Meet Elise Pimentel | Tattooer & Aerialist

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

Hi Elise, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I think that going into the arts is one of the scariest things that I’ve ever done. Every avenue I have encountered to monetize creativity comes with an insane amount of risk. First of all, the sheer size of the community is super daunting because there’s so many others out there doing what you’re doing… so the idea of not being financially successful is always in your mind. Artists are particularly cruel to themselves because we are such harsh critics of our own work, so slow times are often financially and mentally rough. Second, you have to be careful with doing something you love for money. Your passion becoming your job can remove a valuable component from your life when you no longer want to create for yourself and the therapeutic value of it. I feel like to choose a creative career, it has to be the only option for you. You have to either want it so bad that you wouldn’t be able to accept another life, or you have to find something else – for me there’s really nothing else. If I don’t work in a creative field, I just want to do some random mind-numbing thing that allows me to get by. That would also probably make me miserable…. So again, I feel like art is the only choice haha

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I don’t know that I agree that it “sets me apart” but I like to think what makes a tattoo session with me memorable is the connection that we create together during a session. I think that when two passionate people collide over a common interest, that magic can be made there. I believe that a spiritual connection is fostered when my clients tell me their stories, their reasons and their pains and we can connect within the artwork as a form of healing. The space that I hold for my clients is sacred and I want for the experience to be amazing and therapeutic for them. Getting to this place hasn’t been easy, and there’s been a lot of bumps along the way – first that comes to mind is the anxiety of tattooing. When I first learned my trade, I already came equipped with anxiety and the idea of putting something on someone’s body for life did not come without more fuel to that fire. The process of growing confidence in myself and in my abilities took time. My mindset for overcoming is to try to keep it simple and do the very best that I can do every single day. That “best” may look different from day to day, but giving my all is what matters. Another valuable lesson that I’ve learned is not to be greedy. I am a well-rounded artist and I can work amongst many styles, but if I don’t feel confident with my ability on a certain request, it’s my moral obligation to let my client know, and to even help them find someone who would do their piece absolute justice. This is my career and it’s how I feed my family, but I have to remember my mindset about the sanctity of this space and what we do here. There are too many amazingly talented artists for me to be hoarding everything that comes my way without regard for what’s best for the tattoo.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The sheer amount of possibility amongst the DFW metroplex is overwhelming, and to be honest some of the best times happen by chance. A lot of times the best day ever happens by romanticizing the norm, and by going where the road takes us. I love to frequent small family owned businesses and recommendations. I’d probably say we start almost every day by going to a local coffeehouse or brunch spot, grabbing some coffee and asking for recommendations for a specific kind of food.

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?
First and foremost – my parents deserve so much credit in my story. My parents have supported me through every life change and situation I’ve ever endured. My father is a creative forced into the working class to support his family. So he’s never been short of the reminder that you can’t always make a life doing what you love, but continued to support me regardless of my decisions. His pride motivates me every single day. My mom has always encouraged what’s right for my heart and soul. My mentor and best friend, Paula Diamond has taught me so much of everything that I know. When I met Paula I was coming out of a toxic relationship, on the very cusp of actual adulthood and she saw something in me and believed in me through the roughest times of my life. She apprenticed me and taught me everything she knows about running a successful tattoo shop, being a well-rounded tradeswoman and believing in myself. It’s an absolute honor and pleasure to get to do this life side by side with her after all of these years.

Website: www.diamondtattooparlor.com

Instagram: @wildivye

Other: wildivye@gmail.com

Image Credits
Image of me tattooing credited to: Beau Cardwell // @beaucaptures