1 minute read
TRISTAN VEZINA
Born and raised on the south shore of Montreal, I always felt like I came from another planet. I found a home with tattooers and metal heads. Ironically this gave me more opportunity for my future than our whole education system. I began my apprenticeship at 18 years old under the trust of Jonathan Menard. As life went on, I joined the crew of
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Golden lips tattoo, where I had the rich teachings of Gabrielle Polflit.
Who/where do you get your inspiration from?
When I started my career, I was stunned by the work of Victor Chil, Timmy_B, Jamie Ris, Aaron Spring, Kenni Poké, and many more; I still am to this day. For my whole career, I have been around neo-traditionalists; I have been inspired by my peers as well, such as Rémi Saint-Roch, who taught me how to draw, Mermaidsketches, Tyler Hoare, and Melina Wa.
What did your family and friends think about you getting into the tattoo business? I had a bucket full of support from everyone around me. The pushback that I had was at a fairly young
9 Years
Tattooing
Sainte Catherine, QC Location
Independent Artist
New school
Neo-traditional Specialty tristan.vezina
@hotmail.com
@tristanvezina Instagram age, or early stage of my apprenticeship when tattooers were considered a fringe part of society. Sometimes when people care about you, this caring can turn into doubt. But doubt is not meant to last.
What would you say is your favorite part of the job? I love the creation process. From the consultation, where we can meet, take measurements, and talk about the subject matter, to the ritual of drawing in my space. I ultimately love every part of our craft.
What do you think is in store for the future of tattooing? I think we are already in the future of tattooing; the industry has changed a lot in front of our very eyes, like our world with all the technological advancements. I think the next logical step is toward automation, which nobody wants, except those who can profit from it. But I have faith that the industry is a tough nut to crack.
What is the most important advice you can give someone new to the art of tattooing? Don’t take the easy way, be open to feedback, whether it’s from a client or a coworker. Learn the fundamentals of drawing on paper without being technologically dependent on it for creating. ✕
