Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Valadez.
Jesse, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I honestly fell into tattooing. Art and music have always been a constant in my life, but I had no interest in a career of tattooing until I did my first one almost 11 years ago now. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted to do, and all this time later it hasn’t gotten much easier, haha. Now I’m stuck because I am absolutely in love with tattooing and the tattoo community.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I’ve been working in busy street shop style tattoo shops for about 8 of my 11-year career, so I’ve definitely had to become proficient in a lot of styles in order to accommodate different walk-in requests. But I enjoy doing American traditional, black and grey, and geometric tattoos the most. I’m pretty cut and dry when it comes to any type of message in my designs or artwork. If you want it because it’s rad and you just want it, I absolutely love that. If you want something more meaningful to your life or journey, that’s cool too.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
I think it’s become easier AND harder in different ways. There is so much competition out there that social media makes it easy to get your work out there and to be seen, but there’s also such a high volume of artists that sometimes you get buried or become less relevant. But at the same time, the San Diego tattoo community is such an awesome thing at times. Artists lifting each other up and coming together for art shows, shop openings, and fundraiser events.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My Instagram is @lovedestroyer, and I post my travel dates there as well as my tattoos, music info, and pictures of my kids so you’ll just have to kinda sort through that, haha. And I work in the heart of the Gaslamp in downtown SD at Mabel O’Reilly Tattoo 519 Broadway where I have a portfolio and tons of hand painted tattoo flash to look through.
Contact Info:
- Address: 519 Broadway Downtown San Diego
92101 - Email: losdias53@gmail.com
- Instagram: @lovedestroyer
Image Credit:
Jesse Valadez
Phillip Leslie
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