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

Alright, Alyssa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The best part about this career is that I am able to give something back to someone- whether it’s a part of them they’ve lost (nipple loss due to cancer or reconstructive surgeries) or something they are physically self-conscious about.

I had one client in particular who had dealt with breast cancer which involved the loss and reconstruction of her left breast. She had previously gotten her areola & nipple tattooed but the color hadn’t matched and she never felt like she had gotten that piece of herself back. After several years, the tattoo had faded to almost nothing and I was able to start from scratch. She said between the color matching to her native areola as well as the realism that she had been searching for, she truly felt whole again.

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?

My name is Alyssa Murray and I have been tattooing since 2020. Upon receiving my certification in eyebrow tattooing, I sought out an apprenticeship with Jillian at Sage Cosmetic Tattoo in Baltimore, MD.

I’ve learned all about tattoo machines and BBP safety as well as color theory, and skin/anatomy. There is SO much to learn about in this industry that goes into each and every individual client and procedure. We are constantly training to learn about new techniques, pigments, and technologies within cosmetic and paramedical tattooing. A lot assume that you learn what you need to know in your apprenticeship and you’re good for the rest of your career but that’s not the case in this industry! As a whole we are constantly evolving and learning so that we can provide the very best for our clients.

I pride myself in my client interaction. I strive to make each and every person I work with comfortable, seen, and taken care of to the best of my abilities. No two people and their stories are alike, and I pride myself in my personalized approach to making everyone happy.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

The biggest thing i’ve learned in this industry is that you simply cannot do this all on your own. Community is HUGE! Even if you work on your own, having other creatives in your same line of work you can bounce ideas off of, ask questions, get constructive criticism, etc. is crucial for personal and professional growth. If we view each other as community and not competition, we will ALL thrive.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I know i’m not alone when I say that 2020 was a very pivotal year for me. I was residing in a different state thousands of miles from home in an awful personal situation. Professionally, I was feeling incredibly unfulfilled. I knew I had SO much more potential than I had to show for at that point and I knew I needed a change.

I decided to remove myself from my personal situation, move back home
and go from a safe, yet monotonous job to something I was wanting for a while but was to afraid to take the jump into: a career in cosmetic tattooing.

Manifesting what I envisioned for myself, making the changes and putting in the hard work led to me truly living my best life! I am in a career that I truly love, I met the love of my life and I am starting a family- and I truly don’t think any of these things would’ve happened if I didn’t believe in myself and committed to creating a better life.

Contact Info:

• Website: alyssatattoos.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lysstattoos?igsh=cDViOW13cTFnZmIy&utm_source=qr