Community Highlights: Meet Renisha Mathis of Serpentine Ink Tattoo & Piercing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Renisha Mathis.

Hi Renisha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
While growing up, I was interested in art from a very young age. My earliest memory was coloring at the dentist or doctor’s office in those magazines with free coloring pages. I’ve always naturally been drawn to art and creative projects because it allows me to broadcast my imperfections, insecurities, and vulnerability. I would always stress myself out if things weren’t perfect with my creations or my life. It’s like that need to control something and the output. Yet, as I’ve grown older and experienced more life and different art forms, I can definitely tell you – nothing is perfect. I knew I was always going to do something creative and artsy because it was the only thing that kept my attention and intrigued me. With art, nothing has to make sense. I get to have so much freedom.

Painting has always been my favorite medium to express my art. Something about how the colors blend, the feel of a paintbrush in my hand, and just going with the flow. Painting is what opened the door for me to become a tattoo artist. My sister was getting a tattoo, and the shop owner told her they were looking for an apprentice. My sister told them I might be interested in apprenticing because I have a unique style and love to paint. They asked me to come into the shop, and after I showed them a few of my paintings, they offered me an apprenticeship! It’s wild whenever I tell the whole story to my clients nowadays because I never really pictured myself doing tattoos. I’m not very heavily tattooed myself, and I went to college to study Advertising and Marketing, you know – more business-minded stuff.

I graduated from Appalachian State University and was so proud of myself for securing a “big girl corporate job” before I even graduated. Yet, after a few months in that role, I quickly learned that I craved a job that gave me more freedom and made me feel that my words were being heard. The corporate lifestyle was not for me. I thought, “hmmm, I enjoy this field, but I feel small at this job,” so I decided to work for a smaller firm. I enjoyed working at a smaller family-owned firm for a few months; everyone was nice, and they gave me my independence. Yet, something still needed to be fixed. I was sitting at a desk every day surrounded by people 20+ years older than me. I had minimal client interaction, and it felt like one of those jobs – if you stay too long, you’ll get comfortable with mediocracy. So, of course, I left. I’ve had over 30 jobs in my lifetime, and I’m only 25, so I know when a job is meant for me.

As I worked through my tattoo apprenticeship, I felt more comfortable and confident with myself, my talents, and my abilities. It allowed me to build my craft, express myself creatively, and become my motivator. I enjoyed learning the technical and health skills you need to know with tattooing. Many people assume that tattooing is easy because you’re just drawing on people, but there are many more things you have to consider when making a permanent change to someone’s body.

Now that I am a professional tattoo artist and piercer, I can honestly look back and appreciate all the jobs and hardships that led me right where I needed to be. I know I want to do this for as long as God allows me. No other career path has fit so perfectly with who I am. Tattooing will enable me to be social by building relationships and trust with my clientele. Tattooing allows me to hone my marketing and advertising skills by forcing me to be my biggest promoter and attract the right clientele. There will always be something to improve with tattooing and piercing, which will keep my passion high.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I began my apprenticeship, there were lots of struggles with the trial and error of transferring art skills on paper to skills on human skin. There are a lot of techniques you learn with drawing and painting that work beautifully on canvas, but with human skin, it may not duplicate in the way you imagined. The clients I interact with can sometimes be a challenge. I am constantly dealing with people from different backgrounds and cultures, and they come with their struggles. I never really know what that person is carrying with them. In the beginning, I struggled with being very empathic toward my clients. So much that I would go home feeling the same weight of grief or whatever emotion my clients were feeling. You know you feel bad for people when they open up to you about why they are getting these important memorial tattoos. They tell you how much they loved that person/place/animal and all the memories that come with it. Have I had countless clients cry in my chair and apologize for crying? I tell them it’s okay to cry. You never need to apologize. Tattooing is very therapeutic. Through experience, I’ve learned ways to keep myself grounded and genuinely listen to clients’ stories without absorbing their energy.

As you know, we’re big fans of Serpentine Ink Tattoo & Piercing. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
After about a year of tattooing, I opened up a new shop with my business partner, Angela. Our shop is minority female owned & operated, and we are very proud to say that. In this area, you can visit an immersive variety of tattoo parlors, and every one of them has a different feel to it. We have a diverse portfolio of artists at the shop. We do everything from simple script names to large-scale animal portraits and anime. Aside from the art, we are most known for having a very welcoming and inclusive shop. We’ve had countless friends in the LGBT+ community tell us about their stories of visiting other shops and being stared at or talked about under the breath of artists. We know that getting tattoos and piercings can sometimes be a scary and exciting decision, so we want to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible. The golden walls, bamboo plants, abstract paintings, and crystals and sage that decorate our shop give you a different vibe when you step into our shop. We also specialize in children’s piercings. Not many tattoo parlors allow children inside, let alone will pierce children. We always make sure to have a conversation with the parents or guardian to ensure it is what the children want and that they are not being forced into getting a piercing. Most of the time, the children are excited to be pierced professionally. We will also offer some snacks or candy as a reward for the children doing an awesome job after their piercing!

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something about me that most people would not know is that I also am a teacher. When I am not tattooing, I live a double life where I enjoy working with children. Tattooing and teaching allow me to be balanced in a way. On days when I can’t quite think clearly about a tattoo design or maybe have an unruly client, I know that going to school and interacting with silly children will put a smile on my face. In reverse, when the children get out of hand (as they often do) and are having a difficult day listening, I look forward to having the relaxation of diving into a big tattoo later in the day. In my tattoo shop, I have art hanging up that my students have created for me. I love the polarity of going to school and following certain guidelines and requirements, then leaving to head to the tattoo shop and be allowed to wear sexy clothing and do as I please.

Pricing:

• Tattoo Minimum – $80
• Piercing Minimum – $20
• Consultation – FREE
• Apprenticeship – Varies

Contact Info:

• Website: Renish.Art
• Instagram: Renish.Art
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Renish.Art/

Image Credits
Personal Photo by Alexandra Williams of APW Media