We were lucky to catch up with Julia Penza recently and have shared our conversation below.

Julia, appreciate you joining us today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

I have had the ability to draw and think logically since childhood. Despite the craving for drawing, it turned out that after graduating from school I continued to study in the aviation field, and then received a higher education with a degree in organization management. My education allowed me to gain rich experience in logical and managerial activities. For many years I worked as an IT manager. The work was related to the analysis of the company’s business processes and their improvement using software. This is a very interesting job, it develops logical thinking. It is logical thinking that helps me quickly master any other skills. Despite the fact that people consider drawing to be an exceptional gift, I believe that, first of all, drawing is a huge analytical work on the perception of objects, processing information and transferring it to a sheet of paper. Self-taught artists master this profession through constant analysis: comparison of color, proportions, texture, light and shade, figure, etc. Also, thanks to this skill and diligence, I quickly succeeded in art and then in the tattoo industry.

Julia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As I already mentioned, I have been drawing since childhood. I never left this activity, despite the fact that my work experience was related to logical activity. Drawing was a hobby that brought me some extra income. My move to the USA forced me to change my main type of work and plunge into the world of art. At first I worked at a children’s creative center as an art teacher. Then I opened my own art school. The opening coincided with the coronavirus. Therefore, all my expectations turned into a struggle for survival. I had to look for ways to earn money to pay the rent of the premises. Teaching children how to draw online helped me greatly with this. After 1.5 years, I came across an ad on Facebook looking for an artist. It turned out that the tattoo shop was looking for an apprentice. I was skeptical about this work, because… I was afraid of the pressure that I would have to get a tattoo to fit the image of this profession. It should be noted that this is a great test of professionalism. People wonder why I don’t have tattoos, but the answer doesn’t matter to them because the level of my work is more important to them. First of all, they appreciate the quality of my work. Without tattoos, you have to try even harder. The first year in the tattoo business, it was quite difficult to answer the question about having a tattoo. However, within a year I had reached a high enough level that this issue became completely unimportant. While interviewing at the tattoo shop DC Society Ink, John Kural and Dave Bautista accepted me into their team, taking into account only my portfolio. Now I am already a popular tattoo artist who has won many awards, including international ones. Professional magazines write about me. I am invited to the jury. Commitment to my work despite stereotypes allows me to be proud of myself and move on. A year ago, an idea came to me – to create a new type of tattoo needle that would make it easier for beginning tattoo artists to create smooth shading. My idea is currently being reviewed by the US Patent Center. This process takes a long time. Looking back, I am surprised how I was able to reach such heights in such a short time. I am definitely proud of myself and grateful to everyone for the support and opportunities that I have been given in life.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love my job very much. It’s about self-expression and recognition. There is a direct, fair relationship between what you do and what you get. The higher your professionalism, the higher the level of income, the level of recognition, the number of satisfied clients, the higher the motivation to strive for something more.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I am driven by the desire to enjoy what I do and the desire to reach new heights.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @juliapenza.tattoo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558093324553&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Image Credits

Julia Kushniruk is a photographer of me (only 1 picture)