Today we’d like to introduce you to Nika Urban.
Hi Nika, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve had a deep love for drawing ever since I could remember; art was always the main part of my life from childhood until now. My art teacher in high school encouraged me to go to art school, and I was accepted at College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan and completed my Fine Arts degree there.
In regards to tattooing: I became obsessed with tattoos in my early teens but that always seemed like a dream that was unattainable. Luckily, after years of searching (this was now after finishing art school), I finally was given the opportunity to apprentice at Dovetail Tattoo, in Austin, Texas. It’s a long story; I was just visiting at first but the universe aligned at the right place, at the right time.
So I dropped everything I had in Michigan and moved down to Texas, and the rest is history. I still draw and make personal art aside from tattooing, and am truly happy to be living the life that I live.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Art school was pretty smooth, but my tattoo apprenticeship was not- which is a good thing. I’ve always felt comfort being up north in my home state of Michigan, and moving to Texas so abruptly was quite a big change for me at that time. Austin has always been great to me but it was just a lot all at once. During my apprenticeship, I had a day job to support myself and I had to wake up around 5:30 in the morning, go to work, then later in mid day I’d go to the shop and stay until late night. This went on for 5 days a week for 2 years. I learned so much at the shop before touching a machine. Then, tattooing was one of the hardest things I ever had to learn. It took me at least 2 years of tattooing before I finally started to get the hang of it. Not to mention the vast abundance of knowledge to be taken in before touching the machine. But I believe that was the absolute best way to acquire all of that information and experience… It was not easy, I poured my body and soul into it in a way that took a toll on my health, but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. The more time that passes, the more I love tattooing, and I will not stop until my body gives out.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like working with charcoal, ink, graphite, and oil paint, but charcoal is my primary medium. My drawings reflect the dark side of the imagination; a lot of my work represents feelings of intense anxiety, other times I like to focus on fantastical themes to hide from reality. I guess I tend to live in my own little dream world and that’s where a lot of my ideas come from. I studied classical art in college and ever since then I’ve really enjoyed focusing on figurative drawing, but not always. You’ll see a lot of figures in my work. I like to obscure their faces so the identity is a mystery- I also don’t want them to come across as “too” human.
With tattooing, my work isn’t too different from my personal art, but I make sure that each image translates into a tattoo that will endure the test of time. I make sure to use black outlines or at least have some decent contrast. I love tattooing skulls, portraits, creepy/demonic animals, and anything along those lines, but I’m happy to do anything really. It’s fun to change it up now and then.
I would say that when it comes to my fine art and tattoos, I am known for dark but smooth shading, and haunting imagery with elements of surrealism. I’d like to think that hopefully my work is distinguishable based on those things.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Well, one important thing is to find someone who you get along with or click with. You’ll be spending a lot of time with that person. Obviously it should be someone you have respect for and want to learn from. Your mentor should be someone who respects their craft, in this case, tattooing. Someone who takes it seriously. The thing that worked well for me, is that my mentor, Wendi, was not only a perfect fit as a person but she has so many years worth of experience and valuable knowledge to share. She taught me the sacred art of tattooing and so much else that goes along with it. I truly feel like I was blessed from the universe to cross paths with her and learn the way that I did.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nikaurbanartwork.com
- Instagram: nikaurbanartwork
