Meet Westley Pariah | Tattooist & Visionary

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

Hi Westley, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Consistency. There’s a reason that people go to a specific artist for tattoos. It happens to all of us. Someone gets a tattoo, loves it, then they go home and show their family, and in the following weeks they show their friends, coworkers, and even just random people on the street who ask about it. When someone sees a tattoo that is well done, they ask where the person got it. Soon after, the schedule of that artist starts filling up! When your work is consistent, you become consistently busy.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Im not sure what sets me apart from the crowd in tattooing. I just always try to maintain my foundations of tattooing, and I approach most tattoos the same way. Again, consistency is key. I think my excitement stems from the fact that we permanently change someone physical appearance, and the idea that someone’s quality of life will be greatened by the tattoo I am about give them. The post-tattoo smiles are contagious!

I think I got to where I am today with the chances people took on me to tattoo them. Repetition of techniques, similarities in design composition, consistency in drawing skills… the list goes on. I constantly remind myself that drawing is the #1 thing to becoming a better tattooer. In the words of my mentors, drawdrawdrawdrawdrawdraw! Getting to the next level of drawing, producing art, and tattooing is solely dependent upon the individual’s aptitude and ability, and my story is no different. Putting my nose to the proverbial grindstone is how I got this far, tattooing every day, and learning from the mistakes I have made along the way.

I would really just like the world to know that my books are always open, and when you get a tattoo from me, it’s for life!!!!!

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.
I would probably suggest places to eat such as The Bearded Lady, Oni Ramen, Terra, Charlie’s old fashioned burgers, Torchy’s Tacos, Lieu’s Vietnamese, Juanito’s, Taqueria y Carniceria Dos Hermanos, and Galligaskin’s, just to name a few. Well, more than a few. I like food, so that would be most of the trip.

Any of the city parks that Fort Worth has to offer are a fun place to go, from Zboas with all of its trees and park systems, to the Trinity River walk next to the water, which spans a good length of the city, boasting some of the best views of the Fort Worth skyline. Merriam Sansom park has some awesome hiking trails, and has a cool dam to boot, just beware of mountain bikers! Lastly, Fort Worth Botanical Gardens and the Nature Reserve are both wonderful places to see cool plants and animals.

The Main Street Art Festival and ArtsGoggle shows every year are a lot of fun to go to, see the vendors and artists, and it never fails that you will run into at least 1 person you know.

Of course the trip wouldn’t be complete without the night life, and 7th street has some of the best to offer. Whether it’s bar hopping, catching a game on the TV, having some late night munchies, seeing live music, or just going to see what’s what, this is a pretty popular area for all of that. Or we could stay in and play video games. The options are almost endless.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The utmost credit and respect go to Jon Hill, Cody Fuller, and Dayton Ivey. Jon gave me my shot at an apprenticeship, and eventually we ended up at Bonehead, where Cody let me start tattooing. Dayton continues to motivate me as an artist, and I continuously learn techniques and tricks that I apply to my own tattooing.

I would not be where I am in my career, or my life, today if these 3 guys hadn’t taken a chance on me, and I try to make them proud through my work as often as I can.

Instagram: @pariahtattooist