Life & Work with Gabriella Martinez of Laguna Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriella Martinez.

Hi Gabriella, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Los Angeles and started doing art since I was super little. I was going to art classes in first grade and would continue to go off and on until high school where I started taking AP art classes. I then started teaching at my local art gallery as an instructor to kids in my junior year of highschool. Senior year I began to become very interested in tattooing ( I honestly got my first job in high school so I could buy a crappy machine and start tattooing).Senior year we had a big project that entailed me picking a business I would want to go into in the future and I chose tattooing. Senior year through my school I was lucky enough to find a shop that took me under their wing. I go to this shop still to this day mainly doing jobs for them other than tattooing. I visited other women owned shops along the way but all of them were in the LA area either downtown or studio city. I fell in love with tattooing and have been doing it ever since. It’s my dream job and I’ve met some of the best people from it. After high school I went to Otis for a semester took a semester off to get leg surgery then decided to go to LCAD (I always wanted to go here). I love Lcad it’s a perfect fit for me and Im in Fine art with an Illustration Emphasis. John Malta has been one of my favorite teachers here and has really allowed me to explore my tattooing style and reach new heights in my skills and creative mind. I am currently living in Laguna now and working as a tattoo artist out of my studio apartment. After school I am hoping to move back to LA or just find a shop that resents with my soul and surrounds me with artists I respect.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Yes and no. I have learned to go with the flow of things and take oppurtinites that the universe gifts me and work hard for it. I have gotten very lucky and blessed with the people I have met and achieving my goals so quickly. But it was a lot of hard work and tribulations. Doing my dream job at such a young age and working with such successful renowned tattoo artists was incredible but I put a lot of pressure on myself. I had moments of burnout and deep solitude but it all worked out in the end. Everything has its times and seasons and I just have to appreciate each one feel it through then flow on to the next. I make that sound easier then it is since I have grown a lot in the past years mentally but I think that is something Im still trying to abide by everyday, staying present and accepting all that life has to bring good and bad.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in tattoo work that’s my main love but I am also a fine artist and Illustrator. I love the two worlds and I love combing them . It’s hard describing my work but I think it is a mix of realism and illustration. a lot of tattoo motifs shine through in my work, American Traditional, Japanese traditional and ornamental work. I love pulling from different cultures and religions which I would say is my biggest inspiration. I love old mythology throughout cultures and illustrations h different forms of life. Im Hispanic so Hispanic culture has always been super huge and interesting to me. Also as of recent have been into Hindu art. But overall I love drawing skulls, grim reapers, and women. Old tattoo designs and ancient tattooing speaks to me the most

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love laguna but LA is my city. I love the culture, the diversity, the art, the weird people. It rocks. I hate the influencers and trendy gentrified parts. that saddens me a lot. My best friend grew up in west Hollywood so I was there a lot and seeing this new wave of digital media taking over the streets suck. But there is still so much history there that won’t leave unlike those influencers who get bored after a week.

Pricing:

• $150 minimum for any tattoo

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rosestabs.com
• Instagram: @rose_stabss