Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Fuentes.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I began my journey as a tattoo artist in Alabama; at the time I was homeless from losing my job and having no income and living out of a broken-down car at the end of a dead-end street in a small neighborhood. I incidentally stumbled into tattooing and would ride my bicycle to and from my apprenticeship every day, no matter the weather or conditions.
I just kept pushing myself and my art, working nonstop even when it wasn’t required. I slowly became more and more booked, but I still aspired for more and wanted to push my art further; I knew that level of growth wasn’t possible where I was so I moved to Atlanta and jumped right into the thick of things. I received guidance from several shops in the area until I finally found a studio that would hire me, and I continued to push my own boundaries and learn as much as possible from as many artists along the way both by traveling and by sheer force of will. Slowly I would become more and more booked, and shifted my savings towards opening up a studio in the Decatur area, which we have finalized and are set to open in early January. In the process, I’ve always tried to extend as much of my own knowledge and process to younger artists so they hopefully they’d never have to struggle in the same way I did.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all smooth:
Homelessness
Lost Jobs
Lost friends
Strict schedules mean less personal time and more sacrifices…that means no time for all the fun things everyone else gets to enjoy and certainly not in the timeframes that most people get to enjoy them.
Many professionals have little respect for tattoos and artists: trying to change that perspective is slow and seemingly unrewarding but I think we’re slowly getting there.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize is strong contrasting, colorful tattoos; specifically, I’m well known for my outer-space themed tattoos. A large part of what sets my work apart from other artists is, of course, the quality of which I’m performing my skill, but also the content. I’ve jokingly adopted the moniker of “The Space Bob Ross” in respect to my loose and organic approach to my space scenes; everyone has their own space scenes created on the spot. There’s no reference, no stencil…it’s a purely organic process that we discover along the way. No two days I’ll ever look the same, and everyone will have a specially crafted design that they can call their own which also flows smoothly with their body and muscle structure. We’re just making some happy little space.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Travel. Travel travel travel. Meet the artists you look up to; they’re just regular people too. If they’ve got an ego, they aren’t a hero or mentor and that’s an entire learning experience in itself. Find the artists who are willing to impart knowledge and discuss what they do. Find the artists who want growth in the industry and who want to see you succeed. You’ll learn a little from everyone you meet and ultimately create a routine that is your own and caters to your own needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.greyhawktattoo.com
- Instagram: CharleyFountains
