Conversations with Samantha Castrovinci

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Castrovinci

Hi Samantha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The opportunity to tattoo came about while still in high school. Since a young age, drawing was my activity of choice. The public art school system gave me a foundation and was where much of my confidence was derived through my formative years. As a teenager, I was fascinated by the tattoos on others around me. My mom had a beautiful seahorse design on her shoulder, and my late dad had flying eagle tattoos on both of his biceps. I thought that was just so classically cool. Despite being under 18, the age permitted to get a tattoo (legally) in North Carolina, my friends and I sought out places willing to tattoo us…therefore, they were far from reputable, and have long since gone out of business. However, they saw my interest in becoming a tattooer and offered me a chance to learn. Over the years, I progressed through various tattoo shops, learning from each artist encountered. Conventions and guest spots soon followed, helping to build confidence and clientele.

There was a point in my career at around the 10 year mark when it became clear that my clients and I needed a place with more autonomy and privacy. When a building in East Durham became available, it felt like an answered prayer, leading to the opening of my own shop. Naming the business was challenging, but “The Studio” was chosen as a versatile space for tattooing and painting. The Studio’s logo features a heart with a dagger through the center and two blooming plants emerging from its former wounds. Being inspired by the art on tarot cards, the design is based off of the three of swords, representing the growth that happens through overcoming a painful situation. The meaning of the logo directly reflects the beautiful tattoo that results from the painful tattoo process.

Respect, kindness, and patience have always been the core values when working with my clients. And it is something that all of the other wonderful artists and employees at The Studio have in common. Our goal is to help clients feel comfortable mentally and physically while delivering a tattoo that is unique to them. Tattooing is a service after all, and the brand’s tagline, “Creative Tattoo Service,” is a principle proudly upheld us at The Studio.

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?
The road has had its fair share of potholes, as well as smooth stretches. Staying focused, and working on doing my best for clients has helped me turn a blind eye to some of the challenges faced as a young tattoo artist. Early on, standing out was inevitable due to the minimal, stereotyped representation of women in the industry. Through hard work and dedication, I tried to counteract the beliefs of many who felt my success was undeserved and attributed it to the benefit of my gender. It was even more frustrating when my clients became the targets of uncomfortable and inappropriate comments or behavior from others in the same work environment. Deflecting negative energy was a constant practice. Every tattooer I worked with along my journey either good, bad or in between, taught me valuable lessons.

It’s wonderful to see the change in the tattoo world over the past decade. It is more inclusive and diverse. However, prevalent predatory behavior still remains. It is important for the client to know that they are the ones that hold the power and control during their tattoo session. You are not obligated to a tattoo artist if you are being disrespected or mistreated. If at any time during your tattoo session you are made to feel uncomfortable, no matter at what stage, you have the right to stop the process and leave, and report the behavior.

Working in this industry, like in many other service industries, you get what you give. Choosing to dedicate long hours into designs for my clients, and constant upkeep in the functionality and appearance of The Studio for both personal pride and client satisfaction requires significant sacrifices, and many missed social opportunities with friends and family over the years. It can deplete energy not only physically, but also creatively and emotionally. As a shop owner and tattoo artist, the list of tasks to complete, supplies to buy, and roster of designs to draw never ends. Balancing work and life is an ongoing lesson. Realizing that my body, mental health and my art thrives on quality over quantity has meant declining many projects and people who want to get a tattoo from me, which is not easy.

My booking process is particular and refined using a form-based approach. The form asks several key questions to make the process go smoothly, stay organized, and cut out the need for a lot of back-and-forth emailing. The questionnaire also prompts the client to describe their ideas, vision and preferences. New clients will be booked at the end of 2024, and the window of time in which forms can be submitted will be narrow. This booking round is projected to keep me busy from four to six months depending on the amount of forms received. Therefore, I am choosy about what projects are taken on. My appreciation goes out to people who gracefully understand if their idea is declined, and to clients who are patient with the wait time that it takes to get on my schedule. This wait does not mean you are unimportant. Behind each design can be upwards of four, ten, even twenty hours of drawing and brainstorming. Each client’s idea deserves 100 percent of my efforts.

My advice to anyone who is struggling with indecisiveness about what they want is to “keep it simple”. Try to come up with one main subject matter and a couple of supporting background elements. That way, the design is readable and impactful. Aesthetics should not be sacrificed for meaning. Too many elements can make a tattoo look crowded, undefinable and not age well. Meaning, intention, or significance can be placed behind any image at all, so its best to choose your design based simply on what you find beautiful, cool or inspiring. This way, the meaning behind the piece can fluctuate with your emotions, ideals and stages of life. Although creative freedom is required by me as your choice tattoo artist, I will not come up with someone’s tattoo for them. Creating the design is a collaborative process that needs just enough input from the client (not an overbearing amount) and requires the clients’ trust in the artists’ ability and vision.

Our building is a historic part of Old East Durham so its age lends to challenging upkeep and maintenance. The space at The Studio is also limited. We do not have a traditional seating lobby so we ask that our clients bring only one guest if absolutely necessary. Children, even if well behaved or under supervision are not allowed.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a seasoned tattoo artist who specializes in illustrative designs with abstract elements. It is paramount for me to create a design that flows and fits to the body part it’s on. My understanding about how to design a tattoo to agree with someone’s anatomy makes my work recognizable. I’m currently working on many large pieces such as sleeves, back pieces, and large leg panels. However my ability to tattoo both small and large designs, bold and fine styles, color and black and gray is a quality that gives me pride. Staying versatile is important to me.

I gain inspiration from nature and art nouveau icons like Anton Seder and Alphonse Mucha. as well as sci-fi fantasy artists such as Virgil Finlay. I’m fascinated by scientific illustrations by 18th century microbiologist Earnst Haekel, and The Book of Birds by J.J Audubon. My admiration for biomechanical style artists such as Shaine Smith, Jason Vogt, and Guy Aitchison also give me drive as a creator.
My respect for traditional artists such as Judy Parker, George Burchett, and Owen Jensen as well as Japanese traditional artists and tattooers such as
Kono Bairei, Shige, and Filip Leu, in addition to traditional-inspired works with surrealist/psychedelic elements by Timothy Hoyer remind me to uphold the integrity of a design by using the fundamental techniques that lend to the longevity of a tattoo in my own practice.

The organic growth of The Studio since it was opened in 2017 at 2112 Angier Ave is something that gives me so much pride and purpose. At first, The Studio had just me as a solitary artist in need of serenity. Now surrounding myself with fantastic tattooers who have both positive attitudes and interesting artistic styles keeps me motivated. The space expanded to include the bay next door (2114 Angier ave), and despite being full of artists and clients, The Studio still remains the peaceful environment it was cultivated as. The kind manner in which we all treat our guests is of utmost importance to me. I love to see returning clients who have gotten tattooed by almost every artist at The Studio-Ariel Kopelove, Tatiana Martinez-Riviere, Wren Freeman, Monica Lee, Rebecca Rodriguez and Sofia Silva.
Our shop manager, Spencer, seamlessly handles 7 peoples appointment schedules as well as all of the shop phone/email correspondences with such a friendly and caring attitude. He helps us correspond with the health department and keep each artist up to date on their yearly tattoo permits. Our receptionist, Rori is has a heart of gold and is so helpful to everyone. Both of them keep our old brick and mortar as immaculate as possible. We have a lovely fenced in patio at the back of The Studio with wildflower and herb gardens where we enjoy observing a little bit of nature and bio-diversity during our breaks from work. From witnessing the lovely interactions between the staff and our clients, to receiving a new positive review about The Studio, my glee is abound!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Finding an apprenticeship or mentor to become a tattooer is very challenging as there are seemingly not many open opportunities. If you’re interested in becoming a tattooer, first and foremost start getting tattooed by people you admire. Be open about your interest and ask if it’s okay for you to ask them questions. They might have some leads about who is hiring in the area. If they decline to answer your questions, respect their space and observe the process from a non-invasive distance. Many aspiring artists start out as custodians, or shop receptionists/assistants. Before you take on any one of these jobs, make sure your intentions about the desire to learn to tattoo are clearly communicated to the owner. In cases like mine, starting out at the bottom of the barrel and working up to better places, learning what to do along the way (and a lot of what not to do) worked out well for me. Thick skin and the ability to accept criticism are traits one must develop. Apprenticeships are unpaid, some can even cost money. Most are a trade between cleaning/errands around the shop in exchange for knowledge. A sacrifice of time and/or finances is necessary.

Tattooing is not quick and easy money. It takes several years to become successful. The art requires much more dedication than practicing it as a hobby on the side. It deserves to be taken as seriously as permanently altering someone’s appearance and putting their health at risk. Before deciding to pursue it, make sure your intentions are true with a reverence for the art form, and that your expectations are realistic.

There are several things you can do on your own without a tattoo apprenticeship: Utilize social media to build a brand for yourself as a working artist. Consistently create your paintings and drawings until you have a sufficient collection and portfolio. Hone in on your own style and share it on a regular basis. Create business cards with your logo and brand information. Price your art and make it available to sell both online and in person at local art markets. Make stickers, t-shirts, or other merchandise featuring your art. This will open doors of opportunity through networking with other artists you meet and potentially provide an income. Most tattooers do all of this art marketing, promotion, and creating in the background of their tattoo careers, so doing so will give you a head start on branding yourself as a working artist and ultimately make you a more well rounded candidate for an apprenticeship when the opportunity arises. Best of all, no mentorship or apprenticeship is actually needed to start doing this on your own.

It seems more common now that people tend to give up on finding someone to mentor them, and they start to tattoo out of their homes. Personally, I feel it’s illegal for valid reasons. However, times have changed with the growing popularity of the tattooing industry as well as the use of social media. the amount of DIY tattooing/home-based tattooing or “scratchers” as some call it, seemed to have formed into a subculture. To me, it is problematic for safety and general standards of tattooing. However, my sympathies go towards any artist with dreams and ambitions who has given up on finding a way into the business. If you are someone who has already started tattooing at your house, do not settle for that. Keep trying to get into a shop where you can have proper guidance, advice and protection so your work can get the attention and appreciation it deserves. If you decide to continue tattooing from your house or any other non-permitted location, Take the initiative to learn about blood borne pathogens and illness through a BBP certification class (available online) as soon as possible. Preventing cross-contamination is tricky and nuanced. Without proper knowledge and PPE you are putting yourself and clients at a higher risk of infection.

Pricing:

• My hourly rate is $250/hour for large projects. With good communication, working within a clients budget is completely do-able.
• For smaller designs or projects that can be completed in one session, flat rates are offered
• Deposits are required upon setting up an appointment
• The talented artists at The Studio have a range of hourly rates starting at $150/hour
• Our shop minimum is $100

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.creativetattooservice.com
• Instagram: @Samanthacastrovinci and @CreativeTattooService