We were lucky to catch up with Travis Sleeper recently and have shared our conversation below.

Travis, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?

I would be lying if I said embarking on a journey down a creative path was anything less than an emotional roller coaster. The reality is, as soon as I decided that I was going to make a living being a tattoo artist, I became emotionally invested and ‘burnt all my ships to retreat,’ so to speak… I have experienced so much on my journey. In my earlier years, I was homeless, keeping my fingers crossed that I’d find enough clients to tattoo, making enough money to pay for another week in a hotel. I struggled desperately to manage my funds to stay stocked up on my equipment, to keep tattooing. I had other artists hate on the tattoos I was capable of creating with the skill set I held at the time. I’ve had countless sleepless nights where I felt like I was going down an aimless path and the odds were against me. I couldn’t even tell you how many times I broke down behind closed doors, thinking I needed to get a stable job…

The reality is, the odds are definitely against anyone trying to pursue a career as an artist. When I see a phenomenal artist these days, I know they didn’t wake up one day, grab a tattoo machine, and produce a phenomenal piece of art. I firmly believe that pressure makes diamonds, and the reality is that the pressure can and will be extremely heavy. In over a decade working in the tattoo industry, I’ve seen so many artists quit, and I completely understand why. It’s extremely heavy at times to keep moving forward when you don’t always know if you’re moving forward. When I see a phenomenal tattoo, I see thousands of sleepless nights, the stress from their peers, the endless financial insecurities, and the fear of failure, all channeled as motivation to grow in their craft as they kept moving forward. I see how skilled they’ve become at shutting off everything in their mind that could break their concentration. I see the level of time, care, and connection they poured into art because they became emotionally invested and kept pursuing against all the odds. From all of that, I see the spirit they pour into their work.

I am grateful to be a tattoo artist because I’ve managed to find fulfillment. I can pour every learning experience I’ve gone through during my journey into one project at a time. No matter what I’ve gone through, it hits different to watch something positive come from it. I get fulfilled watching people light up when they are checking out their new tattoo in the mirror. I get fulfilled being able to tattoo at people’s weddings, knowing it will be unforgettable. I get fulfilled that I’ve been able to give back to the community through charitable events. I get fulfilled that I’ve been able to connect with thousands of people during my time fumbling around trying to figure out how to be a successful artist. I am happy being a tattoo artist because I fought hard to be here. I’m not sure I would’ve lucked out doing something else that would allow me to form such a deep appreciation and fulfillment!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Travis Sleeper, and I have over a decade of experience in the tattoo industry! Currently, I’m tattooing exclusively in downtown Austin by appointment only at Golden Heart Tattoo Temple. Throughout my tattoo journey, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to build a strong clientele who has supported me over the years. Some have even traveled internationally, from places as far as Korea and Italy, just to get tattoos from me! I am forever grateful for the thousands of people I’ve been able to connect with over the years. Working individually with clients to bring their ideas to life on their bodies has fueled me through every obstacle I’ve faced to get to where I am today.

I entered the tattoo industry through an unconventional route, without a formal apprenticeship. In an industry solely driven by self-motivation, taking the path I did required extreme drive, patience, and humility. More often than not, individuals picking up a machine without a mentor tend to put it back down. Navigating an industry that is constantly evolving without guidance is extremely difficult, and I am no exception to that fact. While I may not have learned the fundamentals from a single mentor, I’ve had countless mentors throughout my journey. Maintaining an open and receptive mind has been the biggest blessing from the path I’ve traveled.

I remember my biggest goal when I first started in 2012 was to be recognized as a legitimate professional. It took me two years of relentless scouring every available online resource until I put together a decent enough portfolio to secure a chair in a tattoo shop. It’s important for the world to understand that merely working in a tattoo shop doesn’t make someone a professional artist. Most artists working in a tattoo shop are still in their early developmental stages. This is the harsh reality of the tattoo industry behind the scenes, although being immersed in the shop environment allowed me to grow exponentially toward that direction. I’ve worked in multiple tattoo shops, acquiring knowledge from countless artists in my pursuit to grow artistically and give back to my clients. Even to this day, I am constantly searching for knowledge I have yet to obtain.

I can happily say that I’ve successfully established myself as a professional and reputable artist. As the industry continues to grow with new artists entering the scene daily, my main focus these days is providing my clients with a quality tattoo experience. I’ve been blessed with the trust of so many people around the world, and I don’t take that for granted. My journey started with small names and has evolved to larger and more intricate projects on a daily basis.

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

I definitely have a goal or mission driving my creative journey. I realized a while back, through my experiences, that striving to be labeled as the best is a very self-seeking goal that breeds far too many insecurities and inflated egos, which actually drives more people away. I am where I am today because of the support from the people I’ve had the privilege to tattoo.

My mission is to provide my clients with a top-notch experience. I want people to feel like they are in good hands from the moment they walk in. I want them to feel heard, comfortable, and to recognize the time and thought that went into designing their piece. I want them to enjoy the vibe throughout their tattoo session, all the way to their photoshoot at the end. I want them to leave feeling better than they did when they walked in and to be reminded of that experience every time they look at their tattoo.

I’m a firm believer that art has the power to hold the energy it was created with, and people will naturally gravitate towards that. I want to show the world that tattooing can be a prestigious form of art that brings people together rather than creating division. Through this mission, I will personally have endless opportunities for growth, allowing me to continue pursuing something I’m passionate about without ever having to settle and call it just a job.

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

We are living in the age of algorithms. The most simple and effective way to support an artist is to like, comment, and share their work on social media. An artist needs a community to thrive, and this simple act allows them to gain more visibility to future clients. Even the busiest tattoo shops are operating on borrowed time without social media exposure because, more than likely, there is another shop within a 5-minute distance from them. A storefront alone is not enough to survive in the direction the world is heading.

Another way to support an artist is to respect their artistic process. Every artist is running their own business, and we all vary in styles and processes. Therefore, each artist has different systems in place for booking and charges different prices. One artist may charge $30 for something while another charges $100. Although each artist has different levels of experience, uses different equipment, and offers different tattoo experiences to their clients, it’s important to respect them as individuals and not group them as a collective.

Lastly, keeping your word and being punctual when scheduling an appointment is crucial. Tattoo artists aren’t naturally the most organized people, but it’s a skill that is developed. Many artists, including myself, are operating in a state of being overwhelmed. While it’s manageable, they are still overwhelmed. Depending on how far they have progressed in their craft, they can be managing a schedule filled with 30+ people with new inquiries coming in daily. Every artist will appreciate punctuality and the peace of mind knowing that when they schedule a client, that person is 100% committed.

Personally, I am blessed to have an amazing clientele that I’ve gained over the years. However, the path to get there is often paved with people booking days and then no-call, no-showing. This not only causes an artist to lose the money from that appointment, which keeps their business and livelihood afloat, but it also takes away the possibility from another person who would have happily shown up if they could have planned for it.

Contact Info:

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