Barbara Jimenez of San Pedro on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Barbara Jimenez and have shared our conversation below.

Barbara, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, discovering film photography has been bringing me a lot of joy. I’ve always loved photography, but film feels like a completely different world…it’s slower, more intentional, and full of surprises.

Learning a new discipline and creating without fully knowing the outcome has brought back some of that magic I felt when I first started creating.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m originally from Spain, where I studied Fine Arts and later specialized in art restoration. Although tattooing is a big part of what I do today, I don’t see my path as being defined by a single discipline. I’m interested in exploring different branches of art, and that curiosity naturally feeds into my work.

Over time, I’ve built a personal brand around consistency, quality, and craft. People choose to tattoo with me knowing they’ll receive solid, well-executed work from an artist who takes her practice seriously, whether the piece is complex or simple.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I thought life was a straightforward sequence: you’re born, grow up, study, get married, have children, work, and then die. I never imagined it would be so different.
Our mindset, needs, and desires evolve constantly, and the experiences we go through, especially in adolescence, shape who we become.

I also dreamed of traveling, seeing the world, and becoming an artist. Back then, those dreams felt distant, almost unattainable. The irony is that today, they are the core of my life. What I once thought were just fantasies are now my reality, and they define who I am and what I do every day.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self: don’t try to hide your fear or sadness. Don’t try to please everyone just to feel loved. The people who truly care about you will understand your pain without running away.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public me has always been just one layer, a version curated for the world, showing skills, style, and what I choose to share.

Behind it are doubts, quiet moments, and questions I rarely show. Recently, I was diagnosed with AUDHD, which helped me realize that for a long time, I wasn’t fully myself. I was trying to fit into society in ways that weren’t very healthy. These days, I feel freer to express my deeper thoughts, concerns, and curiosity as an artist.

Basically, I’m now the most vulnerable and real version of myself, like it or not, haha. I think as we grow, we care less about pleasing everyone and more about connecting with the right people who resonate with our work and our story.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes. There have been moments where I reached things I once thought I wanted—certain milestones in my career, external validation, stability, and realized they didn’t fully satisfy me. I learned that achieving something doesn’t automatically bring clarity or fulfillment. What truly matters to me isn’t the outcome itself, but whether the process still feels meaningful and aligned with who I am at that moment.
That realization has pushed me to keep questioning, evolving, and redefining what “wanting” really means for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cendrastudio.com/
• Instagram: @barbara.tattooer / @Cendra_studio
• Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eL9SoZYeDsKxespV8

Image Credits
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