Summit tattoo shop and school, a family operation, gives female artists a seat behind the needle

Student-turned-artist Abby Pedota works on a tattoo for current student Julian Terrazas at Illinois Tattoo School and Exodus Ink. (Anthony Vazquez / Sun-Times)

After Evelyn and Mike Lopez both got laid off from their jobs at the same time in 2008, Mike Lopez offered his wife a suggestion for a risky next step.

“I said, ‘Hey, do you want to venture into opening up a tattoo shop?’ ” says Lopez, who creates tattoos under the name Mike Low. “She was scared at first.”