Meet Jenny Vo Nguyen

We were lucky to catch up with Jenny Vo Nguyen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenny Vo, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I think work ethic is something very innate. There’s a fine line, though, because you can burn out in an effort to prove something to yourself. There has to be a balance.

For me, I’ve always had a hard time believing I was good enough at art. It simultaneously breaks my heart and lights a fire in me to push harder. This is a daily battle. Work ethic, to me, exists when we have something worth working towards—varying by situation and person.

I find that working hard allows me to take care of the people I love. It enables me to feel proud of the work I’ve done. I did my best, and sometimes it doesn’t feel like enough, but I know it has to be. I want to be skilled, and training your skill level takes time.

In tattooing, the stakes are high. We change the people we tattoo for better or for worse, so I do everything I can to make that change for the better. Everyone who leaves our shop should be more confident and happy.

I have been given amazing opportunities from other people’s hard work. My parents fled Vietnam when they were very young and came into America as refugees. They didn’t have money when they had me, but they always did what they could. Because of their sacrifices, I have been given this life where I feel limitless. And this trickles down the ladder for people I’ve met who have helped me get here.

So where does my work ethic come from? From the unwavering desire to take care of the people I love (who have taken care of me in so many ways) and create artwork to the best of my ability for the wonderful people who choose to get tattooed by me. I do not want to let any of them down.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a 31 year old female Vietnamese tattooer at Mezzanine Tattoo Studio in Los Angeles, California. This is a private studio that I share with my close friends. It’s been therapeutic to build our own space together.

For as long as I could remember, I was always drawing or doing some kind of art. I distinctly remember a 12 years old me, standing outside my classroom with a friend and telling him that I wanted to tattoo someday. Growing up in an Asian household gave me very little hope for pursuing this as a career, so I erased it from my mind for a very long time. As I was approaching college, my high school art teacher wholeheartedly urged me to cultivate my skills because she felt that there was something special there. I still couldn’t quite grasp it, although I could feel myself chipping away at the barriers I had built around art in my mind.
Once I finished high school, I spent seven years taking almost every single college art class possible. I started working at Outer Limits Tattoo on and off as the shop help when I was 20. I had a wonderful support group in and out of school. I will always feel indebted to the professors in my art department. In total, I received three art degrees.
I eventually apprenticed under Kari Barba and Yvonne La, the owners of Outer Limits. I am beyond grateful to have had the chance to be taught by two people who care so much about their craft.

A year ago, we started Mezzanine Tattoo Studio. Our space was born out of a desire for change and a vision to provide an intimate setting for both artists and clients.
Having previously worked in larger shops, we realized the importance of a more personal and focused environment. At Mezzanine, we are proud to be appointment-only, ensuring uninterrupted sessions and undivided attention for each client.
As a team of 5 dedicated artists, we cherish the opportunity to work alongside one another. We constantly strive to refine our skills and push the boundaries of our craft. Mutual motivation and inspiration flow freely within our studio, fostering a supportive and creative atmosphere.
It brings us endless joy to share this with our clientele.

This art form is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it is equally as gratifying.
I hope to loudly help represent women and Asian creatives in this industry, as I grow further into my career. My artwork tends to be silly, much like my own personality. If my tattoo makes you smile or evokes a sense of joy, then I’ve done my job!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Things that I think will help anyone: • Be kind. People often mistake being kind for being a pushover, but this is not the case. Setting boundaries is an integral part of kindness. It involves maintaining self-respect and ensuring others treat us and the people around us with the same kindness we aim to extend. Holding people accountable contributes to a culture of mutual respect and genuine kindness.
I struggled with this for a long time. I’m a huge people-pleaser but I’ve learned that it can be to a detriment if we don’t have boundaries where necessary.
It’s a hard lesson to learn, but it’s so important in all aspects of life.
• Maintaining humility is essential. While aspiring to be the best version of myself, I know that I won’t ever actually be “the best.” Witnessing younger, more skilled tattoo artists emerging daily is absolutely incredible—we all have much to learn from each other, regardless of where we are in life. Many lose sight of what truly matters amid industry and cultural pressures. I strive to stay true to my values, hoping others can too. The world has no shortage of phenomenal tattoo artists, and genuine humility is crucial; people can discern authenticity, and without it, they have no issue choosing to spend their hard-earned money and valuable time elsewhere.
• Work hard but don’t forget to enjoy it. This goes back to a lot of things that were already mentioned. With the abundance of amazing tattooers, how do you set yourself apart and keep up with this saturated industry? I feel so lucky to be able to take care of myself and my loved ones with this career, but it’s not easy. In fact, there are so many easier career options. If you really want this, it takes a lot of work in and out of the studio. Honing your skillset and establishing a clientele takes time and consistency. When people ask me how often I work, I tell them that I work every day. “Days off” or days at home are still administrative days or drawing days – dedicated to running our studio smoothly or creating these designs for the tattoos. All that being said, I am trying to enjoy it as well. We all can get obsessive and consumed by our work, but it is invaluable to stop and soak it in every once in a while. Time is the only thing we cannot regenerate, so rather than wishing you were further along – it’s kinda nice to look at how far you’ve come. Don’t forget to enjoy this journey and to nurture yourself / the people on this journey with you. Don’t rush to the ending of it; life is already so fleeting. Let’s try to make the most of it.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Speaking as candidly as I can, I’m not a super relaxed person. I have a lot of goals and fixate on them. I do get overwhelmed and usually immediately express it to my partner, Mickey. She is so kind and supportive, but she’s also very honest with me about what I may need to do to decompress for those situations. If I ever get really stressed, I try to meditate and breathe in the moment a bit more. I ask myself if this situation is something I can control. If it is, will I do something about it? If not, or if it’s not something I can control, I try to shift my focus onto things I can control.

I think surrounding yourself with a strong support system really helps too. Even just hugging my dogs makes me feel less overwhelmed. Talking to Mickey or our loved ones is necessary. And making time for fun activities outside of your career / business endeavors. Again, don’t lose sight of what really matters.

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