We recently connected with Andrew Lucero and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Andrew thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I think the biggest risk I have ever taken in life was playing it safe. I am 40 years old and I just opened my own tattoo studio in January. I knew this is what I wanted to do since I was about 21, around the time I had my first son. By the time I was 24, I was in love, engaged and 2 kiddos, buying our first home. Day job and being a tattoo apprentice took it’s toll on my family life and although I was very close to finishing, I decided to quit my apprenticeship and dedicate more of myself to my family. I worked a number of different jobs that paid well and in my spare time I was always drawing and painting and started showing my work in galleries and doing live painting at all these shows. Before I knew it, 15 years had gone by, I was so focused on this stuff and my marriage was falling apart. We decided to separate. In 2023, I was working at the Denver Art Museum as a Gallery Host and was inspired to enroll at an atelier, art school. The REAL Academy of Art Colorado, this was my first formal training as an artist. Other than Tattoos Unlimited, I was self taught as an artist and this place became my home for over 2 years. I wanted to become a fine artist, a gallery artist. I was renting half a studio in the same building as the academy, as many students do. This studio space has been recently transformed into what I call “Stonewolf Ink, Tattoo Studio” I had always told my boys “you can become anthing you want if you work hard for it.” Here’s my opportunity to prove it.
I don’t know if I should have continued on this path a long time ago but I won’t risk having to wonder. I won’t risk not taking my chance, so I’m all in.

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 was mostly a self-taught artist for well over 15 years, I appenticed at Tattoos Unlimited in Pueblo, CO. and became classically trained at The REAL Acadaemy of Art in Denver, Colorado. Over the years my work has been a part of many gallery shows all over Colorado including multiple solo shows and juried group shows.
Many of my paintings have a theme surrounding spiritual growth, archetypes and self-reflection. Art can be a spiritual practice, a way of healing the self. Getting a tattoo is a right of passage, you have to earn it, you have to pay for it. Only currency accepted: pain. We decorate our bodies with these markings to celebrate, to commemorate, to mourn, to remind us, to help us forget, to tell a story or just because it looks fucking cool. It is my honor and duty to help you achieve your badge.
My background in classical realism has helped me recognize the importance of studying and honoring tradition. American Traditional tattoos have a special place in my heart but I love the process no matter the style or subject matter.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Opening the tattoo studio was entirely a pivot move. 4 months ago my tentative plan was to just focus on finishing my studies at REAL Academy and graduate in June 2025. and in the meantime I could start thinking about a plan. I really love painting and I was happy with the direction I was going, just learning and growing as an artist but I also wanted to tattoo and figured I could put together a portfolio to show shops and apply for another apprenticeship. I was renting the studio with a friend and fellow student of the academy, we split the rent and each had our own workspace for projects. She was offered a great opportunity but it meant she would no longer need the studio space. I suppose I could have just gotten another studio mate but it had me thinking about some other tattoo artists I knew who didn’t work at a shop, they worked out of a private studio. One night I was explaining to someone my “tentative” plan and she asked me why I wasn’t tattooing already. I had no good answer, I already knew deep down this is what I’ve always wanted to be my profession and here was a great opportunity staring me in the face. I was on fire for it, practicing almost every day and re learning what I had been taught during my time as an apprentice. Learning how to start a business and requirements and regulations.
Within 3 months I went from a distant future maybe plan to Stonewolf Ink, LLC.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

When people see a beautiful tattoo, they want to know where you got it. Even if they have an amazing tattoo artist and that is the only place they go, they still just want to know. Quality of work and word of mouth. If I can grow my client base to just 1000 people it would be enough to keep me busy. I am just beginning my career as a tattoo artist and right now word of mouth has been most of my clientele outside of people who already knew me as an artist. So, yeah word of mouth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://andrewryanlucero.com
• Instagram: @stonewolfink
• Facebook: @Andrew Ryan Lucero or @Stonewolf Ink
• Linkedin: Andrew Ryan Lucero