We recently connected with Victor Policheri and have shared our conversation below.

Victor, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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?

Happy is a difficult measure to use as an artist I think. I knew very early on that I wanted to pursue an artistic career, and at times it has made me incredibly happy, and others absolutely dismal. It is a roller coaster ride. It often depends on where you are at with your work. When I feel accomplished and productive I am ecstatic about it. But other times it can be a real struggle, and can really get you down. But at this point I’ve been in it for so long, I can’t imagine having a ´regular job´. Sink or swim, this is what I do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began tattooing in 1993, when I was 18 years old. I dropped out of the University of Minnesota after one year, but not before taking out a last college loan and buying tattoo equipment. Back then there was no Youtube and the tattoo shops that were around were not eager to share their knowledge. There was a book that was available from tattoo magazines at the time, ´Huck Spaulding; Tattooing A-Z´. I ordered that book, as well as a kit to build my first machine and solder my needles. I learned to build the machine and make the needles, as well as the beginning of my technique from that book. Honestly, thinking about it now… it’s scary. But I figured it out and began my journey that way. I had the fortune that in that period, there were a lot of people doing something similar, as the tattoo industry really blew up in the 90´s and 00´s. I was fortunate to get to ride that wave. When I began I did not think I was starting a career that could be the 30 years it’s been now, or that it could take me around the world. I used to (mid-90s) pack my tattoo gear on my motorcycle and do tattoo tours around parts of the midwest and western part of the US. When winters kept me off of 2 wheels, I would do it by Greyhound. I would go to towns or cities where I had a contact or two, and rustle up work to last me for a few weeks. That often would mean just going to the bar with my portfolio. It was always kind of crazy to me that it worked, but it did for years.
In the middle of the 90s I moved from Minnesota to Seattle where I made the decision to take my work to the next level and became a professional and began working in shops. Working with professionals, as well as starting to work in tattoo conventions was an incredible learning experience, and helped me raise my level to a point that really started to attract some attention to me. I had the fortune to work in some of Seattle´s best shops before moving to Europe in 2007.
I had always dabbled in painting to some degree, but began to take it more seriously as I moved around Europe. I lived first in Barcelona, then moved to Gothenburg, Sweden. It was really an incredible period in my life and career. I worked in some great shops, as well as working many international tattoo conventions. On the side I was painting and taking prints to sell with me on my travels. Five years ago I moved from Gothenburg to Pamplona, Spain, where I opened my own shop. My shop has a beautiful gallery in the front of it, where I also keep a corner where I can paint. Tattooing has been slow here in Spain, but really I enjoy focusing more on my paintings these days. I frequently travel around Europe for conventions and guest spots, as well as back to the US. I get in a lot of great work on those trips and it helps keep ends meeting when things are slower at home.
We’ve come to a time when there are so many artists out there, and their success has more to do with their savvy with social media more than their actual skill. Instagram is full of super doctored photos of very fresh tattoos that are not going to look good in 2 weeks, and way worse in 2 years. I struggle to remain relevant on social media, as the algorithm and I seem to be at odds. But I’m at a very satisfying point in my career: I still love what I do, and many of the old frustrations have fallen away. Skin can be a very difficult medium and much of the advice in how to handle it was often contrasting and unclear. These days, I know skin. I am at home with a tattoo machine in my hand, and instead of struggling, I can focus on making the most awesome works I can.
I would say something similar about painting. I have more time with it and enough experience that I can really focus on developing my vision.
I think it´s not too hard to see in my paintings that the vision I’m exploring is heavily influenced by my psychedelic experiences in my past. ´Psychedelic artwork´ often implies swirling colors and melting landscapes. For me it is more about asking the questions about the nature of reality and consciousness. What are the roots behind ancient symbols? What lies just beneath the surface? Where does consciousness go when it´s not here, now?

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

This journey and career have taken me around the world. I have resided in and worked professionally in three different countries, as well as worked temporarily in many more. I have always loved travel and seeing the world and that has been a major driving force for me. But that comes with it’s own challenges. When I left Seattle I had worked there for 12 years and was established and known there. Moving to a new country means you start all that all over. In addition, the challenge of a new language is truly a mountain to climb. I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve become fluent in Spanish. After living in Sweden for 7 years I moved and returned to Spain. It meant starting over, again. And it has been difficult. We moved to Pamplona for my wife to take a position as a scientist. I came in, probably a bit over confident, with the attitude, ‘build it and they will come’. I immediately invested and built a beautiful shop and gallery space here. But in addition to starting from scratch, after not too long a world-wide pandemic swung in and really put a wrench to things. My shop is fantastic, and I love it, but it is unsustainably slow. I make up the difference by traveling and working. And as for my resilience… while I can’t tell you the future of my shop here, there is no doubt in me that I will still be making tattoos and paintings, somewhere, for a very long time.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Though at times it can be as difficult as it is rewarding, one of the best aspects of the creative lifestyle is forging your own path. It lies in shaping the use of your own time according to your own priorities. You are often left struggling and hustling, and there is no safety net. But at the core of it is the satisfaction of doing it for yourself, your way, instead of living to satisfy the whims of the boss, bending to corporate sensibilities, or worrying about the profits of shareholders. I don’t know what artistic mark I will leave on the world. But I have traveled a path that has been nothing short of wondrous!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.viptattoo.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/viptattoo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RainDogsTattoo/

Image Credits
All photos by me.