Today we’d like to introduce you to Citlali Elena.
Hi Citlali, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been an artist my whole life, but after receiving my B.F.A. in painting and drawing at Ohio University in 2019. I decided to focus on tattoos as a form of self-expression so that I could assist people in their journey to reclaiming their bodies and reinventing themselves.
I started tattooing in Athens, Ohio. After finishing my apprenticeship, I moved to Cincinnati and joined the White Whale crew. I tattooed there for three years before making the decision to Join my friend Reid in our new studio.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As much as I loved tattooing in Athens, the shop was not conducive to the environment I was trying to create for my clients. Once I moved to Cincinnati, the hardest part was actually getting a shop to hire me since I had only been tattooing for a year, and my portfolio consisted mainly of OU tattoos and bobcat paw prints.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Mexican American painter and tattoo artist. Because of my love for the natural world, my work focuses on whimsical botanical designs, bugs, and critters. My abstract work took me a while to develop because I wasn’t sure my paintings could be translated into skin. I am slowly figuring out the best way to do so.
How do you think about luck?
I consider myself a really lucky person. I have lived through so much change and transformation that it has molded me into a pretty adaptable person. I think that no matter what I do, there will always be forces guiding me in the right direction. As long as I trust my gut, everything always turns out better than expected.
Pricing:
- My minimum is $100
- Pricing varies depending on the design
Contact Info:
- Website: citlalielena.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xitlali_tattoos/
- Other: https://www.citlalielena.com/tattoo-booking
