We recently had the chance to connect with Dean Fleischmann and have shared our conversation below.
Dean, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity above all. Integrity will inform your intelligence and influence your energy. It helps narrow the focus of what you are curious about, and what you want to learn and how you seek it out. It will also dictate how you spend your time and who you spend it with. Energy comes and goes, so it’s important to pay attention to and try to honor the times when it is both high, and low. Intelligence is valuable, but it also has a sort of ebb and flow, and is subject to change as you learn more and grow intellectually and emotionally in life. As a integral part and cornerstone of one’s character, in my opinion integrity should remain consistent, and if anything grow and strengthen over time!!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a tattooer at Full Circle Tattoo in University Heights, and while there are many shops to choose from in town, ours is the one you will wish you found sooner!! Originally from the east coast, I have lived many places but am happy to have called San Diego home for the last 12 years. I have been tattooing for nearly a decade and absolutely love my “job”. While it is definitely work, it is something that I am incredibly passionate about in all aspects, from drawing to tattooing and painting, the artistry involved, the technical process and different methods employed, and traveling to experience tattooing culture in different parts of the county and the world!! I am fully capable and enjoy doing all styles of tattoos, but in the last few years I have begun specializing in Japanese inspired imagery and large scale body work. As tattooing is a physically uncomfortable experience on the whole, it is paramount to me that my client’s have the most positive experience from beginning to end. I try to approach everything with kindness, compassion, integrity, and a level of focus that allows for my client’s to trust me with their ideas and turn them into what will become their new favorite tattoo!! I am also a husband and father of 3 young children, so when I am not at work or drawing I am busy spending time with my family.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
A big nerd. Just kidding I still am a nerd I just have more tattoos now and I care less what other people think. Maybe because each tattoo I get helps me feel like I am becoming a more accurate version of how I see myself (working on a full body suit), but maybe just as I get older. Or maybe a little bit of both.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Being creative for a living can be hard, and at times you may think you want to give up. I have no intentions of giving up tattooing. It has given me almost everything in life, and I am eternally grateful for it. I do however think that it there is an illusion of grandeur that comes with tattooing and tattooers, that is not entirely accurate. There’s lots of smoke and mirrors especially with social media these days, but no successful tattooer is made without a massive amount of struggle and sacrifice. It is more than just a job, it is a lifestyle and is often hard on partners, family, and friends if you are not careful.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That our craft is a necessity. While it may seem so to most of us, it is something we hold sacred and want to protect, but it isn’t everything. Life informs art. If you don’t live well, it will most likely show in your craft. Everyone today is simultaneously trying to optimize and also seek balance, and it’s kind of a recipe for disaster. Especially when many artist start as natural creatives and then start to make their career making art, sometimes it can take the fun and spontaneity out of creating for creation’s sake instead of producing something you can sell. I constantly struggle with balance in life, but I also try to utilize creative momentum when I have it and create habits that make it easier to be productive, especially when I’m in a slump. Art and creativity are a necessity for 99% of folks, but tattoos are only a necessity for a select few.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
I’m a firm believer in that failure teaches us more than success. To do so, one must be willing to try new things and take on risk, but as a tattooer you need to basically have a success rate of 100% when it comes to your clients. Sure, there are things on technical and artistic levels that can always be improved, but knowing when you’ve bitten off more than you can chew when it comes to tattooing is usually a bad place to be in. It happens to almost all of us, usually early on in your career, and the only thing I can say is if you find yourself in a situation like that you have to humble yourself and ask for help with someone who has more experience than you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.deanflashman.com
- Instagram: @dean_flash_man
