Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Mitchell.
Hi Sean, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I came back to Austin (my hometown) after spending some time going to college for psychology in Houston. I had been there since high school, so I could visit my Dad on my days off in east Texas while he suffered through Luis Gehrig’s.
I was always into art but never enjoyed the idea of being part of a larger company or producing prints. So I decided to try to become a tattoo artist.
I found out after some attempts of getting into the tattooing industry that it was going to take a while. I walked to shop after shop, riding the bus across town, showing my portfolio and being rejected for this and that justification… Eventually, I had to take a break from that dream.
So I worked at a mental health facility, where I met countless lovely people and even met my wife, who was a night nurse. We both left the facility due to clashes of our ideals concerning the administrative practices and moved to Bastrop, where we currently live.
I decided I didn’t want to stay in the psychiatric industry, so I transitioned into Animal services in Bastrop county.
The work was hard, the management abrasive and toxic, the weather was oppressive, but the dogs were the sweetest, and it was fun listening to books while I cleaned the kennels. I found something enjoyable in the repetitive nature of the job and was content because I was finally finding something stable. Dharma was a term I learned while listening to Hindu and Buddhist scriptures during my labor there, and while I was there, it was my Dharma to protect and take care of the animals.
After a while of being this anomaly in the shelter, my wife found an advertisement for a tattoo apprenticeship at Savage Tattoo Co. In North West Austin. I took my chance got the position and immediately started planning my life around this new career, eventually leaving the shelter.
It’s been almost four years since that initial step. Even though my apprenticeship ended a month after COVID started, I was able to continue pushing through because of some ultra-dedicated friends and clients.
Currently, I’m molding my tattoo portfolio to reflect my interests. Dreaming of blending eastern and western symbolism, styles, and stories with anyone else’s who’s interested.
As much as I enjoy tattooing, it’s an unsustainable profession past a certain age. Realizing this early in my career, in my downtime, I’ve also spent countless hours designed a board game that is almost ready to go into full production.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’ve been rejected a couple of dozen times just getting a spot to work at. I had no transportation for about a year early on, so I took the bus about 3-4 hours a day to work. Even now, I currently travel hours every day to get to my shop. I’ve had COUNTLESS people stand me up, take my work, ghost me. These are just a couple.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a tattoo artist. An insatiable creative. I write, draw, dream, do. I’ve created a board game and explored the four corners of the earth through their religion and spiritual practices. The moment I pick up the momentum and clientele I need, I’m going to press my stamp so far into the earth people will recognize it as their own for generations.
Pricing:
- I’m 150 an hour
Contact Info:
- Email: seanmitchelltattoos@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkwell512/
