Today we’d like to introduce you to Miranda Quinn.
Miranda, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve been tattooing for about 10 years now, mostly out of Houston, but I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Growing up I was around art pretty much constantly. My mother was an oil painter and I went to art classes with her all the time.
I made some friends while I was in High School that owned a tattoo shop close to my house and I started to pay attention to how they were doing the tattoos and how the shop was run. After I graduated I approached one of the artists about an apprenticeship and I started that fall. I was in my apprenticeship for about a year and then went out on my own. I eventually decided to pack up my car and my dog and I hit the road and ended up in Houston in 2010. I’ve worked at a handful of shops with some amazing artists and took a hiatus to start a family and in 2014 I married my husband, Bryan and we had our beautiful Daughter, Zia in 2014. I got back to work in 2015 and in March of 2018, we opened our own shop, Houston Heights Tattoo!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I guess if I had to describe my style of tattooing, I would say it’s mostly neo-traditional, I’m heavily influenced by traditional American tattooing and love the imagery of powerful tattoos. I also really love art nouveau styles and religious imagery. I think that a lot of what I pull from, subconsciously, is what I grew up around. New Mexico is so heavily influenced by the cultures there and it’s everywhere. Mexican and Native American art is at the heart of everything from architecture, murals on buildings, cars, tattoos, jewelry, etc.
I remember seeing people just covered in tattoos when I was a kid and being totally fascinated. It’s not like how it is now, where you see a lot more people with face, neck and hand tattoos. It was more of a rarity and I just loved how it looked. So, I guess my way of doing my paintings, tattoos and anything else I create always has a little bit of where I came from in it. I just hope I am doing tattoos and art that people are proud to wear on their skin or hang in their homes. I want to show that I am always trying to get better and that I really appreciate the trust people give me.
In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
That’s a great question. I feel like it’s never been better and simultaneously worse for artists now who are trying to get any kind of recognition. The internet has become our best friend and worst enemy. On the one hand, it’s never been easier to show your work instantly to a large audience with the click of a button and reach people that might never get to see what you do and give them direct lines of contact to support your art. On the other hand, the constant pressure to remain relevant online and to appear to be constantly holding up your “artist” persona can be mentally and physically exhausting.
People can really pull each other apart and I’ve seen a lot of artists have their work talked down about by trolls on Instagram and it’s really a cowardly thing to do. So, you really have to have a thick skin and let any BS roll off your back. Not being able to afford to take a break from social media to push your business forward can be really frustrating, but like the old saying goes, “nothing worth doing is easy”. I think putting a spotlight on local arts and trying to push people to get to know the people in the community is the best thing that publications can be doing, I’ve seen a couple great artists I know get featured on your website, so I am very honored to be in that group now.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The best way to view my work would be at my shops website, I’m also on Instagram and my most current work is on there. I sell prints of my paintings and occasionally sell an original and you can purchase these online, in the shop or at the pop ups the shop does every second Tuesday at Poison Girl Cocktail Lounge. There are some other great vendors there and it’s run by my great friend Anthony, who owns F*** You, Houston’s Awesome. It’s a Houston based clothing company that is really great. I would definitely say the best way to show support would be to come check out the shop and get tattooed!
Contact Info:
- Address: Houston Heights Tattoo 709 North Loop
Houston, TX 77022 - Website: HoustonHeightsTattoo.com
- Phone: 713-239-0527
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: [email protected]
- Facebook: Miranda Quinn @facebook.com
Image Credit:
All photos taken by the artist, except the portrait of her tattooing, credit goes to Bridgette Arguello.
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
