Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuri Ortiz
Hi Yuri, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m Yuri Ortiz, a.k.a. Yuskadd, a transdisciplinary visual artist born in Cuautla, Morelos, Mexico. I currently split my time between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Mexico City, exploring new ways to express myself through different art forms.
From a young age, I’ve felt like I was living life on the “other side”—and that feeling has always influenced my work. I see art as a journey that’s deeply tied to personal experiences, and for me, everyday moments become sparks of creativity. My art is all about resilience, survival, and pushing boundaries, and I use a mix of different mediums to bring that to life.
I’ve always been fascinated by the lives of artists, and that interest shaped my own path. When I discovered the works of René Magritte, Barbara Kruger, and Yayoi Kusama, I realized that art could come from a deeply personal and feminine place. That inspiration gave me the confidence to develop my own voice.
A key turning point for me came in 2018 when I traveled to Paris to meet tattoo artist Maison Metamose. That experience completely shifted how I saw tattoo art, inspiring me to explore its connections with traditional forms of painting. Tattoo studios, in my view, are becoming new spaces for contemporary art—and that idea has been a huge influence on my creative process.
Later, I became the producer and manager at Patrick Cat Tattoo, where I immersed myself even more in the tattoo world and its ties to contemporary art. In 2020, this role led me to move to Salt Lake City, marking the start of a new chapter.
Since then, I’ve expanded into different art forms like painting, photography, video art, and even working with materials like clay, ceramics, and felting. I love using these mediums to explore personal memories and themes like female empowerment.
In 2023, I co-founded Mixi Art Studio & Gallery in Salt Lake City. It’s a space where contemporary art thrives, and it represents a new direction in my work—one where I continue to experiment and push the boundaries of what art and tattoos can be. Through it all, I believe that art is a constantly evolving process, always tied to the experiences that shape us.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has definitely not been smooth—it’s been full of challenges, but each one has shaped me as an artist. One of the biggest struggles was navigating my early life, especially when I became a mother at 18. Balancing motherhood with my passion for art wasn’t easy, and I had to put my artistic education on hold for a while. But that break helped me come back stronger when I reconnected with art in 2007.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work as a transdisciplinary artist is all about exploring boundaries and embracing otherness. Creating from my experiences as a woman, mother, and artist, I constantly push against norms to create something unique. I blend mediums like painting, photography, video art, ceramic and sculpture to find unexpected connections and challenge what’s possible.
What sets me apart is my ability to explore the spaces in between—those edges where things seem fragmented or disconnected. I love bringing together seemingly opposite ideas to create something cohesive, powerful, and deeply personal. My work is driven by a strong feminine perspective, exploring resilience, survival, and breaking societal norms.
I’m proud of how my art challenges conventional ideas while staying authentic. It’s not just about creating visually interesting pieces, but about making viewers question their own boundaries and see the interconnectedness of personal and cultural issues. I believe in blending techniques to spark reinvention and offer fresh perspectives on the world around us.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I definitely see myself as a risk-taker, both in life and in my art. For me, just being different is already a risk. When you choose to challenge societal norms, whether as a woman, mother, or artist, you’re stepping into unknown territory. And that’s where real creativity happens.
One of the major risks I took was leaving a stable government job in Mexico after 10 years to pursue my passion for art and tattoo management full-time. It was a big leap, especially since it involved moving to a new country and starting fresh in Salt Lake City. But that risk opened up new opportunities, allowing me to co-found Mixi Art Studio & Gallery and immerse myself in a completely new chapter of my career.
I’ve learned that risks are necessary for growth, especially in art. Whether it’s experimenting with new techniques, combining unexpected mediums, or exploring difficult themes, the willingness to take risks pushes me out of my comfort zone and leads to genuine, meaningful work. For me, risk-taking is about embracing the unknown and trusting that it will lead to something greater. It’s scary, but I’ve found that every time I’ve taken a leap, it’s brought me closer to the authenticity and connection I strive for in my art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yuskadd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuskadd/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/mixi.art.studio/
Image Credits
Artwork photos by Daniel Taoipu
Portraits by Yuskadd
