Today we’d like to introduce you to Cat Myrick
Hi Cat, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Im fairly certain that I started my journey as an artist with crayons; the gateway of the art supplies. Almost immediately the crayons got me into trouble and established that, even at 4, I wasn’t a fan of being told to suppress my creativity and that cats couldn’t be purple.
Eventually I was onto markers, colored pencils, and that watery version of paint that you give to kids, but before I knew it, I was spray painting and experimenting with all the mediums.
Things escalated quickly when my high school art teacher, mrs mckerns, opened my eyes to the world of abstract painting but they really took off when I met a couple of designers by the name of JR and Paula Lysy while living in Pittsburgh PA. Discovering that my creative capabilities weren’t limited to traditional mediums or means of creating; fueled this desire to continuously learn and expand my imaginative capacity.
I didn’t start tattooing until later in my life. I had always wanted to tattoo but my parents were hardworking tattoo-less farmers and when I pitched the idea of an art major for college, I was told that if I wanted to eat, I would need a more practical degree. So, I got a couple of degrees in psychology, owned some dry-clean clothing, and still ended up starving. Now I’m a tattoo artist with the means to feed myself. Adequately, no, not yet, but im certainly not starving and I’m finally starting to see the efforts of my hard work paying off.
I started tattooing professionally in Miami where I was exposed to a lot of talent and mentorship. I quickly found myself in Peru to finish a tattoo and ended up surrounded by some of the world’s greatest artists. I shouldn’t have even been sitting at the same table as these artists but they welcomed me into their studio and home and changed my life as an artist, a tattoo artist, and as a person. Im forever grateful for my team and family over there and every day I get to tattoo I feel thankful that my boss in Peru saw the desire I had to learn and gave me a chance to work at Stefano’s Tattoo Studio; one of the worlds best tattoo studios.
I spent almost two years living, tattooing and learning in Peru before I finally came back to America. I know I would’ve stayed there for the rest of my life if I could have but one day I will return permanently and until then, I’ll visit as often as possible.
Competing in conventions, attending seminars and working around artists that are better than I have been, are the best things I could have done for myself. One of the most incredible aspects of being an artist is the endless opportunity for growth and discovery.
When I got back to America, I moved to Utah with a friend that I had met in Miami. I bounced around from studio to studio and none of them felt like the home I found in Peru. Along the way I met Alex, and we instantly clicked. Her desire to learn and grow matched mine, and soon we were pushing each other to achieve bigger, better and more creative pieces.
Opening Tu Madre’s Tattoo Studio with fellow artist, Alex Cantor was a no brainer and has been an incredible experience. Alex is a talented artist with an artistic vision that constantly mystifies and inspires me. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to create waves in the desert with her. Seeing the world through her eyes has given me a different perspective, and between the two of us, I know we can overcome anything.
We are bringing quality art to people in a safe space for self-expression. This is just the beginning for Tu Madre’s Tattoo, and we are constantly evolving. We have a lot in store for the future and we appreciate all the support and love we have received from friends, clients, and clients that have turned into friends. We wouldn’t be living our dream without the amazing people that surround us.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not, nothing about the road I decided to take was smooth. I would go so far as to say I had ventured clear off the road during some points in this journey. For a while I felt like a fish trying to climb a tree and that metaphor confirms I was off roading for a little.
I don’t tend to go for the low hanging fruit, but I’m a female with red hair, a dash of mental health issues and a heaping spoonful of trauma. I’m proudly and unapologetically married to a Hispanic female who also happens be an artist, so we know shes a little crazy too, and in is economy, we decided to open a tattoo studio in Southern Utah.
In all seriousness though, yes, of course there were obstacles and struggles. Mastering a craft takes time, effort, commitment and diligence. Aside from having to be a good artist, you also need to know how to run a business, and market, and take photos, and answer messages, and maintain some semblance of a life outside of work, etc etc etc.
I haven’t even delved into the profoundly toxic nature of this industry and what it takes to tattoo at a high level. The grueling hours and sacrifices to survive slow seasons, rising supply costs and the increase of cheap imitation artists. The misinformation that is perpetuated and running rampant. The expectations fueled by a society that is accustomed to instant gratification. Good art takes time. Fixing bad art takes even more time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work hard to create art that I would be proud to put my name on and that would meet the standard of the studio I worked at in Peru as well as the standard I now hold for my own studio. I have always been enamored with the idea that art brings comfort to the disturbed and disturbs the uncomfortable. This translates even more so to the art of tattooing. Every tattoo I have on my body has brought me some sort of comfort. Ive grown to love myself because of the art im covered in. It’s a reflection of my personal story. Being able to provide comfort and happiness to people through art, is an honor. Putting that art on a body instead of a wall or canvas is an even greater honor. I’m always aiming to produce a tattoo that is authentic, one of a kind, and better than what the client could have ever imagined.
I know some of my work is out there in the wild just disturbing the peace; wreaking havoc on the closed-minded individuals and I absolutely love that. My art isn’t for everyone, but everyone is welcome in our studio (with the exception of tiny children for everyone’s safety, and racists and homophobes because obviously) This article is one step closer to attracting the people that are committed to authenticity and want to enhance their individuality through original art.
– What do you do
I’m an artist and a tattoo artist. I tattoo full time and in my limited spare time, I’m either painting, drawing or creating something. and the increase of
– What do you specialize in
I’m passionate about lettering, realism and color. I started my career in a high-volume walk-in studio in Miami, so you become proficient in every style fairly quick. During my time in Peru, I was fortunate, however, to be surrounded by artists that did specialize in specific styles like tribal, traditional, color and black and grey realism, lettering, fine line, new school, etc. So ive had a lot of exposure and many mentors throughout my career that have guided me in my experiments with different styles.
Yes, I can do fine line.
Cover ups are definitely something I don’t shy away from. I love a good challenge and since moving here, ive gotten a lot of practice at covering up tattoos. We have been experimenting with different techniques to successfully cover an existing tattoo without it having to be exuberantly large and dark.
– What are you known for
My Mario mushrooms and trippy mushrooms.
There was a point in my career that I felt like I only tattooed mushrooms for a little. Mushrooms really do make awesome tattoo designs. Id love to be known for my lettering. That would be amazing.
One day soon I hope I’ll be known for that.
-What are you most proud of
I’m proud of a lot of moments in my career. I have worked very hard to grow as an artist and push myself as an artist. The cigarette pack I tattooed in Peru was a defining moment for my career.
I had the absolute honor to tattoo a friend and fellow artist, Rocio Delgadin, in Miami, who I absolutely worship for her oil paintings and tattoos.
She had asked me to freehand some dark lettering on her hand and that moment will go down as one of the coolest most surreal moments in my career. I would spend hours intently watching her tattoo when we were both in Miami. Countless hours taking notes when she spoke on color theory. To be tattooing her felt like a movie.
Of all the things im proud of though, I would say it was when I competed in a convention in Peru this past year. I realized that I would be competing against some top names in the world of lettering. I knew that if I stood any chance of competing against guys that l idolized and learned from, I would need to do something that no one had ever seen before. It took me forever to come up with my idea and I managed to incorporate a glitch effect into my freehand lettering piece. People that have been in the industry longer than id been alive were telling me they had never seen anything like it. I unfortunately didn’t finish in time, so l was disqualified but it was the risk I took, attempting to tattoo an effect that I had never tackled before.
Nothing but that would have stood a chance next to the legends that I was against so it was worth the risk to aim for that level. Next year I will return, better and more prepared, and I will attempt once again, to accomplish something no one has seen before.
– What sets you apart from others
My original work. Anything I get to freehand. Projects that im given creative freedom, where im trusted to use my artistic vision to create a piece of art that will enhance my clients individuality, look good from far away and up close, even after a lifetime of sun exposure and mistreatment. My commitment to art and artistic growth.
Art is a boundless journey, filled with limitless techniques, fascinating chemical reactions, and countless moving parts that evolve with time and practice. The more you create, experiment and learn, the more you refine your craft. And for the rest of my life, I will continue to push my boundaries and deepen my passion for the thing I love the most.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think ive always been a risk taker. If the reward outweighed the risk, I was going for it. I uprooted my life and moved to miami to pursue tattooing legitimately and then I moved to Peru by myself because I realized the opportunity in front of me was worth all the risk that comes with moving to a different country by yourself. Comfort kills dreams and inhibits growth. I feel like ive lived a thousand lives and experienced things that were solely a result of a lot of risk. Im sure its safe to say that not all of my risky decisions were the most astute or logical but for the sake of staying on topic, we can focus on the risks ive taken within my career as an artist. Of course with risk comes sacrifice and hard work.
We have risked and sacrificed everything to open a studio on our own. We have no plan B, because we believe in our brand. Life is so unpredictable, you can fail at any moment. Why not fail at something you love, than fail at something you settled for. We’re doing what we love and we love what we’re doing. So I know we are destined for great things and this is just the beginning.
Pricing:
- We price per piece, not hourly. We cant give an accurate estimate for a tattoo without the basic info. We need to know roughly how big in centimeters or inches. Where on the body you want the tattoo and if its black and grey or color.
- Our studio min is 100. However, we do offer discounted group rates for parties of 3 or more.
- We also offer birthday discounts, payment plans and budget friendly solutions.
- We’re constantly doing giveaways and raffles and started working with local businesses like RSQutah to try and use our platform to raise money
- All our welcome and consultations are free and necessary for any piece that requires designing.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paint_it_red_designs?igsh=NjBycTB3cTlvdGR5&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1L32MW9A7M/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/tu_madres_tattoostudio?igsh=MXFwbXNlMnduYjExdg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
