We recently connected with Kosta Ostojin and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kosta, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I was around 8 years old, and I was learning how to draw from a friend of mine back in Serbia, which is where I grew up till the age of 10. He drew some designs that looked like tattoo designs and it just spoke to me. From that moment on, I was attracted to tattoos even though noone in the family had any. As I went through my early teens I knew I wanted to pursue tattooing but never thought it would happen. I’d stare at tattoo magazines and the kits they had at the time for $500 wishing I could get one. I’d draw designs, on papers and on friends, giving them their permanent marker tattoos. This all got on pause until my early 20s when I actually found tattooing and thankfully it worked out.
Kosta, 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?
Hey, my name is Kosta. I’ve been a Tattoo Artist for 15 years now. I am originally from Serbia, but have been in the United States since 1998. I’ve always had a passion for Art, and Tattooing specifically. I got into Tattooing in 2009, thankfully to a local shop that took on apprentices. I saw an Ad in the paper and I thought I might as well give it a shot since it’s something that I was afraid of and never thought I was a good enough Artist for. Through the years I’ve learned how to do Art, and Tattoos which slowly gave me confidence to feel better about my Art. I look at it as a never ending progression of Yourself, which has an instant effect on Your Art. It was a slow progression with ups and downs, but I do think that striving towards what I wanted to achieve and believing it will happen made me get to the point where I am now. I mainly specialize in realism tattoos, with intricate details. I love taking the vision that my client has and bringing it to life with my own creative take which my clients thankfully let me have. I think that’s what separates me the most is I try to tell the story that they are looking to express through the tattoo. It goes from sad and meaningful memorial tattoos to just deeper and fun ideas that have some kind of meaning to them. I am most proud of finally opening up my own Tattoo Studio & Gallery after all these years. I always give my all to every tattoo project that comes my way, which once we reach the result makes me proud as well. I love making Art for my clients, and I love doing large pieces that I have creative freedom with. This is something that I worked towards and what I enjoy doing the most while expressing it in as positive of a way as I can.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I would say I definitely have some things driving me from the moment I started on my Tattooing & Art journey. I’m a firm believer of expressing Yourself in a positive manner which I have thankfully held onto over the years. Had a moment where I started slipping off of that path and thankfully realized that creating negative, dark, Art wasn’t the path for me and isn’t something that I think is worth creating. I would say that’s the mission when it comes to Art. To give my clients something beautiful to look at that they can feel, and also express myself through my Art with something that’s going to speak to me, and leave my clients and myself feeling better.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Seeing my client happy at the end of our project is I believe the most rewarding. Sometimes it ends in tears as well through heavier projects, but it’s still smiles. I believe what I do touches and expresses the souls of my clients in a way that not many things can. Also, on the other side just the fact that I get to create Art every day is very rewarding as well to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://SanVitatattoogallery.com
- Instagram: _kosta_o
- Facebook: SanVita Tattoo & Gallery
