We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Roberto Berrios a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Roberto, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve been doing tattoos for almost 40 years piercing for about 20 years now after leaving the military I traveled a lot throughout my life working at different shops learning all sorts of different techniques from all many artists meeting great people and just never could phathem my life to be anymore rewarding than to leave my work on hundreds and thousands of great folks over the years. Tattooing became my world and lifestyle

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’ve been artistic since 4 years old, tattooing and piercing over 39 years almost 40 years and specialize in most genres of design including black and grey scale, full color, water color, nautical designs, bio mechanical, traditional, contemporary, bio mechanical, tribal, post mastectomy cosmetic tattooing and much more. my favorites are cover-ups, under water scenery, mid evil, fantasy designs, oriental, Polynesian, animal portraits, and water colors along with several others. Tattooing has always be a part of my life starting at 10 years old after noticing my Uncles tattoos. I learned how to wrap thread around a needle and began practicing. After showing so much interest in learning to tattoo I was given my first tattoo machine and starter set at age 12. Tattooing throughout my earlier life was done solely as a hobby as I continued going to school, working different jobs within the medical field, and even while in the service as a Navy Hospital Corpsman. After losing my late wife to leukemia at age 21 and leaving the military service i continued to travel bringing my equipment everywhere with me as I sought out a new career. I started feeling there was no other career out there that would be for me other than the medical field. I never look at tattooing as a job or a career, rather it was a part of me and who I am. I eventually started walking into tattoo studios just to be curious and as i looked around seeing all the art, the different personalities of other artist and tattooist I began to feel drawn to want to be a part of the tattooing industry. I traveled a lot working at different shops learning all sorts of techniques from many artist, meeting great people getting inked and just never could phathem life to become any more rewarding than to leave my work on hundreds of thousands great folks over the years. Tattooing became my world, lifestyle and purpose.

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

I remember while doing a tattoo, glancing over and noticing an elderly man watching me tattoo a client, his wife was not so interested. She flipped through the flash books and keep asking him what on earth he was doing steering at me telling him to “let’s go!! leave the shop!!” The elderly man looked down at a tattoo on his arm that appeared to be very old began telling a story of when his was young and got the tattoo done, spoke about his buddies in the service that were there that day and all the adventures they went on. His wife’s mouth dropped as she began crying. Seeing this I immediately stopped working on my client and ran to the elderly couple asking if everything was ok. The man continued telling his story as his wife just steered in awe. again i asked her if everything is ok. Her response changed my life. “He lost his memory several years ago” That tattoo brought his memory back. I learned that at that very moment the true value of what my tattooing can mean for the person having it done.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think the most important lesson I’ve learned over the years is what I do matters and is important to others for so many reasons. Each client has their own reasons and they rely on my patience, my seriousness to perform professionally, and my abilities to create the tattoo they want and can live with for the rest of their lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hillcountryartstattoo.com
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