Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Truan
Hi Carlos, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I moved to Austin in the mid 90’s. I started getting tattooed at the shop here and became friends with the people that worked there. I’ve been drawing since I was very young. My father was an artist, and we grew up learning and watching him. So I always had a great appreciation for any art form. I guess the guys at the shop saw something in me, so I started helping out around the shop. One of them saw that I was always drawing and asked if I had any interest in learning to tattoo. I pretty much knew that I wanted to spend as much time as possible in a shop. He took me on as his apprentice but ended up firing me cause I had a really bad drug problem. Despite what anyone said, I went ahead and tattooed anyway. I ended up working all around town and getting fired from almost every shop in Austin. I had also got in trouble with the law and been in and out of treatment centers. I ended up getting a job offer in Los Angeles, working with an old friend. Unfortunately, they had dope there too. I bounced around from shop to shop for a couple of years and eventually ended up homeless. I went to visit a friend of mine and she said there was someone on the phone for me. It was my mother. She wanted to know what had happened to me. She had heard through other people that were doing pretty bad. She offered to get me on a bus to come back to Texas if I would go to treatment. I was in such bad shape that I actually had to be hospitalized first. Then once feeling a little better, I went to rehab.
Eventually, I ended up back in Austin and worked at another friend’s shop. I ended having to leave there too, and my past caught up with me. I ended up getting locked up for almost two years. I really wanted to stay sober but couldn’t keep it together for very long. I think it was about 3 1/2 years total of sobriety. I continued to work all around town again, tried opening a shop even. I kept on getting in trouble with the law and finally got locked up again. This for one year, I felt very fortunate because I could’ve had a lot more time. For some reason, something clicked this time. I couldn’t stand being away from my daughter, and I couldn’t believe that I was back in this situation. Completely hopeless. I decided I would try something different and started seeking help through programs offered while I was incarcerated. I was also in contact with a few people on the outside that we’re in recovery. When I got out, I had an amazing support system.
I became involved with a recovery group and got involved in any way I could. I got a job at a shop and started building a clientele. I was asked to be partners at that shop and did that for a year, then moved on to a different shop to work at another shop I had been fired from and worked there for two years. I now have my own shop that I opened this May on the 18th. It is a private studio so we work by appointment only. I have another business with two other friends making tattoo pigment. I also have an online store where I sell my personal merch. I’ve been sober for over eight years now.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not a smooth road at all ever. I was an intravenous drug user for over 20 years. I feel like it made me hate myself and I didn’t understand why I couldn’t stop. I went to nine treatment centers and was always in and out of county jails. It was eventually going to prison twice. I was homeless at a couple of different times in my life. You know all the normal stuff that comes with drug addiction. A lot of times, I felt like I didn’t want to live anymore. Even when I finally got sober, I still felt lost for over two years probably. It’s understandable because I numbed myself for so long that I didn’t know how to be a regular person. It’s taken a lot of work, but I’m very grateful and happy with the life I live today.
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’ve been tattooing for 22 years. My style has changed throughout the years. Currently, I’m doing fine line black and gray. I love tattooing all kinds of the subject matter. I do a lot of roses, skulls, insects, religious images, women’s faces, and any variation of any of those. I’m not sure what I’m known for or even what I’m proud of as far as my work goes. I go to work and do the best that I can. I want to make sure that whoever is getting tattooed by me feels completely comfortable. I treat everyone with respect, want everyone to have a great experience.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Omg yes! I feel like it’s so easy to get caught up in the everyday grind. All of a sudden, we were forced to slow down and were able to spend all this time with the ones closest to us and ourselves. We have to slow down sometimes and connect with each other. Being a tattoo artist also helped me become hyper-aware of my environment and how important it is to keep our space clean and safe. I mean, we are already trained in Bloodborne Pathogens, but it still made me take a look at it even closer for everyone’s safety. I also started doing a little woodwork, so that awesome!
Contact Info:
- Email: Truantattoo@gmail.com
- Instagram: Carlos_truan
- Other: CarlosTruan.bigcartel.com
Image Credits
Jason Cabello
