Meet Adrienne Lysette | Tattoo Artist

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

Hi Adrienne, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I’ve always been quite vocal about my qualms with the body art industry. The glamorization of being a tattoo artist led to oversaturation, a culture built on exploitation, hazing, and unregulated workplace harassment. Many shop owners repeat the cycle of mistreating their apprentices and employees just as they had been at the beginning of their careers. Financial exploitation is super common; speaking from experience and the experience of other artists I know, many apprentices and 1-2 year artists typically work by commission, where a studio owner can take 70%-50% of their revenue. This is just the reality of a lucrative industry where workplace standards and regulations aren’t strictly set. I hear a lot of complaints online about how “tipping culture has gone too far” or how “Tattoo Artists overcharge.” Tattoos are a luxury; if you can’t afford to be generous, saving up to go to an artist you like is never a bad idea. Tips go directly to the artists. With that being said, tips are greatly appreciated but not mandatory. Tip if you feel like your artist did well and made you feel comfortable during your session.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I like to consider the root of my drive to center around cultural preservation. Filipino and Eastern Paraphanelia inspire a lot of my work. One of my staple designs is Baybayin calligraphy, an ancient Filipino alphabet. I took it up as a way to reteach myself Tagalog and reconnect with my heritage. I also hope it can help other Filipino Americans to feel less disconnected from their roots.
I had initially started tattooing during a gap semester. I signed up for a major I wasn’t as passionate about as I had thought. Growing up as a second-generation Asian American, I know my parents were always supportive no matter what path I took, but I know they would preferred I chose a more stable career path. My parents signed me up for extracurriculars in the arts, and I naturally leaned toward that. Growing up with immigrant parents, you are relentlessly reminded of their sacrifice of moving to an unfamiliar culture away from your friends and family, all for the hope of a better life. To this day, I struggle with the cognitive dissonance of adhering to the Filipino philosophy that you are an extension of your family and community but adapting to American ideologies and later hyper-fixating on my individuality. Early on in my apprenticeship, I was surrounded by other Asian Americans. We all understood what it was like to prove to our families that tattooing could be a viable career path while simultaneously pursuing alternative career paths to serve as a safety net. Having that sense of community had a massive impact on me. Close friends and mutuals from Uni were kind enough to let me practice on them, and I am eternally grateful for their trust. I’m also thankful for my parents; I can tell they’re proud even though I didn’t become a nurse/doctor/engineer/lawyer.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
During the week I’d take them to all the touristy spots in the city assuming it wouldn’t be too busy and if the weather permitted. The Dallas World Aquarium has a unique interior with leveled exhibits. Friends from out of state like to compare the lay out to Ikeas, a clear closed walkway with stops that completely immerse you. The building itself is an open exhibit since you can see free flying birds. The Aquarium also isn’t too far of a drive from the Perot Museum, on Thursdays during the Spring, Summer and early fall they have adult nights. There’s live music, food trucks and adult beverages. You can explore the museum without the large crowds of families during the day. Dallas also has a fairly large underground music scene. Every so often when you walk around downtown there are hidden advertisements pasted on poles and buildings with QR codes to these events. If you’re an avid EDM fan there’s a rave/show going on every weekend. Half an hour north of Dallas, there’s Frisco. I grew up in the next town over and it’s rapidly growing, traffic sucks but there’s a lot to do now! Grandscape in the Frisco/Colony is a nice area to go on dates, in the spring and summer there’s loads of events on weekends. There’s a variety of restaurants to choose from (Red Phone Booth and Akira Back are my personal favorites). It’s best to go with a big group of friends but I recently tried out The Great Big Game show, it was a lot of fun! It’s a spot on simulation of participating in a game show. Puttery is the go-to date spot if you ask any local. It’s an immersive Mini Golf and Bar fusion, they have locations in New York, Chicago, Miami, etc.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friends first and foremost. I’m so blessed to be surrounded by other self-employed creatives who work with different mediums. I think it’s especially important to surround yourself with likeminded people, even if they don’t consider themselves artists. I learn a lot from friends who are photographers, hair stylists, sound engineers/producers, chefs, illustrators and those in graphic and UX/UI design. Art can’t be categorized as single practice because it involves people, psychology and feelings evoked from different senses other than visual or tactile. It’s good to remind yourself that you’re not alone in your endeavors in a competitive market, we’re always conforming and contorting ourselves as young adults. Special shout out to my old coworkers (Danielle, Keana, Tara Vy, Mikey, Michael and Kat) from the first studio I worked at, we all ended up in different places. I wouldn’t have gotten through my first year in this field without them.

Instagram: @lys.ttto

Image Credits
Portrait Photographer: Mikey Dinh, @iam.mikemo