Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Nguyen
Hi Victoria , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Victoria and I go by Anomaly Vic. My admiration for tattoo artistry began in childhood when my stepdad first noticed my look of awe anytime I encountered a person with tattoos. I viewed each tattoo as a special decoration for the body and a personal memento for the person who holds it. My whole life, I’ve always been a creative person who loves to draw and paint.
Despite my childhood calling me to the art world, I took the traditional route and got my degree and worked in corporate because that’s what everyone told me to do to be successful and happy. I was absolutely miserable in corporate and it was unfulfilling for me. I still would take on art commissions on the side (mostly murals) and I kept collecting tattoos during my time in corporate. One day I realized I had to pursue my passion for art or it would be my biggest regret in life. There were so many people telling me I was stupid for trying to be a tattoo artist, yet I took a leap of faith and committed to pursuing art full-time. I found an apprenticeship and worked 3 jobs to sustain myself until I was finally able to build up my clientele and support myself as a full-time artist. My mom has never understood my love for tattoos and didn’t particularly like body art, but now she shows off all my tattoo work to her friends and anyone she talks to that has tattoos. It makes me so happy that I was able to change my mom’s perception of tattoos.
Now I set up shop at For the Sinners in Whittier, California, where I specialize in fine line and single needle work. My path came full circle because I got tattooed by the shop owner when I was working in corporate and now I work for him. I know I’m making my childhood self proud by sharing my awe for tattoos with the world.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road because the industry goes up and down and sometimes there is burnout when I’m consistently trying to generate new ideas and designs. What keeps me grounded and on my path is this deep pull I have within me to create. In regards to burnout, I’ve come to understand that there needs to be input for there to be output. This means that breaks and living life are necessary to gather inspiration for my art. I also struggle with perfectionism at times, but I remind myself that playing around with different ideas is important. I want all my designs to be perfect, but sometimes you have to make ugly stuff before you can make pretty stuff. It’s okay to have multiple renderings of the same design, the first go around doesn’t have to be perfect. Releasing art work can be unbearably vulnerable at times. Showing my art is so intimate, I feel almost naked. I get over that hump because I always try to put my art above my ego. I’ve always said my first love is art, that’s what keeps me consistent and persistent on this journey. I truly believe that there’s nothing better than doing what you know you’re meant to do and listening to your intuition. My soul is happy and fulfilled on this journey, that is real wealth.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a tattoo artist specializing in fine line and single needle tattoo work. Some artists copy and paste their client’s tattoo reference images, but I redraw and create custom pieces for my clients. I ensure each person I tattoo has a special piece designed specifically for them. I want to make sure that each tattoo is a work of art that my client can be proud of wearing for the rest of their lives. I am honored any time someone collects a tattoo from me and I’m so proud that I can make my clients feel more comfortable in their own skin. It’s a beautiful experience being a vessel for my client’s self expression. Making sure my client is happy with their body art is most important to me. I’m always trying to be a student of life, better myself where I can, and learn the tools to be the best artist. I don’t like to compete with others because I’m in a constant competition with myself. I try to be a better version of myself than the day before. A quote I hold dear to my heart is Ernest Hemingway saying, “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
No risk, no reward. In my opinion, risk is important for character development and improving yourself. Growth comes from discomfort and I always want to grow and be a better person. Jumping from corporate into the art world was one of the riskiest things I’ve done in my life and I’m so happy I took a leap of faith. I knew I had to close the door completely for another door to open. You can’t have one foot in and one foot out, you have to go all in. I don’t believe in half-assing anything. To have no regrets, I always give everything I do my all. If something doesn’t work out, at least I know I tried my hardest and I always learn from every experience. If you don’t try fully, you’ll never know and I’d rather live my life seeing things through. There’s this misconception that failure is bad, failure is the best teacher. Someone once told me to “fail hard and fail fast” because that is how you can learn and improve. Failure is sometimes necessary for success. It’s the grit and perseverance through failure that makes a truly noble person. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “…if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.anomalyvic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anomalyvic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@anomalyvic
Image Credits
Dat Nguyen and For the Sinners
