About

Elise Stillwell is Moondeer Tattoo.

Moondeer was born out of a vision from a decade ago. Moon – an illuminating and mystical force. Deer – forest protector and magical leader of curious souls into otherworldly realms. 

Like a compass, Moondeer points to my true north – nature. The direction of love, beauty, inner knowing, and inspiration. These attributes guide my work as a tattooist, artist, folk herbalist, and mom.

My journey...

An Oregonian at heart, I spent much of my twenties traveling the country and beyond. After living on the road solo for months, I settled into the Roaring Folk Valley of the mighty Rocky Mountains where I met my love and now husband. My art began to take on a distinguished form and I began receiving requests to design tattoos.

After two years, we moved to the Eugene area where I studied botany based herbalism at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. This is first time, since childhood, I had really paid attention to plants - to their close up beauty and subtle energetic signatures. I began drawing the botanicals I was studying, especially curious to what the language of plants might visually look like. 

I continued to receive requests to design tattoos and 4 years post herbal schooling went back to school to learn the art of tattooing. After working in multiple shops with many talented artists, I decided to open my own private home studio. Not only is my studio immersed in the peace and beauty of pastoral Oregon but it also allows me more time with my two young children.