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

Jess, 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.

Learning to tattoo was big decision for me. I knew I wanted to learn for a long time but I also knew I wanted to learn the right way. That meant getting an apprenticeship with a tattoo artist that I looked up to, and that I could learn a lot from! It took me a while to find someone to teach me but I was determined to make it work! I got tattooed at Dillon Forte’s Studio from another artist named Dani. We were talking all day while I was getting tattooed and Dillon ended up reaching out to me the next day and told me he would teach me! It was a dream come true! He was a great teacher and taught me all the skills I needed too start my tattoo journey. He even taught me how to make the needles and we built a tattoo machine! I feel like I will continue to learn and grow in this line of work and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I love that I always feel challenged and inspired.. Tattooing has made me a better artist, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me!

Jess, 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?

My name is Jess Steidler! I started my tattoo journey in Los Angeles, and now I live in Texas working at a beautiful studio in Wimberley with Dillon Forte. I have been tattooing for a little over 3 years and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I absolutely love what I do! My designs are always one of a kind and unique for each person I tattoo. I get my inspiration from my clients intentions for their tattoo, along with inspiration from art deco, art nouveau, and tribal styles! I always make sure to ask if my clients have any intentions they want me to bring into their designs. I think that is something that sets me apart from other artists. I want the tattoos I create to have meaning behind it. For me, getting tattooed has always felt healing, and I love being able to include intentions in my designs so I can bring healing or inspiration to my clients.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Bringing my clients ideas to life is the most rewarding part of my work. New ideas and visions keep me creative! There are so many ways to bring multiple ideas into a tattoo design, and the challenge of that always keeps me inspired. I love seeing my clients faces when we come up with a design that is exactly what they have been dreaming of. Seeing that joy will never get old.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I like to think of the tattoos a create as a puzzle. I have to create a work of art based off of intentions or ideas, and make it fit that person perfectly. It has definitely made me resilient! Sometimes the ideas that I thought would work perfectly actually doesn’t in real life, and I have to work hard to mold that idea to fit the human body. I absolutely love this part of my job because it is a challenge and it keeps me on my toes. I am always open to new ideas, new techniques, and new styles to make the perfect tattoo for my client!      

Contact Info:

• Website: Jesssteidler.com
• Instagram: @itsjesstattoo