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

Hi Blanca, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I actually don’t wish I’ve started my full time creative career when I was younger. I think now that I’m older I’m more understanding and knowledgeable as to what it takes to have a creative career and what that looks like financially. I feel like if I would have started my tattoo career or my cake business when I was a lot younger, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ve been through a lot of trials and tribulations when I was younger and I’ve learned a lot great lessons in life that has helped me become the person I am today. Not to mention I have a lot more years of creative work now that I’m older. I don’t believe there’s ever a “right” time to pursue your creative passions. You just have to try and don’t give up.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As far back as I can remember growing up I’ve always been creating art. Most of the time it was drawing, painting, sculpting and even playing music. Those were the foundations of my love for art. As I continued to grow older I realized that the art I created would always bring me a sense of happiness. By the time my first son (Maysin) was born, for his first birthday I decided to attempt to make a 3D type cake. It turned out better than I expected and at that point I realized how much not only did I enjoy making custom sculpted cakes. I was actually really good at it. I then took my art skills and defined them through cake art. I slowly throughout the years developed a pristine skill set as a cake artist. I developed a large clientele and at that point I decided to officially open my own bakery. I’ve successfully have ran my own bakery for years now. However, I still wanted to learn and grow as an artist. So I then decided to advance my artistic career and focus more on my drawing and design abilities. I then took on a tattoo apprenticeship at a local tattoo shop in Fort Worth (Sleepy Hollow tattoos). I’m coming up on my one year anniversary with my apprenticeship. I can’t say this time has been easy because just when I was months into my apprenticeship I found out I had cancer. It was the most scariest time in my life and I was unsure what was going to happen. However after finding the right doctors I was able to set a plan out to beat cancer. I took a couple of weeks off to have a major surgery however the moment my doctor gave me my release, I couldn’t wait to get back to working at the shop. I never let my cancer stop me, I wanted to be there so bad and I wanted to show everyone how serious I wanted this opportunity. I was even working up at the shop during my chemo treatments, I didn’t want anything to stop me. I appreciate everyone up at the shop during this time assisting me with anything I needed. I’m so grateful for all the artists at the shop for continuing to guide and teach me. I’m looking forward to continuing learning from all the amazingly talented artists there. I never want to stop learning and growing as an artist so I’m ecstatic for this opportunity. I’ve been told I bring a quirky spooky vibe and I hope that comes across in my art. I want to honor the tradition of tattooing but with a sprinkle of my own personal spooky/weird style to it. I put my heart into everything I create and I hope to create an environment where my clients love coming to see me. Being able to create permanent art for someone is very special to me. I want my art to be a one of a kind experience for my clients. A place where they can be themselves, let the weird out and get something beautiful.

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

Always, and I mean always support your local artists. Yes, you can go to a major chain store and buy some cool prints or canvas picture to hang up as decor for your house, business etc. However, if everyone would check out some local artists in their area. You’ll find some really breath taking art, sculptures, trinkets etc. There are so many talented starving artists out there and if people could realize that if you just bought one piece from a local artist. That could mean you just bought them groceries, helped pay a bill or two or even just gas money. Buying an artist’s original work goes a long way to the actual artist. And then just simply sharing that artist or their work also is a huge help as well. Support your local artists and local businesses.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Well as an artist, I think the real goal is to really just make a living from my art. And to ensure my clients are happy with my work and their overall experience. That’s the dream, to do what I love everyday…my art. To be able to add a little cool part to someone’s life. For maybe just a moment, give someone a reason to smile. Rather it be a very meaningful tattoo to even just something that looked cool and they think it’s dope. I want to be that little part of someone’s life where they look at their tattoo and it brings them joy. That’s…that’s the dream.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @blanquitatattoos @dia_de_los_cupcakes
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Queenofhearts8789
• Other: Tiktok: @blanquitatattoos