Rising Stars: Meet Alexandria Florent

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandria Florent.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started? 
I’ve always known I was meant to pursue a creative profession, but external pressures to make money always stopped me from going after my dreams. I started working as a business management associate in 2020, right after grad school and quickly realized I hated the job. When the pandemic started, I kept seeing videos online of people learning to tattoo using machines they bought on Amazon. I thought, “I could do that,” and went ahead and ordered one for myself. I picked it up pretty quickly and started tattooing nights and weekends while still working my 9-5. At that point (about 6 months in at my job), I made the decision to quit at the end of my 1-year contract to pursue tattooing full-time. After I quit, I realized how high of a demand there was for black women tattoo artists, as there were so few throughout the country. That’s what inspired me to open a shop. After about a year of tattooing, I moved back home to Los Angeles to open Flo Tats. I now have two artists (not including myself) and an apprentice working there – all black women. I’ve been so lucky that every artist who’s worked at Flo Tats found me themselves, whether through social media or just online. The space has really become everything I could have asked for and more with the help of so many amazing people in my life – friends, family, other artists, and clients alike. Not only as a tattoo shop but as a crystal store, social center, and space for healing, we welcome any and everyone looking for a safe space for beautiful, lifelong art on their body :). 

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?
Opening a tattoo studio on my own, at 24, with a few thousand dollars in credit card debt, definitely wasn’t always a smooth ride! This being my first brick and mortar business, there were a lot of financial surprises that came up that I didn’t anticipate. I didn’t have a mentor, and there was only so much information on the Internet that could teach me about opening a tattoo studio, so the majority of what I learned just came from random letters in the mail about payments that were due. That first tax year was a massive shock. I definitely thought about quitting at that point, but I was so motivated by how many people would make comments like “I’m so happy this place exists” or “I’ve been looking for a black woman who tattoos for SO long.” Those kinds of comments reassure that I’m on the right path and that if I just stick with it, everything will continue to work out. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve been an artist since I could hold a crayon. Since becoming a tattoo artist and opening my tattoo studio, Flo Tats, most people know me for my tattooing, but I love many different styles of art – oil painting (painting in any medium, really), sculpting, tattooing, nail art, resin art, jewelry making, charcoal and marker drawing, anything I can do with my hands really! My favorite style just depends on what I’ve made the time for at that moment. In the past, I’ve been most recognized for my oil portraiture. Portraits have been a favorite subject of mine since I was a child. It’s hard to say what I’m most proud of because every style of art is so different, but if I had to choose, I’d probably say my oil paintings. There’s something about capturing the essence of a person through paint. A lot of people paint/draw people, but actually making it FEEL like that person is really hard. I think I do it well. I’ve brought that same skill into tattooing, I think. Even if I’m not tattooing portraits all the time, the tattoo should still feel like the person who’s wearing it. That’s something not everyone considers. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are SO many people who have supported me through my journey as an artist and business owner. My parents have both supported me in their own ways throughout my life. My mother would critique my artwork when I was younger and always encouraged me to be creative and do what makes me feel good. My father invested so much into my education and really pushed me as an athlete which instilled a lot of drive and discipline into me. I am where I am because of me, but also because of them and I’m truly grateful for all of the sacrifices they’ve both made for me throughout my life. My sisters and friends (specifically my best friend of 21 years, Cherish) also deserve LOADS of credit for helping me maintain my sanity lol. Going against the grain and pursuing a career as an artist can certainly make you feel crazy, but I’m so luck to have friends who are going through a similar journey and/or are there to listen and validate my experience when I need it. My clients also definitely deserve some credit for the overwhelming love and support they show me and Flo Tats! I’m so grateful to be able to connect with so many people in such an intimate and permanent way. It’s truly such a gift. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/a.flo
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.flo?igsh=YzAwZjE1ZTI0Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@soinflo?si=-NUaJdr26oAApNe7
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/user/31zb23a6vzbegv5bnrzkzczda24m?si=spacgUO8T0izL4cIsX57bA

Image Credits
Teyahja Wysinger
Kyle Meeks