Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erin Russell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Erin , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

From the time I was young, I knew I wanted to spend my life doing something creative. I have never been “career oriented” and couldn’t envision myself in a corporate position or a 9-5. I pursued various art forms before I found tattooing, including acting and writing,

When I found tattooing, it was a “right place at the right time” moment and I followed an opportunity that presented itself to me. The art of tattooing was something completely foreign to me, but I had always been a lover of tattoos in general and had been collecting them myself over the years. I was unsure if I had the artistic talent to pursue this path, but I started drawing and realized I had the skill and could continue to practice and improve. When I learned to tattoo I was immediately hooked. I found myself on a rocky path, learning a new craft during the pandemic and pregnancy, but I kept pushing forward and 5 years later I own my own tattoo shop.

Tattooing checks all the boxes for me— I get to express myself artistically and creatively every day, offering the gift of permanent art to people, and providing for my family at the same time. I am so fulfilled by this art form, and I feel so grateful every day that I can make a living making my art.

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’m a tattoo artist and the owner of Neighbors Tattoo in Northeast LA. I specialize in fine line, black work illustrative tattoos with a focus in botanical and animal subject matter. I started learning how to tattoo right before the pandemic started and forged a rocky path forward through a shifting and uncertain world and a rough pregnancy. Miraculously, I kept getting regular business and continued to grow in my skill and my style.

I’m a queer tattooer and I bring compassion, safety, and a sense of comfort to my clients amidst a historical landscape of traditional tattoo artists that have come across intimidating, coercive, dismissive, and oftentimes downright abusive. I’ve been told countless times by clients that they have never felt more comfortable during a tattoo appointment. It can be such a vulnerable experience to trust a stranger to permanently mark your body. It can be painful, emotional, stressful, and nerve wracking and the client deserves to be listened to, respected, and given agency to feel in control of their own experience. I try to give that to every client I see.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a tattoo artist is that it fulfills me in so many different ways. I get to create and make art every single day and also make a living doing it, which is something I never thought would be possible for me. I also value connecting with other people so much, and this art allows me to deeply connect and get to know different people every day. I get to hear about peoples lives, their upbringing, their families, and what their tattoo means to them.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I resisted social media for so long before I finally decided to start utilizing it to support my craft. The minute I changed my perspective about it was when I noticed my following growing as well as my clientele expanding. I stopped resenting the fact that I had to use social media to market myself and started looking at it as an opportunity to connect with more people, make myself available to potential clients, and embrace another avenue of creativity and self expression. I’ve had a lot of fun creating content, and it’s attracted more people to get tattoos from me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Erinrusselltattoos.com
• Instagram: Erin.russell.tattoos