News

Sep 09, 2023

Dillon Forte to open tattoo ranch in the Texas Hill Country

Dillon Forte in his tattoo studio and ranch in Wimberley. When thinking about a

Dillon Forte in his tattoo studio and ranch in Wimberley.

When thinking about a tattoo shop, people don't necessarily picture an artist inking up a piece in the outdoors in the Texas Hill Country. A massive new retreat center in Wimberley is attempting to change those assumptions on what a tattoo shop should be.

Tattoo artist Dillon Forte is already working from his over 10-acre tattoo retreat center in Wimberley. The former Californian has massive plans for guests who want to unplug and enjoy the peaceful surroundings and get some sick ink.

"The vision has been this for most of my career trying to do tattooing in a way that would be the absolute optimal experience to receive a tattoo," Forte said. "I want to garner and experience much more than a typical tattoo walk-in."

Forte Ranch is an over 10-acre property in Wimberley, which the tattoo artist says is the biggest tattoo studio on the planet.

"There is not a single tattoo shop that has accommodations, let alone a 10-acre tattoo shop," Forte said. "It's the biggest tattoo shop on Earth for sure. I think of the entire thing as a shop."

Forte led MySA throughout Forte Studio and Ranch in February, where he showed the future spot for unique cabins and talked about the plans for his tattoo retreat center.

Tattoo artist Dillon Forte at his Wimberley tattoo retreat center.

Forte grew up in Northern California, where his interest in drawing and art began. As a teenager, he started hanging out with friends around town and noticed a local tattoo shop that caught his eye. Forte ended up starting an apprenticeship at the shop and hasn't stopped tattooing since.

As time went on and Forte's talent grew, word started to spread about his skills with ink, which caught the attention of celebrities. Forte has inked celebrities that include music artist Usher and movie star Chris Hemsworth.

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"It's really the case of just doing what you enjoy and working hard at it daily," Forte said.

The artist has also done some tattoos in some interesting places all over the world. Forte's the only person to ever tattoo in the King's Chamber at The Great Pyramids of Egypt when he tattooed three dots on himself that represent the alignment of the pyramids with the Orion star system. He's also tattooed a person at the base camp on Mt. Everest. Most recently, Forte tattooed a couple of clients 16 feet underwater in Maldives, which is in Southeast Asia.

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A post shared by Dillon Forte☰ (@dillonforte)

Forte is captivated by the "profound interplay between sacred geometry-inspired artwork, the client, and the rest of the world around us."

He noted that no matter what kind of tattoo someone is getting at the studio, whether it is intricate geometric patterns, bold blackwork, dot work, or a connected body suit of Eastern-inspired designs, a spiritual connection is always happening.

"At the end of the day this is the type of artwork that I personally love, and it has deep meaning to me on so many levels. For the client, they usually have a spiritual reason or meaning for the work they want to get done on their skin," Forte said.

The exterior of the tattoo studio.

Before coming to Texas, Forte lived and worked in Southern California, which he described as being on a treadmill. A majority of the money he earned went back into paying rent for the shop and his residence.

"I was trying to be at the highest caliber, but it was just bleeding capital and nothing to show for it," Forte said.

He knew his time in California was coming to an end because he wanted to find a place that was like a home away from the "hustle and buzz" of the West Coast.

In December 2021, Forte and his family moved to Texas, something he he said had always been on his mind. He opened a tattoo shop in Austin, which he worked at for over a year before choosing not to renew the lease on the property.

"I really enjoy having land and being around the authentic, good vibes that Texas people seem to have," Forte said.

After talking to a friend that lives in Wimberley and looking for property, they discovered the current location. Ground was broken on the ranch in September 2022 and work is actively underway to complete Forte Studio and Ranch.

The exterior of the tattoo studio at Forte Studio and Ranch.

Forte says the tattoo ranch was built to do so much more than just host the FORTE team and himself.

"I wanted to build out a place that is a safe, exciting location to have different types of events and of course this tattoo retreat I’ve been ideating," Forte said. "I wanted to create a location where clients can come together, discuss ideas on life, connect with one another, and get tattooed."

People will be able to book a tattoo appointment, arrive a few days before their scheduled day, and enjoy the Texas Hill Country in their cabin. After getting their new ink, guests will have the choice to enjoy the ranch for another day afterword. The idea is the ranch isn't just for getting tattoos.

Forte noted that if he is going to have people flying in from all over Texas, then they should get to experience the Lone Star State. There will be tattoo zones throughout the property, so people can get tattooed in nature.

Everything on the ranch has a purpose from the bee hives to the Ayam Cemani chickens as Forte wants the ranch to be self-sustaining. He's hoping someday to expand the ranch and add cattle.

Cabins shaped like large black pyramids will be scattered throughout and there will be a wedding venue with the possibility of peacocks roaming, Forte said.

Forte Studio and Ranch is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, but like any project ranch will continue to grow as Forte continues to think of new features for the property.

A cube created by Dillon Forte greets guests when they enter the ranch.