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

Hi Julia, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

If I started tattooing any sooner I don’t think I would have made it, and I would have regretted starting later. My previous job required me to be ready at a moments notice 24/7. I was an animal caretaker, and I had to be available for the animals at any point if needed. In a strange way this prepared me for clients, because I also have to be available as much as possible just in case there’s a question, concern, or someone cancels last minute and I need to fill the spot. Luckily with the previous experience, I now have a better understanding of the discipline that is required for a job like this. I think without that, I wouldn’t be the artist or person I am today!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Julia Wells, and I’ve been tattooing for almost 3 years now! I’m currently a tattoo artist at Dark Tide Tattoo Studio in Finksburg, MD. I specialize in black and grey realism, specifically portraits and dark creepy things! I enjoy making images come to life and creating something original and not a copy and paste. I love tattooing and always strive to create an atmosphere that everyone feels welcome and safe in. On my website I have detailed information on the tattoo process, booking, aftercare, etc. on that same website is a booking form if youre interested in anything dark and creepy/portraits! I do my best to educate people, so if you have any questions not on the website, I am more than happy to answer questions:)

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn was to be self sufficient. To be able to thrive in this industry you have to be able to rely on others. I always took a lot of pride in figuring things out myself, but at some point you have to realize you don’t have all the answers. It feels good to expand past what you know, especially when it doesn’t just come from the internet! You’ll learn a lot more from a 10-year artist than a 5 minute YouTube video

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

Word of mouth is huge in the tattoo industry, but other things that can help are being active on social media pages, and sharing posts or tattoos of the artists work. This helps get the artists name out there, and can really help with potential clients! Getting a tattoo is the best way to show support, but if you’re still deciding, those are some other great ways to help!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jwellstattoos.com/
• Instagram: jwells_tattoos
• Other: https://form.jotform.com/232977792770170