We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful René Gibson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with René below.

Alright, René thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was 26 years old, I would either get fired or quit every job I had. I never felt like I fit into regular jobs “working for the man” tattooing was something I did for fun in my spare time, it was a slow progression over a few years. Instagram started being a platform that tattooers were using to promote their work so I saw an opportunity to represent myself in a new way as apposed to doing a traditional tattoo apprenticeship. I had zero confidence to try and get a tattoo apprenticeship. instagram really worked in my favor and gave me the tools to make it a full time career and move to USA.

René, 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 got into tattooing because I had lost my job as a bicycle messenger in Auckland New Zealand. I was having a major come down from the amount of exercise I was doing each week and wasn’t doing anymore, so I was sat on the couch most days watching Seinfeld. I started watching Youtube videos of ex convicts teaching you how to make a tattoo machine from a beard trimmer/ tape recorder etc.I made a machine and tattooed myself then all my friends wanted tattoos. I immediately bought a cheap machine from ebay because I was enjoying it so much. I never thought it would be something I would do for a living, it was just something I did for friends for a few years from time to time… it slowly became more and more in the forefront of my life, I was getting better at it and more and more people were wanting tattoos, Instagram became a platform people were using to present their work so I thought why not give it a shot. I made an account and started drawing tattoo designs in a style I thought was cool and new/ fresh etc. it took off like wild fire! that was around the age of 22-26, after deciding to take tattooing seriously I was able to quit my job at the time making burgers and go full time with tattooing, I asked myself what’s the the most scary thing I could do for my career which I thought was to go to new york and tattoo, So I did! fast forward a couple years and a few tattoo tours later and I had a artist visa to live and work in america. its now been 8 years since then and I’m on my second artist visa and live and work in Los Angeles, I still frequent to New York and some other major countries but I’m glad to call LA home, I primarily focus on fine line tattooing with solid black shading.

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

I just want to make tattoos that I think are cool, timeless. different and new, but also have a nod to the history of tattooing. I like the idea of a tattoo I’ve made still being clear and visible on someone whos 80 years old. thats a really nice thought. I hope to see that some day ! seeing how happy clients are after I’ve made a tattoo is the best feeling. its that simple. it brings me joy.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

spend money on local artist.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @rene__gibson
• Other: [email protected]