We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sophia Greco. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sophia below.
Alright, Sophia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
This question intrigued me because as a tattoo apprentice, I do have a second job in order to help with financial situations. And so I get a little bit of both worlds every day. I do both mostly 5 days a week. Days off these days don’t really exist for me anymore, but I prefer it that way. I like to stay busy, I like to help people, and I like to create art. Working an every day 9-to-5 job helps me with my customer service skills because it’s important to have that in any business you want to be in. But most importantly, it helps me remember to be patient and kind to strangers under every circumstance. As an artist, I want to create things that make people happy and make people love themselves more every day having it on their bodies.
While getting to work customer service in a grocery store is entertaining, stressful, fun, and all around a very interesting experience; it definitely shows me exactly why I want to be in the line of business I want to be in. Creating art for people that they can carry with them forever. Making people smile is what I look forward to every day. Whether it’s helping them look for pickles or drawing a tattoo that they will have on their arm for the rest of their life. It’s all worth it at the end of the day to have a smile in return.
Sophia , 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?
For starters, I have always kind of been a creative person since I was very little. There was a good amount of people in my family who are also creative so it’s just been naturally around me. Drawing has mostly been my biggest outlet. Since I was super little, I’ve enjoyed drawing faces and eyes. Especially eyes. It didn’t take me until 15 to really actually know what I wanted to do when it came to art tho. I always did it as a hobby, but that changed when my sister Mia met her now husband, my brother in law Knik. He is a tattoo artist. I was very fascinated by my sisters tattoos she got from him and it just sparked my inspiration to be a tattoo artist.
That’s where it started.
I won’t try to sugarcoat it too much, but I will say that it has been a very big journey to get from then to where I am now. I would say I didn’t have the easiest childhood, but not everybody does. So I went through my own personal struggles and things held me back and things pushed me forward. I had to grow up fast. I’ve always struggled with mental health problems as well, it’s been one of the biggest obstacles I’ve had to consistently overcome throughout my life. That’s why I believe I have this urge to help people in any way I can. I know how it feels to be so alone, lost, taken advantage of, abandoned, etc.
I know others may be struggling with a number of things on a daily basis, and sometimes all it takes is a kind smile, or helpful gesture, to turn a rough day into a slightly happier one.
I grew up on all sorts of music, horror movies, and old comedies/movies, so I have a very strange mix in my personality. Some would say I’m also a bit of a weirdo. Spooky, if you will. And it’s true, I like the morbid and macabre, dead and gross kinda stuff. I freak some people out for sure, but that’s ok. I also like things like hiking, camping, kayaking, golfing, bowling, reading, drinking coffee, playing videogames, board games, chess, sewing, cooking(even tho I’m not super great at it.) I’m 26, but I’ve been told I’m the youngest old person people know. But in a way it helps me get along with almost anyone, of any age. Im a good listener and I like to make jokes. So cheering people up is my favorite everyday activity outside of hiking and anything involving nature really.
So now, I’m in a tattoo apprenticeship with Studio Elev8. I’m learning everything I can about the industry, the art, the safety, and the connection with person to person you get through this business. I’m learning how to put my love for helping people into my love for art.
My goal as a tattoo artist is to create unique pieces for unique humans. Something that someone can put on their skin, and feel more confident, and in love with themselves a little more every day. At the end of the day, we are all humans, going through it together, on a big rock. We need more love for eachother out there. Spreading love is the ultimate goal for me.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is taking an idea in my mind and being able to put it on paper for another person. I can use it as a tool to help others bring their dreams or own imagination to life in a way they possibly aren’t able to. Which goes into the most rewarding part. Helping people. It will always and forever be the reason I do what I do.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I have moved more times than I can count on my hands and toes. I don’t know how many elementary schools I’ve been to, but I know I went to 3 junior highs, and 6 high schools. My life has been a rollercoaster of events that never seemed to stop. I lost a lot of care for myself in all of that time, and didn’t want to help myself. I let the hardships and dark sides of life consume my head and I made excuses after excuses, and just fell into bad patterns.
But through all that, I started wanting to change and make change. I wanted to learn to love myself and love life. Now I’m making all the moves I can to get into a better mindset, and environment. I’ve never felt more driven in my life than right now. But I’m still struggling. I’m just doing it with a little more grace, and self respect.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: SaltyRose_art98
