We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gloria Centurion. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gloria below.

Gloria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I came into tattooing while in community college. i had always been a creative, and would partake in drawing and painting often throughout my life, however it was never a viable option as a career for me then. I was originally going to school to become an English teacher. I had always loved writing and literature and it seemed like the correct option at the time. however i was prompted to attend some art classes at the college to have some creative time in between my more serious classes. While taking these classes i met various professional tattoo artists who seemed stable and well off in their careers. i realized then that the reason I had centered on being a teacher, was because i didnt truly believe i could have a viable career as an artist, but after seeing some proof in the various ways these artists carried along their careers, i finally saw the answer: i had to go for it. i had to jump all in, i had to take a risk.

At this time i had a three year old son, so for me personally, there was a lot on the line. shifting from one very respectable and structurally stable career to a career that few know so little about. i was fortunate to have people around me who supported me, including my partner, who took on massive responsibility while i jumped on that rollercoaster of a path. I am grateful for everyone who helped me along my path, and i am grateful i found the courage to take such a gamble on a dream.

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?

As a tattoo artist we take on many roles, and wear many hats. Personally, i have taken various paths to get to were i am today, all of which have been essential to my education as an artist and as an entrepreneur.

I stumbled into the tattoo industry as i was pursuing another career as an English teacher, if i had not set on that path first, i would have never found my passion as an artist. Once i decided to switch my career path, i got to work on finding some of the best artists in my county to learn from. For a full year i trained and studied under masters of the craft. i took on an unorthodox apprenticeship which wasn’t easy, it was difficult at the time, but once i had learned what i could, i set off to find my own path in the industry. I began small, so as to not take on more than i could, and with time, my confidence grew and i became bolder with my designs and more confident in my application. I never stopped learning, taking on workshops and seminars from artists i admired, both tattoo artists and painters and any professional art instruction i could find that could really add to my skill sets.

Once i became comfortable in the technicalities, I began to focus on the kind of art that had always held an allure for me, the old gothic paintings and surreal landscapes of fantasy artists and began to cultivate a Fantasy Goth style that seemed to me an accumulation of both those awesome worlds. I really enjoy creating ambiance and an overall mood and feel for the tattoo design and i like to capture unique and imagery that is not so commonly used. I tend to stay away from the various and repetitive imagery i see over and over again and I aim to create a more unique tattoo idea, with new and dynamic imagery.

My hope is that when folks come to me for art work they know they will be receiving something unique and tailored to them in a very special way. I hope creativity meets connectivity.

I think that most importantly, our career bring us closer to other humans. Tattooing is such an amazing and deep and tumultuous experience that people really show you who they are, and its such an honor and privilege to be able to service someone in this way. To be able to bring peace and joy and serenity and confidence to people through the transformation of their body is, in my worldview, a sacred act. I am very fortunate to be able to work with so many different people from different backgrounds and cultures.

As an artist i will always aim to better my craft and to cultivate connection. I hope everyone whose path i come across can take something positive from our interaction and i hope i can leave my mark on people for many more years to come.

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.

As artists i believe we are always on the fringes of mainstream society, even artists who are mainstream, operate at a certain level of distance and consciousness. We have perspectives and views on everyday life that are so different from a person who lives on a weekly scheduled job with a confirmed pay date.

I think the biggest issue artists have today and maybe always, is the idea that we don’t work quite as hard as a person at a “regular” job. we have a lot of free time, we don’t work as many hours. These are common misconceptions of the professional artist. We are often not regarded with as much respect or legitimacy as any other professional, which can make it difficult to really build yourself as a professional .There is always the idea that contracts or agreements made with us can be broken or bent, because in the societal view, we lack legitimacy.

As artists we are providers, parents, and heads of household as well, and our legitimacy comes from our sense of responsibility, just like anyone else. We spend hours creating artworks that are specifically for the client, hours of inspiration and creativity that don’t come as easily as may be perceived by the non-creatives. Just as a lawyer reaches back to his knowledge of law and order to take on your legal claim, so an artist reaches into their skill sets of creativity, application and practice to your very permanent work of art. Therein lies our legitimacy and professional integrity.

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

I think that society should treat everything as a creative endeavor. the calculation of numbers is just as much a “gift” as painting a masterpiece. I think this view allows for variety in what we consider legitimate careers, and therefore makes the space for creatives to thrive in their own enterprises.

School can factor so much into this movement, simply by making a career in a creative field a possible option. There are so many creative careers that no one knows about, in art and music and film and television and these options just aren’t made available to most kids. I think more information on these careers should be more open and made available just as the industrialized mainstream careers are.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Centurionart
• Facebook: Gloria Centurion
• Youtube: Gloria Centurion