Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani Lopez.
Hi Dani, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a tattoo artist, illustrator, and fine artist. I have a BFA in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and I currently work at The Gilded Lady Tattoos in Cabbagetown.
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my loved ones who have never stopped believing in me, even when I couldn’t believe in myself. That’s not to say I lack passion and drive, but I have had to overcome many mental health hurdles over the course of my journey.
My parents always encouraged me to follow my art, ever since I was a small child. I have always been a creator, to my recollection. Never once did I hear anything to the extent of “maybe you should pursue a safer career option” or “you should become a doctor like your father.” My mother in particular felt the need to let my fly free. I think because she was never allowed to really follow her career dreams–a combination of an archaic society and her father refusing to help her go to college unless she majored in whatever HE thought was best for her. I think she swore that her daughter would never need to face that kind of restriction.
I got into tattooing later than a lot of tattoo artists do. Many tattooers can brag about being a rebel and getting their first tattoo at 14, and so on. I got my first tattoo in my mid-20’s. I had always been intrigued by the artistry of it, and the more I learned the more I wanted to learn. Intrigue led to an apprenticeship (or two… or three). And I finally graduated my apprenticeship under Adam Kowzun earlier this year!
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?
Some of the greatest challenges I have had to face have been mental health challenges. I have severe depression and anxiety, panic attack disorder, and PTSD. Before getting on medication, there were days where I couldn’t leave the house or even the room I was in because I was just… confused. Disoriented, disconnected from reality, and very, very upset. I am sure that if I didn’t have love and help from my support system, I’d be institutionalized or worse.
I actually had to take a break from life after I graduated college. It was a significant break for a couple of years. During this time, I had so much guilt because I was always loved and supported, so how could I be such a depressed, sluggish loser and failure?? But that’s what depression does, it saps the life out of a person. Luckily our society is more and more open about talking about this kind of thing. Come to find out, my family has a history of depression and other mental health issues, but no one ever mentioned it because it was considered a taboo topic!!
Mental health is such a spectrum, too. Some people can manage on their own, some people need medication (like me). One of my greatest pet peeves is when I hear “oh you don’t need pharmaceuticals because you can just eat better and think better and you’ll be fine…” Thanks to that rhetoric, I delayed my getting the help I needed. My career suffered for it since I couldn’t work for a couple of years post-college. Depression is a serious, real disease. Can you imagine someone telling you, “oh, you don’t need your heart medication if you just think better thoughts.” Absurd!!!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as a tattoo artist, and I specialize in American Traditional and Japanese Traditional styles. Even though I am still fresh in my career as a tattoo artist, I am realizing my knack for cover-ups. A lot of artists won’t bother themselves with cover-ups, especially if it’s a particularly challenging or large tattoo that needs covering. But I think that’s what sets me apart from many artists is that I’m up for a challenge, especially if I know it will help someone feel empowered by covering up an old or ugly memory.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
From what I’ve been seeing, people have been returning to traditional styles, as opposed to NuSkool, watercolor, and colored realism, etc. There ain’t no school like the old school!! Bold and simple will always stand out and age best over a lifetime. Tattoos have been mainstream for a long enough time that people can really see how they age over decades.
Another thing, tattooing is becoming a more high-end industry as a whole. Thank God!! You can expect a good tattoo shop to be clean and professional, with legitimate equipment and sanitation practices.
Pricing:
- I charge $120/hr, for those interested in my rates
Contact Info:
- Email: dani@danilopezstudio.com
- Website: https://www.danilopezstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danilopeztattoo/
