Meet Stefan Farrera

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stefan Farrera.

Hi Stefan, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
I think I started where everyone else did, working an unfulfilling job, drawing, and tattooing my friends. After college, I decided I wanted to be serious about tattooing as a career, so I came to LA to find an apprenticeship, working multiple jobs to afford everything. After that, I worked for my friend’s shop for a short while before opening my own. Now, we have a few artists working, and we’re continuing to grow constantly as artists and as a business. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s never a smooth road, if it is then it’s too easy. I believe that good things come from hard work, and all of existence is a struggle. Doing the things we want to and living for ourselves lessens that burden. I come from a family of 6 children, so money has always been a point of hardship, but tattooing for me and my shop isn’t about the money; it’s about working for ourselves and pursuing a creative goal that is fulfilling. The idea is also to build enough resources to invest in other artistic projects. I think I’ve learned a lot these past few years, as an artist, a business owner, and a person, it hasn’t been easy, but it’s certainly been worth it. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I do a lot of different styles, fine lines, and illustrative blackwork to American and Japanese Traditions. These days I prefer to work in full color, and my personal art has evolved into a sort of fusion of traditional styles, but still incorporating a lot of the same themes. I enjoy drawing monsters, ghosts and demons, but also flowers and insects. You’ll see in my flash books a lot of skulls and esoteric imagery, but also a lot of cute, colorful stuff. I think I’ve sort of become known for my cute stuff, I do a lot of Kewpie dolls and a lot of people come for those. I’m most proud of my one-off, and custom color work, I think that’s where my style and skill truly shine. I’m also proud of a lot of my bigger projects and unconventional placements, such as head tattoos and sleeves. 

I think what sets me apart from other artists is my variety and interest in exploring other styles. You can see it in my work; my portfolio has a number of different tattoo styles. 

What makes you happy?
This might be the hardest question so far: am I happy? I suppose I feel relatively fulfilled, but there are still a lot of things I want and need, and I think happiness comes from our wants and needs being met. I love what I do, and I wouldn’t rather be doing it anywhere else. This is something I built from the ground up, truly self-made, independent small business. I think that’s what makes me happy, the love of it all. 

I draw for work, and I draw for fun, so to be able to do it for a living is definitely a source of happiness. The same goes for stability, both mentally and financially, that being said I do think these things are fluid and can change over time. 

My girlfriend also makes me happy, and I’m grateful to be in a relationship that feels like a constant loop of positive reinforcement and inspiration. It’s all of these things that make me feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment but also responsibility and duty as a partner, mentor, and business owner. 

Maybe that’s what happiness is. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Blacksunxiii