Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Shargo
Hi Will, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a self taught artist that like many others, started tattooing during covid shutdown, refining my drawing skills and eventually started with a cheap, diy hand-poking kit from online! Very quickly I became fascinated with learning how to use machines for tattooing and began practicing on myself and close friends. It very quickly snowballed into a side hustle and then a career path with almost instant demand—I guess I was a natural at it. Originally based in New York City I’ve been able to travel across the country making tattoos in various cities.
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?
I would say it has been 50/50 smoothness; turning any art form into a livable career is never smooth but with the help of like-minded artists with similar backgrounds, it has been a lot easier and more accessible than originally anticipated. The local tattoo communities in different cities like Queens/Brooklyn, Minneapolis and Los Angeles have helped me immensely by giving me a place in various spaces while I was still learning— giving detailed advice and supervision while practicing and also lending their skin as canvas, offering guest spots and eventually artist residencies too! Though nothing is perfect, some residencies I had in my first year inspired me to open up my own studio—due to there being several conditions and issues unfortunately within these industry spaces.
Queer tattooers especially have a hard time being accepted into the typical traditional tattoo parlors we’re used to seeing. Private studios tend to be the more welcoming route but may have issues like inexperienced management, unregulated safety and sanitation standards or even artists creating unsafe environments with over-inflated egos, mistreatment of clients or abuse allegations.
Navigating all of these things has given me a wide perspective on how to do things and how not to do things. Ultimately it feels like a blessing being able to rise up into a new industry in such a short time from a self taught skill. It did help though that I was already doing freelance photography and graphic design for 10+ years on a professional level; I was able to use the knowledge and skills and connections I’ve nurtured over time to help smoothen the transition to a new field.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a self taught, queer tattooer that is known for a variety of styles including heavy blackwork, high contrast realism, color traditional, nostalgic references and also anime & video game tattoos! I’m known for big black-out pieces, provocative or silly, nerdy and nostalgic vibes through my artwork. I’m most proud of myself for developing my skills far enough to create a community oriented space to continue to grow in myself— but also provide opportunities to other artists and see them grow too! What sets me apart is my kindness and willingness to work with any client and achieve various styles, not just be in one set box. I feel privileged to share my love and interest for so many different topics through my unique vision of art.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I’ve taken several major risks to get to where I am now. I left my day job in healthcare during peak Covid in NYC to pursue tattooing full time, which came from building up a social media platform and dedicating all my time off-skin to building a brand and name for myself including networking through various tattoo communities all around the world.
I’ve encountered many months of very minimal work, relying on side-jobs like dog walking or random photography gigs to be able to pay bills. I’ve faced adversity and doubts on the credibility of such a career choice and also invested so much of my own money into quality supplies, time into building up my craft and perfecting my techniques.
In April of this year I invested my life savings into opening a studio space and hiring multiple artists to work alongside me and build up a studio team and name! No success was ever guaranteed especially since I had not taken a more formal and traditional apprenticeship as the route to becoming a working tattoo artist. My work may speak for itself but without taking any of these risks knowing the consequences of failure, I would not be here to answer these questions! Investing in oneself is the most important risk one can take!
Pricing:
- $150 minimum for tattoos; flat rates for sessions
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/isthepainok
- Other: https://Instagram.com/valiance.nyc
