We recently connected with Noemi Barajas and have shared our conversation below.

Noemi , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Currently, I am happy as a creative and I will always have good and bad days. Just like any other job comes accountability and responsibility. I am responsible for where I am at now in life and I feel that I need to go further and still advance in my career as an artist and mother. Recently, I have decided to go back to school to further my education and earn a terminal degree in Illustration, so that I may have a regular job. I guess it depends on one’s definition of a regular job, but to me being in a creative industry is not your regular job. Being a creative means working clockwork, sometimes not even for money, but for the craft and getting ahead of one’s own discipline.

Noemi , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started my first artistic career as an artist at age 16.5 working for the Magic Kingdom in Anaheim, California as a portrait and caricature artist. During this time I also began my tattoo apprenticeship and continued to earn my bachelor’s degree in Art. I studied abroad and came back with a new understanding of Art and applied it to my craft. I began my tattooing career in 2006 at a local street shop. I now provide quality tattoos, children’s books, surface design, concept art, spot illustration, and more. What makes me stand apart from other artists is the risks and adventures I have taken as an artist. I’ve tattooed at Area 51, an art museum, Disneyland, to name a few. I am most proud of being able to do my work and tattoo up to one week before delivering my baby. It was a neat time to technically have two people tattoo a person. Having my first child motivated me to continue to work in different avenues of illustration, such as doing kid’s books and surface design. I am also working on a Master of Fine Arts degree that in the future will allow me to become a professor one day. My art is always changing, I never specialized in anything because I continue to grow as an artist and still work to expand my visual vocabulary.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish knew how to have or create a great online portfolio. As our modern times change constantly and technology advances, sometimes it may be hard to keep up with an online presence or trends. I was baffled that after so many years I continued my career as an artist without an online portfolio. It’s important to have a space where companies and clients can view your work, projects, and mockups. I also wish I knew about having an organized client list, software, and programs that can help as tools. Having these resources can help an artist in having a structured artistic career.

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

I think the best thing society can do to support artists or creatives is to buy art from living artists. Supporting each other may also help the creative ecosystem as well as help with educating in traditions, culture, and techniques. It’s important to communicate and document the work that artists do, Society should bring back spaces where artists can hold shows and happenings. Funding the arts and public art I think may help with the creative ecosystem as well to sustain a culturally enriched society and inclusivity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.noemitattoos.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noemitattoos/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoemiBarajasTattoos/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noemitattoos/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/noemitattoos
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTgRI-bYBPmmU9E5IVXZ98A
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/noemi-tattoos-orange

Image Credits
photography by: Michael P. Rios