She entered the industry in 2005, a time when female tattoo artists were still rare. “People thought you were the secretary. They didn’t take you seriously.” Tattoo shops were then very different environments from what many people experience today. Women often faced skepticism, sexism, and exclusion. Ashley learned quickly that success required both talent and a thick skin. Fortunately, she found a mentor who respected her abilities and helped her build a foundation in the craft.
After working in Connecticut, Ashley moved to New York shortly before turning thirty. Living in Brooklyn and working in several shops proved challenging. “New York was humbling. I felt like a very small fish in a gigantic pond.” Seeking a better fit, she relocated to Austin around 2013. There, she found her stride, working at Atomic Tattoo, eventually managing a shop, and gaining invaluable experience in both artistry and business operations. Austin became a turning point, allowing her to fully immerse herself in tattooing while learning what made a studio successful.
In 2017, Ashley and her husband moved to Utah to be closer to his large extended family as they prepared to start their own family. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, Ashley opened Echelon Tattoo. She wanted flexibility as a parent, but she also wanted to create something different from many of the shops she had experienced throughout her career. Having spent years discovering both what she loved about tattooing and what she never wanted to become, Ashley envisioned a studio that honored the traditions of art, craftsmanship, and dedication to the trade while making every client and artist feel welcome. “I wanted to build a shop that felt safe, inclusive, and magical. This place was always my destiny. And now I get to share it with Des, our amazing team of artists, and our wonderful community. It feels really special.”
Searching for a location, she found herself drawn to Midvale’s historic Main Street. Its architecture reminded her of the East Coast towns she loved. While others overlooked the area, Ashley saw potential. “When you have an artist’s perspective, you can see the future in things.” She opened a small storefront in 2017, renovating the space with the help of her husband and his family. At the time, only a handful of businesses occupied the street. As Echelon’s reputation grew, Ashley expanded into the neighboring space and began bringing on additional artists.
In 2022, after outgrowing the original location, Ashley and Desiree partnered in purchasing and transforming a much larger space. Their partnership formed naturally. They shared similar values, complementary strengths, and a vision for what the shop could become.
The shop’s name carries that same vision. Years before opening her own studio, Ashley was talking with a close friend about what they might someday call a tattoo shop. The word Echelon surfaced and stayed with her. While it can suggest striving toward the highest level, Ashley was drawn less to competition than to personal growth. For her, Echelon represents the pursuit of becoming a little better every day - pushing artwork further, staying curious, and discovering how far creativity can go when measured against one’s own potential rather than someone else’s success.
Today Echelon is home to eleven artists, each bringing their own style and specialty. Desiree’s work often draws upon the wonder of nature, blending whimsical and illustrative elements inspired by her upbringing. Ashley’s style continues to evolve through richly detailed illustrative work infused with imagination and storytelling. Together, they have assembled a team capable of serving a wide variety of clients while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.
The studio itself reflects their shared aesthetic. Dark walls, antique furnishings, crystals, velvet seating, skulls, vintage accents, and layers of carefully chosen details create an environment that feels equal parts cozy, mysterious, and imaginative. Clients often compare it to stepping into a different world. But for both women, the true heart of Echelon is not the décor. It is the people.
Ashley speaks passionately about tattooing as a gift that has carried her across the country, helped her through difficult periods of life, and allowed her to participate in some of the most meaningful moments of other people’s stories. Desiree credits tattooing with helping her emerge from years of isolation as a stay-at-home mother and discover a deeper connection to the world around her. “It’s helped me grow as a person. I get to connect with people every day and hear their stories. Human connection has become something really important and special to me.”
That spirit extends beyond their clients. Both women take pride in helping the artists who work alongside them grow professionally and personally, creating opportunities that were often unavailable when they first entered the industry.
Nearly a decade after Ashley first opened Echelon and four years after the two became partners, together, they have helped transform not only a building but a corner of Midvale’s Main Street. A small studio has become a thriving creative community built on trust, curiosity, craftsmanship, and kindness. As Desiree put it simply, “We made this.” Ashley agreed immediately: “Yes. It’s even more special now.”
