We were lucky to catch up with Jeff Williams & Mani Negarestan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff Williams & Mani Negarestan, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Mani: Because of my deep fine art background and spending ample years practicing painting and drawing, when I began tattooing I was able to pick up the techniques much faster. It was pretty much like learning a new medium. Although there’s much more into tattooing than traditional art techniques. There’s no erasing and you’re dealing with a live canvas so there’s a lot more to consider. I also had great mentors which helped me learn quicker and the correct way.

Jeff: Yes, I have lived a full time living with my artwork. I started as an apprentice very early on in my life. Around 23 and I had to work two jobs through my apprenticeship. Upon graduation, my life took off and I had clients booked right away. I was successful with my client retention right away. I do not feel like there is a shortcut in life. You have to take the long road to get where you want to be. Shortcuts don’t allow you to experience the process and fulfillment of hard work.

Jeff Williams & Mani Negarestan, 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?

Mani: I’ve been painting and drawing for as long as I can remember. I began my formal art training in high school and also took private classes to learn different techniques. I didn’t know much about the tattoo industry until i moved to United States in 2010. I discovered a very popular tattoo artist and fell in love with his work which that changed my perspective about art of tattooing in whole. Before discovering the artist, I was under the impression that tattooing was only traditional work. This artist allowed me to fully see all the possibilities and style that new artists were doing. I became fascinated and decided to get into the world of it. It was a very long process and it didn’t work out with my first apprenticeship. Down on my luck, I eventually found an amazing apprenticeship position at a prestigious well known shop and started working there. After graduating my apprenticeship, my skills and clientele took off.

Jeff: I was originally playing basketball in college for several years and had been playing my entire life. Athletics were always my top priority, and art came second. After a few semesters of school, I decided to refocus my life and prioritize art. I started looking for ways I could express myself through art. I fell into the tattooing world by discovering artists in the industry that inspired me in my local area. Eight years into my career, I know this is the best decision I have ever made and this is that path I was meant to be on. Mani and I orchestrated an entire tattoo studio together, which is what makes me the most proud. What we have done in the amount of a year feels like most studios do not reach this milestone until much later in their lifespan. We offer something to the Arlington area that hasn’t been given before and this is done through our fine art.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Mani: I feel like the biggest challenge and in a way turning point in my career was opening our tattoo shop together. I was well familiar with the craft at that point, but learning the business side of things and managing and dealing with people was a whole new challenge. I learned a lot throughout these challenges and grew wiser. Having a great business partner like Jeff was also a blessing. It would’ve been extremely difficult to pull this off without him

Jeff: Around year 4/5, I was getting to a point where I could definitely be at a private studio as opposed to a large shop. I decided against this decision because I had to understand that the more exposure I have to masters in this craft, the more I will be growing and learning my own self. That was the best decision I ever made because these skilled artists were able to continue teach me things that now help me sustain this studio and be as successful as we have been. I am so thankful for the wisdom during this time. Most artists in this industry will strive for independence immediately and it ends up being their downfall because they needed to be patient to learn and develop more skills to be successful.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Mani: The most rewarding part is seeing the happiness and excitement in clients faces when they see the result. It’s great to hear from people how much compliments they get on their tattoos and in some cases how it even have changed how they feel about their bodies. It makes me proud of what I do and wanting to do my best with every single client.

Jeff: Being able to have a new challenge each day. Each tattoo is something new and it really is fulfilling to be able to use your creative powers to make something from an idea that the client had and to see it physically on the client. I just think it’s so cool to be able to build something from nothing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://skyllatattoo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skylla.tattoostudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Skylla-tattoo-studio-61551827159054/
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/skylla-tattoo-studio-arlington