Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Petrou
Hi Nicole, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I originally started my dive into tattooing while working to finish my degree in art at UCLA in 2015. Up until that time I had mainly done gallery work in the mediums of old-school Gutenberg press style printmaking, and encaustic art on panel. Within both those mediums I found myself carving into some kind of canvas; be it etching into copper to create an image to run through a printing press or slicing into layers of beeswax to form a line used in encaustic painting, I was carving into any structure I could get my hands on. In a way, tattooing lended itself as just another way for me to create artworks by breaking a surface.
It all began when I started working with dip and poke on my own arm that year I graduated from UCLA. I found it invigorating to construct abstract imagery that beautifully flows with the musculature of the human body. This style of art could be both permanent and timeless while still existing within the confines of living art that will die one day. The collaborative design process seemed to be such a different exchange of energy between client and artist that contrasted the detached practice of constructing art work for a gallery.
After establishing the love I was developing for this craft I decided to seek out an apprenticeship in 2017 at the private studio Speakeasy Tattoo. There I spent the next 18 months learning everything that goes into becoming a full time tattoo artist and running a shop. The grueling work of apprenticeship is meant to prepare the artist for all the trials and tribulations that arise when working in this industry. I stayed at that studio for the following three years honing my artistic style and skill before making the move to embark on my own artistic journey in 2021. Though I was finally at a place where I could confidently break from my teacher and go off on my own, the following three years would teach me the most about how I wanted to exist as an artist in this industry.
In 2021, Jesse D Gomez my colleague and friend, opened our jointly owned tattoo shop and gallery, Ravens Nest Tattoo. Here we have been running strong as a private studio specializing in one of a kind custom made tattoos.
I feel that getting a tattoo is more than just a modification of the skin, but more over a transformation of the whole self. My pieces highlight how both these elements can fit together to form a complex, alluring puzzle that is body and mind. Simply put…by way of tattoo, a person can modify their outer skin to reflect or memorialize any internal triumphs, identity, or struggle within. I work with all styles, colors, and concepts.
My goal is to bring my client’s visions to life and create an indelible experience that becomes an evolution of their body. Tattoos can be viewed like laugh lines at the corner of one’s mouth; beautifully telling a story just the same as a wrinkle or scar, but one that is intentionally chosen and embraced.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When learning how to tattoo, everything seems like an obstacle and a challenge. For one, the fear of knowing you will be marking this persons body permanently can be a little terrifying. Working with an art form that completely modifies a persons outer self carries a lot of weight. As an artist, you must be hyper aware of how your choices can change the way this person sees their body for the rest of their life. Tattooing on human skin has truly been one of the harder mediums I have tried to master. And truth be known, tattoo art can never be mastered, there is always something new to learn on every piece you will ever do.
My next obstacle came when choosing to open Ravens Nest Tattoo. Being of the artistic brain for the entirety of my life, learning how to adopt a completely non-artistic, business mindset was challenging to say the least. I’m grateful to have my partner in crime, and co owner of Ravens Nest, Jesse D Gomez along for all the business adventures and any daunting artistic endeavor. Also my partner in life, Evan Beaudu, an entrepreneur and small business owner himself. Evan has assisted us with almost all of our business requirements, and in creating the foundation from which our tattoo shop is up and running. Many hours of online business classes guiding the way didn’t hurt either, and here we are three years later running strong.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My tattoo style encompasses many different styles of tattoo art. When I was first apprenticing, I was required to take every kind of tattoo that came my way. Though this can be challenging to attempt a thousand different styles, it does help you to gain a skill set in many different areas. Also, finishing a degree in fine art that was heavily concentrated in art history has really informed and influenced my tattoo voice. I find that by having this base knowledge across the board, I have had the advantage of mixing the various styles to create a more complex and dynamic work of art on the body. I love the use of abstract art within tattoos and how it can flow on the body to accentuate the musculature of the human form. Using abstraction along side illustrative or realistic imagery that flows with the body can make for a really beautifully compelling tattoo.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I have traveled most of the world and lived in London and Germany for a bit.
Pricing:
- Pricing is difficult to give without having a consultation with the client first.
- All consultations are free.
- Every piece is a one of a kind custom design
- I price in a few different ways; by the hour, flat rate per piece, full and half day rate depending on the amount of sessions we will need to finish the work.
- My price by the hour generally falls between $180-$225 per hour depending on the complexity of the piece. And full day rates tend to be priced down a bit per hour because they are usually reserved for larger pieces that will take at least 6 hours or more or require a number of sessions to complete.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ravensnesttattoo.com/nicole-petrou
- Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/badkittyno/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100045655976121&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/A7uwbtrW65
Image Credits
David Craze for the one studio shot
