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

Alright, Mayo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve started doing tattoos very late, usually when you start this career is when you are in your 20’s or before…I was already over 35 when I decided I wanted to try it. I have always loved tattoos since I was a Kid, I got my first one when I was 21 and I kept adding some every year when I could but I used to think me more as someone who would get a tattoo rather than someone who would make them… But I always draw since I was a child, I have memories of me drawing since I was 5 and I got a degree in graphic design for advertisment. At some point I just thought “I love tattoos, I love drawing… why don’t I try this? why it has never occurred to me to try this?” so I did and I loved it and I still love it. I really wish I would have started earlier in my life, I now would be a better tattooer with a more solid career and bigger clientele . Anyway I always tried to be some kind of artist for a living, even when I was thinking I would be a professional musician but that didn’t go so well.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

as I said before I am mainly a tattooer, I do tattoos. I also make illustrations for record covers, merchandise… usually for bands or labels or magazines but i make a living with tattoos. My “style” is pretty rough, minimal, almost basic. It will fit the label “blackwork”, I get a lot of inspiration from the Russian criminal tattoos as well from the traditional western classic flashes. To all this I add my sense of humor, sarcasm and cynicism to get that smile out of you.
One thing I am really proud is the fact that since the beginning of my tattooing, before I was good enough, I have been able to set my own style in my work, all my tattoos and drawings are very recognizable as mine, even if the influences are bold and evident sometimes, I always add something “mine” to it and this is something that gives personality to the tattoo, it makes it kinda unique even when is a very common subject.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

beeing able to support myself doing something that I love so deeply is a great reward already! but to me it’s such a nice feeling when I make a good tattoo or painting and the customer is happy about it, to ink someone especially, that is a permanent body modification, and have them satisfied and happy it’s kinda huge for me, it’s still a special thing, that’s the magic of tattoo.

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

the goal is always to get better. do better lines, do better shadings, beeing able to draw something that is difficult to draw now, do bigger pieces and still keep the style strong. I don’t have a mission but the idea of getting old doing tattoos for a living it’s kinda of a challenge now that everybody think they can be tattooers! so I guess the mission might be keep beeing cool and attractive for tattoo lovers

Contact Info:

• Instagram: crap_man

Image Credits
all pictures by Mayo Maggiore