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

Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.

One of the most important relationships in tattooing is between a mentor and their apprentice. Thankfully I was blessed with a brother, a friend and a mentor- all in one. The beginnings of my tattoo career were naturally underwhelming. Tattooing was something i started as a hobby, for myself, for fun. Over time however, it quickly
became everything and anything I could think about. After a lot of practice (and a little coersion from people that believed in me), I finally took the leap from fake skin and fruits, to friends and family. Tattooing slowly started teaching me about myself, my artwork, and my ambition. I became bolder and started looking to local artists, with the intention of gaining insights towards the industry I was quickly becoming obsessed with. In comes Vito Torres- an extremely talented 10+ year artist who specializes in black and grey realism. One particularly lucky night I ran into Vito at a not-so-busy bar, and through mutual friends I got a chance to really talk to him. We’d met before, briefly, at the early nothings of my career when I had nothing but mere intent to show him – but this time it was different. This time around I had something to show, I had friends who had my work and were proud enough to show it off to him. If there was a moment i really think kickstarted my entire career – this was it. At first, I was shy at the idea of someone as talented as him critiquing my work, but that went away after only a few moments of conversation. We were quick to match energies and riff off each other’s jokes. I remember being worried that he would brush me off, but he definitely seemed intrigued with my work. He casually invited me to hang out at the shop whenever i had time, not knowing that I would take that invitation very seriously. I showed up that day, the next day and kept showing up, trying my best to learn as much, and help as much as possible. Eventually he would go on to take me on as an apprentice, teaching me how to be more than just a tattooer. He set an example that I could never replace. More than drawing, more than clients, he taught me financial literacy, ambition, the fundamentals of what it means to work for yourself and your future. He taught me how to be part of a team, how to lead and be confident in my skills and myself. I know i can trust him to lead me in the right direction – both in my art and in my life. Thanks to that, I can proudly say that my mentor has made me the person and artist I am today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Houston Native Artist – specializing in distorted black work & lettering tattoos. I work in downtown Houston, at It Always Hurts Tattoo alongside an amazing team of artists with a diverse range of styles. I prioritize client experience and comfort when it comes to getting tattooed and so do my colleagues here at the shop. Feel free to reach out to me at shroomtattooco@gmail.com if you have any questions/collaborations/tattoo inquiries!

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I believe a lot in artists supporting other artists. I think as a society we don’t hold enough space or grace for one another. Once you can learn to admire someone else’s work and appreciate without comparison, you can create beautiful relationships that push both sides further. That’s the only way we can successfully coexist and push our community to do the same. It takes a village!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing for me is seeing my clients, friends, and fellow tattooers resonate with my art. My art is an extension of me. And in my field- when a client resonates with your drawings – they get it permanently put onto their skin. That’s so much trust – and they’re paying me to do it! I honestly feel that every tattoo I get to do is an honor.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @shroomtattoo