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

Danny, 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?

I do feel genuinely happy about this path most days. I work well as part of a team but overall I’m fairly self motivated. Part of what brought me to tattooing and art in general was the simple idea that I set my own pace. I dictate how hard I want to push myself and that effort is directly related to overall success.

As with all things, there’s an ebb and flow to creativity. There are days where passion doesn’t motivate. There are times when after my 3rd or 4th consecutive 12-14 hour shift, skipped meals & lost sleep, that I find myself in the studio alone at 2 a.m. with my head in my hands trying to catch my breath. There are off days that aren’t spent recovering, but instead spent working through emails, scheduling clients, and dealing with the never-ending pressure of social media.
Finally, after I’ve given everything I have, I often feel I’ve failed artistically because I neglected to create original artwork outside of my craft. It’s in these moments that I remember how lovely it was a decade ago to clock out after a hard days work and simply exist. To drop my pack and go home.

The thought does cross my mind more often than I’d like to admit, but then I wouldn’t be the artist I am if I paid it much attention. For all the ways I mentioned it feeling overwhelming, the freedom its granted me far outweighs those moments. Being a tattoo artist requires passion, dedication and sacrifice – but leading a passion driven lifestyle is priceless.

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 started tattooing in 2011 while serving with the Marines. I dabbled in a wide range of artistic styles before finding my niche in Color Realism and primarily working with pop culture subjects. After being named Best Tattoo Artist in Dallas, I relocated to Denver in 2020 to be closer to the mountains and connect with the vibrant art scene here in the city. My private studio, Flow State Gallery, opened in 2023 so that I could curate a more personal tattoo experience for my clients and we’re actually expanding this month to house a few more artists.

Have you ever had to pivot?

For anyone who’s been following me here in Denver for the past few years, you may know I owned another studio, Rebel Muse Denver for 3 years. One of the largest pivot points of my career was deciding to close those doors. The decision to walk away from a business I’d been building towards for over a decade, a successful business at that, was not made lightly.
I simply reached a point where my vision for the studio no longer aligned with my partners. The business model needed to evolve with tattoo culture to benefit the artists more as well as the studio. Since I couldn’t effect that change properly, I removed myself from the system.

Regardless of what your field is, life is full of choices and pivot points. Stay true to yourself and know that doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I listen to audiobooks daily while running, driving, or designing tattoos. There are too many to list here but I’ll note a few. From a business standpoint my best finds are Outliers by Malcom Gladwell, Atomic Habits, Four Thousand Weeks and Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. From a philosophical view, Ishmael might be one of the most important books I’ve read in my lifetime.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dannyelliott.ink
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyelliott_ink
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dannyelliott_ink?lang=en
  Studio Website: www.FlowState.Gallery