Owner and tattoo artist at Neon Lady Tattoo
Explain your job and what it entails.
I am a tattoo artist and that entails drawing custom pieces for clients and bringing their ideas to fruition.
How long have you had this job?
I’ve been tattooing for 11 years. Started apprenticing in 2013 and opened my own business four years ago in February 2020.
What led you to this career field and your current job?
I wanted to be able to create artwork for my clients and wanted to do something I enjoyed as my career. Creating custom work and being able to do custom art pieces has always been a passion of mine and being able to support myself doing that has been one of the greatest things.
What kind of education or training did you need?
I did go to art school for a little while, for a couple years, but you do need an apprenticeship, so finding a mentor and another tattooer that has experience and is willing to take on a student or an apprentice, in order to be licensed to be able to tattoo legally.
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
I wear whatever I please that is comfortable and black usually. It’s my favorite color. It hides the ink and the blood — you can include that or not; it’s the truth, though. It’s professional, looks artsy.
What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?
Time management. Especially as a business owner, beyond just being a tattooer, owning the business. Just trying to balance personal life and work life is very challenging but it comes with its own rewards.
What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your career?
How much of my time would be dedicated to being involved in it. Like the emails and customer service aspect of it, again, the work-life balance.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
It can be physically taxing, mentally taxing. But a positive aspect of that, though, is you get to meet so many different people and I feel like you definitely grow as a person with all the folks that you meet and how close you end up becoming with some of your clients and the importance of some of the art pieces that come in. Whether it’s a memorial piece or you’re doing a cover-up or scar cover, how important that can be with some clients and that comes with some responsibility too, being able to give someone a sense of themselves back.
What was your first job?
My father owned a pizza restaurant for several years…. So I pretty much folded pizza boxes for a dollar to help the family, swept floors, cleaned tables, that was my first job.
What is the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?
Stay humble and keep growing. There’s always an opportunity to learn.
—Zachary Lewis
Five favorites
Favorite book: Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt
Favorite movie: An American Werewolf in London
Favorite music: I like a mixture of punk and rock ’n’ roll, in general. Some rap, some hip-hop, some oldies.
Favorite food: Sushi!
Favorite thing about NH: There’s so much to do, especially with nature. I love to hike, I like to garden, I like the seasons.
Featured photo: Neon. Courtesy Photo.