We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Johnathan Gelzer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Johnathan below.

Johnathan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Is there a lesson you learned in school that’s stuck with you and has meaningfully impacted your journey?

I was in college at Valencia Community College when I learned this lesson. I was looking for an internship for art, and they didn’t offer anything for traditional artists; just digital art I ternships were offered from their website. One of the employees said that if I can find someone willing to fill out paperwork to create one for me I could go thay route, so I did. J went and asked my drawing professor if she could, and she was more excited than I was, and I was able to gain college level professor experience while still a student. The lesson learned is to never be afraid to ask questions, and to speak up and advocate for what you really want. The people who are there to help you, and mentor you can do so in so many ways if you are willing to speak up and take that sort of initiative.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got invited to be an apprentice from an artist because he saw some of my college schoolwork I was showing a friend. I at first thought of it as a way to make money as an artist but tattooing can be anything. It can be art, therapy, a way to bond with another human being over hobbies or loss. Im currently building my brand, and you will start to see big sculpture projects soon! I want my fans to understand through my art that we can overcome anything, and that there is great strength when we find ourselves in darkness. I focus heavily on the persona, and tapping into who we truly are as humans, and how we can attain individualization, or self actualization.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The shop I work at was robbed, and the place was cleaned out completely. The owner and I were the Inly ones left and working there and I had to completely start over, and right when I had started too because I had just recently finished my apprenticeship. We didn’t sit in the negative for long and got back into the swing of things and the business is doing better than ever now!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s my language. It’s how I can speak freely without the world’s interpretation truly changing it. People can guess what a piece of art may be saying but it’s up to how I define it at the end. Being able to create what the mind desires and to effectively share a story that moves people is the most rewarding part of it!

Contact Info:

• Website: XioneAnima.com
• Instagram: Xione_Anima
• Facebook: Johnathan Gelzer
• Youtube: Xione_Anima (coming soon)

Image Credits
All photos included were taken by myself, photo of me tattooing was taken by Steven Guerrero using my phone