We recently connected with Elora Schrader and have shared our conversation below.

Elora, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I spent two and a half years in my apprenticeship, trying to soak up as much information and experience as I could. I’ve always wanted to be a tattoo artist so having the opportunity present itself to me was a childhood dream coming true. But it didn’t happen overnight and it definitely did not come easily to me. Being in the shop became my whole life, and I worked long hours for days on end trying to be the best addition to the shop I could be. I met so many incredible artists and to be able to see them in their element, creating beautiful pieces from absolutely nothing, was a beautiful experience for me.

I think that looking back now, there were a lot of things I could have done differently. I’m shy by nature, and while being in this industry has given me new skills in communicating with my clients, I wish that I had stepped further out of my shell with my fellow artists. You end up spending so much time with these people, they start to feel like family. I can also certainly remember times when I should have kept my eyes and ears open and my mouth shut. That’s got to be one of the most important things I’ve learned in this industry. Sometimes it really is better to see and not speak.

It was a bumpy road to graduating from my apprenticeship and receiving my license, and it took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where I am now. But even my worst day tattooing, is better than my best day doing anything else. I wouldn’t take anything back.

Elora, 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 always been fascinated by tattoos and the culture around them. Before being a part of this industry I thought tattoo artists were like rock stars, these larger than life figures putting art permanently onto people’s skin. And they are, but I know now that they are also some of the most complex, intriguing, and beautiful people I’ve ever encountered.

It’s been a long road but I was finally able to open a small private studio. Golden Sheep Tattoo started as little more than a dream, but it has been so magical to watch the brand grow and expand. The work definitely does not get any easier as an owner but it is absolutely worthwhile. I’ve been blessed with many opportunities and unique experiences within my craft, and owning a business has brought many more to me. It’s not just my job, it’s my whole life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Ultimately I have always had two goals in life: To support myself and my loved ones by doing something I love, and to do something that helps people love themselves just a little more. To be a full-time artist is a dream that many people have and so few are able to realize. Working for yourself takes so much more time and effort than just clocking in and clocking out somewhere. I’ve had to really learn to hold myself accountable and how to organize a very messy brain. Now that I am able to live and work full-time doing things I enjoy, my mission is just to continue living my life with absolute dedication to my industry and the people in it alongside me.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

There are a lot of things I think tattoo artists wish our clients knew. There is so much going on behind the scenes that they just never get to see or hear, and some of it is probably pretty surprising. A lot of thought goes into our work, from design to pricing. It’s complicated. Our work doesn’t stop when we leave the shop. It’s a day job, a night job, a weekends and holidays job. We are constantly networking, scheduling, drawing and re-drawing, to give our clients the absolute best experience possible. And we do it out of love, really. Love for art, and love for making people feel more at home in their own skin.

Contact Info:

• Website: Goldensheeptattoo.com
• Instagram: x_gutter_glitter_x
• Facebook: Elora Schrader