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

Areej, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

When i decided to become a tattoo artist, i was 1000% in. I’ll be honest- I’ve always been a fairly impulsive person and i’ve made decisions that i regretted or cringe at the thought of. Tattooing was not one of those. It was the first decision i’d ever made that felt so right and so natural. I’d never really felt passionate about much in my life before at all- there was nothing that made me genuinely excited to wake up every morning. This all changed when i found tattooing. I can say with full confidence that every night when i’m preparing a design for a client, i am overjoyed with excitement to go into work the next day and tattoo.

Being a professional artist tho does come with its stresses (plenty of them at that.) When I see my friends working jobs that give them paid time off, healthcare and sick leave, I would be lying if I didn’t think about what it would be like to work a regular job with aid and stability like that. I love being an artist, but it can be extremely anxiety-inducing thinking about my next sick days where I won’t be making any income. We don’t get paid time off nor do we get any sort of benefits like retirement. It’s scary to think about the future when all of it relies on you with no other aid or backup plan to fall onto. It’s times like these that I think about how much more stable my life would be working a corporate office job. As much as I enjoy my job, it’s terrifying being in a field that can be so unstable at times.

Regardless of all that tho, it also rips me apart when i think about myself doing any other career besides this one. I know deep inside that this is my calling. The joy and fulfillment that I get from tattooing clients is more than enough to keep me going every day, even on the weeks where working I’m 60+ hours. It’s natural to have those little doubts creep into your head, but when something is meant for you- you will persevere even through the biggest doubts.

Areej, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been an artist my whole life- but like many people out there, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my art or if it could even be a career. When I was in high school, I was in a very mentally abusive relationship that made me lose all sense of myself. I became a shell and lost sight of what I loved to do in my own time. I believe it’s what caused me to stop making art for so many years. It wasn’t until two years ago, when on a whim I decided to get a tattoo. I can’t tell you what drove me to get the tattoo because in all honesty, I’d never had any interest in body art! It had been quite an impulsive decision. But that impulsive decision is where I found myself again. Designing my tattoo and getting it done was a light bulb moment for me. It sparked my creativity and suddenly I was drawing every day again. It had been YEARS since I’d picked up a pencil and suddenly i was myself again. I had all the inspiration and desire in the world to continue creating art. I knew from there, there was no going back. I had to pursue this as a career.

Being able to draw and tattoo fills me with so much fulfillment every day. I get to create and share pieces that come from my soul and heart and then give them to people! When it comes to my tattooing, I don’t think there’s really a long term goal. I enjoy where I’m at right now and I think the beauty of the tattooing world is that it’s been around for so long and its core hasn’t changed much. Yes, there’s new technology and new art styles but the art of tattooing has remained fairly simple and straightforward. I find a lot of beauty and contentment in that.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I’m confident I can speak for most professional artists when I say this- One of the best ways society can support artists is by acknowledging our careers as REAL professional jobs and not just hobbies. One my personal “favorite” comments I get from people when I tell them I’m a tattoo artist is “Oh, this is your FULL time job?” I know it’s not ill-intentioned but when people don’t see creative careers as professional careers, it can be so invalidating and contribute to the imposter syndrome that so many of us deal with. Being able to make a living off of creating art is such a privilege- and not one we take lightly. We put our blood, sweat and tears into what we do but so many of us struggle with feeling like our job is not valid in society. The more people treat our careers as professional, the more it would help us feel valid!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to see your artwork speak to total strangers. When I post designs or art that I’ve done, the most rewarding complement is when someone sees it and automatically connects with it. I’ll get messages from clients saying that a design I drew just “spoke to them” the minute they saw it and to me that is so special. My artwork is so personal to me and being able to make something that a total stranger can relate to as well feels amazing. Sometimes this world can feel so big and lonely but when we have those brief moments of sharing something in common with a total stranger, it can make life feel mush less lonely. Being able to possess a skill that connects you with strangers is so humbling. I love people and I love learning about people, and tattooing gives me the opportunity to fill that love every day. Connecting with clients and learning their stories as we create art together is genuinely the most rewarding aspect that I hope I never take for granted, no matter how many years go by!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Areej_ink
• Other: email: [email protected]

Image Credits
All photos taken by myself