Today we’d like to introduce you to Christa Martinez-Chavez.
Hi Christa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Second Ward/East End area. Growing up I’ve always taken an interest in mathematics/physics or systems and Art. My mom saw how much I loved art and encouraged me to apply to HSPVA for high school. I was so happy when I got in!
I’ve always wanted to be a tattoo artist but when I graduated high school I was awarded a scholarship to attend college. This was something my parents weren’t going to let me pass up, especially because as a second-generation child from a Mexican family, I was the first in my immediate family to have an opportunity like this. I accepted the scholarship and went to Lafayette College in Easton, PA.
I love art but I also enjoy logical systems that are used in math/physics. I graduated with honors in Drawing/studio art with a BFA and a BA in engineering science. I continued my education by obtaining my Master’s degree in Industrial Design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
When I returned home, Edward, my husband, encouraged me to do what I really wanted which was tattooing. He encouraged me to find an apprenticeship. Then, I met JR Mendez and he decided to take me on after seeing my work. He pretty much just threw me in! And I did my first tattoo on Edward.
From there friends and family were willing to let me create on them and JR would supervise my work. Eventually, JR trusted me to do work on my own.
I continued doing tattoos and attended the first Villain Arts Houston tattoo convention as a customer looking to get work done. I met two different shop owners who took interest in my work through conversation and offered sponsorship to work alongside them at future conventions. My husband is also a tattoo artist and so we both worked the Dallas, Philly, Chicago, and Wildwood NJ conventions.
Working alongside different artists helped me grow; I was able to learn from several different artists all at once. So many of the artists I worked with were open, welcoming, and willing to collaborate on sharing techniques on how to navigate different styles and designs. For this experience, I am super grateful!
I continued doing conventions and tattooing family/ friends that trust me, so much so that my husband and I have finally been able to open up our own shop.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been smooth at all! College was a huge stepping stone for me because it was a whole new experience, and I met my closest friends there! That being said, everyone hypes college up because it is great, which it is, but they forget to mention that it is hard! Then, trying to find an apprenticeship was also rough because finding an artist to take you under their wing is difficult.
When I first started tattooing, I had also just started teaching high school because I needed income and most apprenticeships aren’t paid. So I’ve now been teaching full-time for five years and also been tattooing for five years. So that is a whole struggle in itself, having to manage family, work, and growing a tattoo portfolio.
Then, during covid (2020) is when we formally started building our tattoo studio, applying for permits, etc. It took a while to get answers from offices because of covid, and it wasn’t until this year (2022) that we finally got our paperwork in order. While we were sorting this stuff out, and while still teaching I found out I was pregnant.
I continued teaching and tattooing while pregnant and worked all the way up to the end of my pregnancy. It was important for me to do this because I don’t get paid maternity leave as a teacher, and I wanted us to be financially okay for the baby’s arrival. I also wanted to make sure I could enjoy the time I would have off with her, and slowly get back to tattooing when I was ready. On December 9th, 2021 little miss baby Francesca Lluvia Chavez was born. And now adding a baby to everything is its own challenge that we are still navigating. We got really lucky that she chose us to be her parents because she is such a calm baby. We do have a great family support system who all love caring for the baby, but we are both still learning to be parents and that has its own obstacles.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
When tattooing I specialize in more collaborative work with the client and telling their stories. Most clients come to me because they like my color work, so I guess that’s my specialty. I would love to do more color realism but haven’t gotten many opportunities to do so. I am excited though because I have a couple of upcoming projects that are color realism, and I can’t wait to show what I can do.
In my grad program, I felt like I almost forgot I was an artist. Because the work was so involved and lengthy, it wasn’t as rewarding. The work I do now directly influences students and impacts the client I collaborate with. There is an immediate response and a relationship being built when tattooing and teaching.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I teach high school art full-time while pursuing my tattoo career. Because so much of my time has been invested in education, I will always be a student first. I always feel like I’m learning something new, even when I teach the kids. Of course, they look to me for tips and tricks for becoming better artists, but I also remind them that even I am still learning. I am not perfect, and I always want to grow.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
In my classroom, I do my best to create a safe space for the kids to take risks in trying new things. Because If anything I want the kids to be able to get out of their comfort zone and experiment. So it’s funny you ask me about risks when I try to also take safe risks however contradictory that is, at least in a workspace. That being said, I think the biggest risk We have taken, (I say we because it’s me and my husband) is taking a leap of faith in ourselves and opening a tattoo business when I know I’m not done learning, I don’t think I’ll ever be.
With my artwork and tattooing I do my best to create beautiful artwork for my clients, and I look at each piece as a collaboration. Of course, I have my own ideas and images I create that I’d love to tattoo, and when a client says they trust me to do what I want I always have ideas ready. But I think it’s a different challenge to be able to create and collaborate with someone in telling their story. This way, I learn about the client and I have to figure out how to represent their vision.
With opening a studio, also comes the risk of any entrepreneurial endeavor. Although it’s risky, I enjoy and manage it because I like systems. This is where I feel my math and engineering science background strengthen the business.
We also opened our business during covid, so we couldn’t get as many clients as we wanted at first, so that was also risky.
Then, I also found out I was pregnant before we even got all of the paperwork in order for the studio! For me, it was scary and risky to bring a baby into all of this because we weren’t done. The business wasn’t ready, we were in a small apartment, and how could we bring a baby into this? I needed the business to be ready so it could be viable and stable for our future and the baby! Of course, people say no one is ever really ready, but it’s all still scary and new! Now, I just hope I can show my daughter that she can do what she wants. She’s now six months, and I’m still working as a full-time art teacher, while growing our business, and learning to be a mom!
The goal is to tattoo full-time so I can spend more time with my family. Right now our studio space is in the same building as my family’s graphics business. The reason I bring this up is because I don’t think I’d be able to take these kinds of risks if I didn’t see it done before.
When I was in high school my dad was laid off from a company he worked for over 20 years, and he had to start all over with my mom. My parents then built a body shop and a graphics business, so seeing him and mom work to make things happen has been my inspiration and driving force. They had four kids they had to feed when they had nothing, but still made it happen by taking a risk to invest in themselves. Without taking risks my family and I wouldn’t be where we are now.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @dibruja
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/sangredeoro.htx
Image Credits:
Jessica Rojas (for the two portraits)
