Meet Paloma

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paloma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paloma, how do you think about risk?
I graduated Texas State University with a degree in Communication Design during the peak of the pandemic in 2020. At this point, no one was hiring and the first rounds of people to be laid off in big corporations were the advertising/marketing departments. Which is where I’d be entering if the pandemic hadn’t even happened. I was offered the opportunity to apprentice in the midst of the world and my internal world chaos. I decided I had to pivot, since I didn’t have anything else lined up for me.

As I was about 8 months into my apprenticeship, I was offered an art direction position with a company and I turned the offer down because I had made it so far. Making this decision was such a huge risk I made because I turned down a good paying job for something that could have backfired. It definitely ended up paying off and I can honestly say I love what I do, even on the difficult days. If I hadn’t made the leap, I probably would be working a 9-5 that I don’t feel passionate about. I also get to work with some wickedly talented people, I’m always learning, and everyday is never the same.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Before tattooing became my main occupation, my primary art forms were oil painting, woodcut relief prints/printmaking, ink drawings, and frame by frame animation. Because life is tumultuous and ever-changing I stopped painting and making my own art as I had to focus on surviving during the pandemic. Now that I’ve settled into my new home Third Eye Gallery, I’ve been able to slowly focus back into my personal artwork. So I’m really excited about updating my body of work!

I had to work crazy hours and several jobs to accommodate my apprenticeship and rarely slept. I learned so much about my resilience and drive. I was definitely stretched very thin and felt like giving in during so many points of my experience. But in the back of my mind I reminded myself I can’t let all the hard work go to waste and to see it through. I’m so glad I did. Now I’m in control of my schedule and prioritize my health, which gives me the energy to create more. 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am very grateful for my biggest art mentor, my cousin Roque Mendez. IG: @myidiothearttattoos He’s such a well rounded artist that I’m incredibly inspired by. Roque recognized my artistic abilities when I was younger and would push me to draw more. When I was 13, he began his journey as a tattoo artist and made me realized that making a living off of art was such real possibility for me. He got my foot in the door and I’m eternally grateful because I know a lot of artists don’t have the privilege of having a relative in the industry. I’d also like to shoutout Char McGaughy and Gold Dust Tattoos for giving me a home for the first 3 years of my career. I learned so much with them. <div>
</div><div>The biggest support came from my mom and sisters. I’m so grateful!! They were there for me during the really tough times, no one really got to see. My mom made sure to keep me well-fed and gave me so many pep talks to keep going. I love my mom and sisters!!! 💜 </div>

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palomatatu/

Image Credits
Tattoos done by me, Paloma.