Today we’d like to introduce you to Ava Grace.
Hi Ava, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve loved art since I was a kid, but my interest in tattooing really hit about 10 years ago when I saw my Dad, Buck Harvey, learning how to tattoo and eventually, tattoo himself. Watching his design come to life and seeing the process had me hooked, and that fascination never left. I started at 13 learning the fundamentals of art and how to draw, eventually taking commissions for drawings. By 15 I was starting to learn how to tattoo. Almost daily, I was learning how to operate the mechanics of tattooing, how to interact professionally with clients, and how to respect the craft of tattooing itself. What was a game changer for me was tattooing my Dad. Being able to tattoo someone who knows what a tattoo should feel like, knows how to correct my form, and knows how efficiently tattoo was the best thing I could’ve had. His full leg sleeve was essentially my apprenticeship. By the time I was done with high school, I finally had the time I wanted and needed to be able to put all my focus and time towards tattooing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly the biggest challenge I’ve had in my career was trying to find the time to tattoo. Since I started learning how to tattoo in my sophomore year of high school, it was hard to find the time to tattoo since I still had to focus on homework and grades. School made it so that I didn’t have a lot of time to actually do what I wanted to do, which was tattooing. It definitely made learning a lot harder because I had to split my time between the classroom and the tattoo studio.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Tattoo Artist that specializes in color realism as well as black and grey realism. I’m known for my calm, meaningful tattoos as well as my vibrant, surreal projects. Two very different kinds of subject matter, however they’re both something that I enjoy doing.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
The most important advice I could give to someone new in this industry is to be patient and put in the time. Tattooing is unlike any other art form I’ve tried. It looks easy from the outside, but it’s a completely different world once you’re in it. It requires obsession not only with the act of tattooing itself, but also when it comes to the fundamentals like strong drawing skills and a thorough understanding of the basics of art in general.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avagracetattoos?igsh=MXd0dnVseDJxN3VmYQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19PYKNgNpF/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: avagracetattoos@gmail.com
