Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Francis.
Emily, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve loved doing art for as long as I can remember. When I was around four years old, Mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and apparently, I have no recollection of this, but I said I wanted to be an artist. So, I guess I haven’t changed much! Mom married a tattoo artist, so I was very familiar with the shop environment and the smell of green soap is basically burned into my brain. He would put the same dragon stencil on me when I was little, and would always reapply when it rubbed off after a few days. I first got into art through anime though. I would watch Inuyasha and Pokemon on my little boxy Disney Princess TV and would hit pause on certain still shots I loved and tried to draw them. I had pages and pages of anime still shots, and eventually started drawing my own characters. They were terrible, hahaha. When I was a sophomore in high school, I decided I wanted to be a legitimate artist, so I started trying to draw portraits and played around with tattoo-style art due to the influence the industry had on me in childhood. My first job was at Amy’s Ice Creams at the ripe age of 16 years old, and I was designated as the shop artist, so I did the Choco-Berry Murals on the window for Valentine’s day and a lot of the chalk art on the chalkboard, which was always the highlight of the job for me. I started living alone as soon as I graduated high school at about 17, and maintained three jobs so I could support myself and do art shows on the side. I had a fun run doing art shows but wasn’t happy with where my art was at, so I stepped out of the scene to improve and redefine my style, and I’ve been doing that ever since.
I floated through a few different waitressing jobs, trying to find one that wasn’t too soul-crushing but still kept me afloat. My dream was to one day make money being creative. I didn’t know how it was going to happen, but I basically went to work, went home, and drew, tirelessly, every day, in hopes that the opportunity would present itself one day. I didn’t go shopping or go out very much, so my way of blowing off steam and drowning my sorrows was by getting tattooed. I got my first tattoo at Atomic Tattoo by an awesome fellow named Craig Sheets, and my second tattoo by a man named Mike Pain, the man that, unbeknownst to me, would be my Mentor for six years later. It’s so cool how life comes together sometimes. For eight years, I went to work, built my portfolio and got tattooed in a loop. Eventually, when I was about 25, it came up in my conversation with Mike that I was an artist, and when he saw my art, he offered me an apprenticeship. I always wanted to be a fine artist and didn’t want to just become a tattoo artist simply because it was offered, or because it was what I was familiar with in childhood, So I thought about it for a while and finally decided to take the leap. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Hard work pays off, kids, so never give up on your dreams! It sounds so cheesy, but it is so true.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all. I have basically clawed my way out of poverty. My mom and I were in and out of shelters when I was young, lived in her car for a while, and when we did have a home, it was out in the middle of the woods in a trailer that had holes in the flooring and only cold water for the first few months. All I had was art. It kept me out of trouble, and eventually became my salvation. I’ve always loved living alone because people my age always wanted to party. I definitely did my fair share of partying, but it was never fulfilling and I knew if I wanted to focus on art, I needed to live alone, and in order to live alone I needed to work really hard. I took two buses to work and longboarded the rest of the way when there wasn’t a bus stop. I took my sketchbook with me everywhere I went, so when I had a break in between jobs I could draw. So my young adulthood was a constant, non-stop grind, living paycheck to paycheck, and I honestly look back and wonder how the hell younger Emily managed to pull it off. I never saw my family, and I have two friends that put up with the fact that I was never available. Thank Goodness they understood and stuck with me through it all.
We’ve been impressed with Copperhead Tattoo and Piercing, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I apprenticed at Atomic Tattoo and worked there for a couple of years. Shoutout to Mike Pain and Justin Timming for changing my life. I met so many amazing artists in my time working there and every shop has its own unique vibe and talent that it brings to the table. I ended up meeting two amazing artists named Melanie Grace and Zach Grey, and a piercer named Kayla Spears. You can find their online portfolios at the Copperhead Website. Our goal was to create a laid-back, private studio where we can really focus on the quality of art? Tattoos we put out, continue honing a style we can be proud of, all while having the freedom to express ourselves and enjoy life outside of work. We just hired a new artist named Tom Cuellar who fits right in. It’s amazing, Everyone I work with really cares about what they do, so it’s a really inspiring environment that makes me really want to see what I’m made of, and we laugh a lot which is a plus. We also wanted to create an environment and experience that makes our clients feel more at ease. The process of getting tattooed can be nerve-racking, vulnerable, and intimidating, and we want to ease as much the anxiety in the process as possible so people can leave feeling confident and uplifted. I would like to think we’ve been successful so far.
We are a brand new shop, we’ve only been open for about six months and so far it’s been an amazing experience, I can’t wait to see how our business unfolds and grows within the next few years. I’ve only been tattooing for about three years, so I’m still exploring what my style is and what I’m into. So far, I love realism and mixing elements like bold colors, graphic art, and illustrative linework with realistic subject matter. I also love blackwork, abstract blackwork, abstract textures like brush strokes and geometric work, so I’m hoping these styles come together in a unique way for me in the future. As for my personal art, I love painting, and I’m working on creating a very trippy, surreal world with imagery that hopefully evokes feelings of power and elation. I’m still in the process of honing this style, but I’m very excited to show the world what I’m working on when it comes together. I like to do that in the shadows though, so I haven’t revealed much of that to the public just yet. Young Emily had all of the cool ideas, so It’s my job to now push myself technically and do the ideas justice.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Honestly, it sounds so corny and hokey, but being Authentic. It’s way too easy to compromise who you are in order to play the social media game or to appease certain clients that want something out of your wheelhouse.
I’ve learned that you don’t have to post every day, and you don’t have to be anything other than yourself. As long as you are putting out work and content that reflects who you are, it’s sustainable, AND you will accrue a following that aligns with what you love to do.
You also don’t have to say yes to everything, and when you are being offered an opportunity to tattoo someone, it’s best to listen to intuition, for the well-being of yourself and your clients. If something doesn’t resonate with me, I will turn it down. Every tattoo artist is different, and there’s a tattoo artist with a style, energy, and process out there for everyone. Everyone should be tattooed by someone who feels confident and excited about doing their tattoo, and equally, every tattoo artist deserves to do work that will help them really shine and show what they are capable of. So if you’re a tattoo client and an artist turns you down, you may be upset in the moment, which is valid, but just remember, it’s probably for the best because you want someone aligned with your idea to do your tattoo. So I think tuning in to that intuition and using discretion when it comes to choosing what to take on is essential.
You also need dedication to your vision. You can have so much vision, but if you don’t get up and follow through with it, it doesn’t matter. This is a big one for me because I LOVE to relax, so I’ve had to work hard to develop a mentality that supports success in business, and having an assistant, who also happens to be one of my best friends (I love you Ciara), was a huge step in my success so I could stop worrying about answering emails and just focus on the art. I highly encourage any tattoo artist who feels overwhelmed by that side of the business to take the leap and get an assistant, it was a game-changer for me.
My definition of success is having enough to be comfortable, and having time to spend with my loved ones, so in my book, I’m already successful and the rest is extra.
Pricing:
- I’m typically 200 an hour
- I take a $60/$100 deposit for every appointment to ensure the slot. Time is money, and if you don’t show up, that’s time and money out of my day
- Our shop has a $100 Dollar minimum
Contact Info:
- Website: Copperheadbodyart.com
- Instagram: @em.j.francis
