Today we’d like to introduce you to Vito Torres.
Vito, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My very first memories in life were revolved around tattoos. With my father being an artist/tattoo artist, I was no stranger to the lifestyle. As many children are encouraged to draw in elementary school, my attempts stood out. While most people stop, I continued drawing all throughout my younger years exploring different mediums such as graphite, charcoal, aerosol paint, etc. At the age of 18, I entered the realm of tattooing. I had asked my dad to show me how to tattoo at a much younger age, but his response was always no. One day he called me and asked “Do you want to tattoo one of your friends?” I immediately responded with the obvious answer. I never intended on being an artist for a living, but eight years later, here I am.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I’ve dabbled into many different styles of tattooing. It’s a good thing to be well rounded. What I enjoyed the most was definitely black and grey realism. That probably came from growing up Hispanic and seeing mostly Chicano black and grey style tattooing. I generally create very soft and smooth blends of gray wash ink portraying family portraits, animal portraits, roses, etc. I do hope that people pay attention to the detail that I put into every one of my pieces. I want my clients, future clients, or even simply just fans of the art to zoom and see all the fine details that create the whole.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
I was attending college at the time and I never started tattooing for the possibility of making money. I truly did it because I wanted to learn a new medium, more so a hobby. Little did I know I would be hooked and wanted to tattoo any chance I had. It consumed me and that’s when I realized I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. At first, I didn’t make much due to my skill level and a small amount of clientele. With practice and time, I eventually got better and my clientele base grew.
Art careers are different because you get in what you put out. Ask yourself, if money wasn’t an issue, would you still be doing art? If not, then you should choose a different route. Doing something you love goes a long way because it brings passion to the table. When you put your all into something, it has a different feel to the viewer. I recommend anyone pursuing an art path to really put themselves into the art. You can’t do that if you aren’t passionate about what you do. Financial problems eventually go away, because the authenticity brings you enough work and you’ll be happy inside besides just financially.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Anyone is also welcome to come to the Red Eye Gallery Tattoo Studio in Downtown Houston. I’m on Instagram, @elvatovito. I’m currently working on a website, so follow me to stay tuned. There are many ways to support my work. Getting tattooed would be number one but even the small things go a long way, like simply liking my post or referring me to a close friend or relative. I appreciate every one of my clients because I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the trust and support of anyone that likes my art.
Contact Info:
- Address: 804 William St Houston, Texas 77002
- Phone: 8329867506
- Email: artbyvito@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @elvatovito
Image Credit:
Vito Torres
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