We were lucky to catch up with Luz Valencia recently and have shared our conversation below.

Luz, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I grew up in South Central, Los Angeles in a small house with five older siblings. My mother was a single parent who, on a minimum wage salary, somehow managed to take care of all of her children. As the youngest, my older siblings did a pretty good job of making sure I stayed away from trouble. This allowed me to focus on my academics and, of course, art. I always joke and say that I think I was able to draw before I could even write my own name because art has always come easy to me.

I was always involved in the arts one way or another. In elementary, I was in the choir and dance. Middle school was all about learning how to play the saxophone and drawing. High school was where I really fell in love with music and put drawing on the back burner. I was in all sorts of ensembles from concert band to Jazz band to even opening for Diana Ross at the Nokia Theatre (now the Peacock Theatre) with my band mates from “A Place Called Home” in South Central. This is when I knew in my heart that my purpose in life was to be a creative.

But, as my high school career came to an end I had to think seriously about what I wanted to do for a living. Yes, art has been my passion for as long as I can remember, but I never actually saw it as a feasible career option. Growing up watching my mother struggle to care for us made me realize that it was up to me to take care of my family. So as the youngest of six and the only one of us who had the opportunity to pursue a higher education, I (seemingly) had no other choice.

I applied for the School of Music at the University of California, Irvine and got in (2014). Although I got accepted to my school of choice and in the field I loved, I decided to switch my major because I knew pursuing a career in music was a risk. The chances of me being successful in music or art in general were slim, so I decided to take the “safe” route and switch my major to Education with a minor in Psychology and Social Behavior. I thought, “I could be a teacher, that’s a safe enough job, right?”. Every year that passed after I made that choice, I could feel my love or the arts dwindling.

Fastforward 5 years (2019) . I graduated from the university and began working as a Behavioral Therapist for an Applied Behavioral Analysis company. As a BT, I worked with children who have been diagnosed with Autism. At first, I loved my job. I loved seeing my clients and watching them grow and knowing that I was a part of their growth. However, as rewarding as this job was, I somehow felt like there was something missing in my life. I thought to myself, “maybe I need to be making more money, Then I’ll be happy.” So I decided to apply for a higher position in the company. By the end of the year, I was the Scheduling Coordinator for the company, overseeing all of the schedules for the therapists and clients from all regions.

January 2020, I had achieved all of my goals; I made it out of South Central, I graduated from a prestigious university, I was able to help my mom financially and yet I was still unhappy. I knew that the only thing I wanted to do was create, but I couldn’t take that risk. Little did I know I was going to be forced to take that risk. Come March 2020, the world comes to a halt. Covid hits and the company, as many others at that time, had some tough choices to make. I knew it was coming. Myself and many others were laid off. Everything I had worked towards was gone in the blink of an eye. I have to admit my initial reaction was to panic. “What am I going to do?!” This was what seemed to be the lowest point in my life. Luckily my partner at the time, Manny was there to calm me down and reassure me that everything would be fine. Looking back, I marvel at how calm he was, almost like he really knew everything would be fine.

Shortly after being laid off, we went to a tattoo shop called Tattoo Revolution in Redlands, CA. Manny had an appointment with the artist, Vince. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to chop it up with a tattoo artist, so naturally I tagged along . As Manny was getting tattooed, I asked Vince a million and one questions about his life as a full time artist. I was amazed and a bit envious that he had my dream job. “Vinnie is living the life!” I thought to myself. I remember telling him, “Man, I wish I could be a tattoo artist and just create all day for a living.” And he asked me what I’ve been asking myself for years; “Well, why don’t you?”

I thought for a second and answered, “I don’t think my art is good enough to be on anyones skin.” He then asked to see some of my artwork. After showing him what little I could find on my phone, he assured me that my art was good enough. We talked for a few more hours while he tattooed. It was during that 8 hour session that I decided to take the risk and finally pursue my passion of being a full time artist. I had nothing more to lose at this point.

That day, September 5th 2020, was the turning point in my life. I got home that day and with my partners full support, I decided to take the risk and invest my savings into getting started on my journey to becoming a self taught tattoo artist. Here we are, almost four years later and I have achieved my dream of being a full time artist working at a reputable tattoo studio (Iconiq Tattoo Studio). To say that I am happy would be an understatement. I can’t believe that I get to create for a living while having the opportunity to meet the most amazing people. I am fulfilling my life’s purpose and I truly cannot see myself doing anything else. If there is one thing I regret in life, is not taking that risk sooner. So, take that risk. You have nothing to lose and everything to win when you bet on yourself.

Luz, 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?

I am a black and grey realism tattoo artist who not only focuses on quality artwork but also on the client experience. I know getting a tattoo can be nerve wracking (especially as a woman) so I do my best to make the whole process as pleasant as possible for my clients. Getting a tattoo, for many is not just about adorning their skin. For most, it is the act of closing a chapter in their lives or opening a new one with beautiful artwork that represents something meaningful to them. My job is to help my lovely clients bring their ideas to life while making them feel comfortable and heard. If you come get a tattoo with me, you don’t only get a tattoo. You get beautiful artwork that will last a lifetime, a safe space to be your unapologetic self and a life long friend.

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

Being able to transform my clients abstract ideas into something tangible and beautiful that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives while helping them feel more comfortable in their own skin with that art is by far the most rewarding aspect of being a creative.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to one day open my own tattoo studio with only female artists. The tattoo industry (like many other industries) is predominantly male and I want to provide a safe space for aspiring female artists to learn and grow in this industry without feeling like they are being taken advantage of or overlooked simply because of their gender.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vixeninks/

Image Credits
Eduardo Torres