Meet CJ Wollack

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful CJ Wollack a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi CJ, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

This question holds a special place in my heart. I dreamed of being an artist since childhood but faced prejudice based upon the way I express myself for as far back as I can remember. This judgement has come not only from strangers in passing but from friends and family as well. Trauma from growing up in unstable abusive environments made it difficult for me to form friendships so I spent most of my time fixated upon tedious projects that made it impossible to think about anything other than the task at hand. I was told on countless occasions that it was going to be incredibly difficult to become a successful artist and that most end up starving. Due to my religious upbringing I was isolated from society by those around me and shamed for being queer. Despite facing discouragement when expressing myself verbally I chose to continue exploring my individuality through art and fashion which became a crucial outlet for me.

A great part of my success is attributed to trusting my intuition. If I had allowed myself to be bullied into accepting a set of predetermined morals and values that don’t align with who I am I would not have created space to be authentic in every aspect of my life. This authenticity has been imperative to the quality of both my work and the people I attract into my life because I don’t have to wear a mask in order to gain the approval of those who wouldn’t accept me otherwise. Allowing myself to be genuine has helped me build an incredible community of like minded people that support what I do on a daily basis.

If I had chosen to conform to what the majority of people around me were saying during the beginning stages of my career I would not be where I am today. Being successful is as simple as believing you can be despite your differences and the opinions of others. These unique qualities are, in fact, something to be celebrated. If someone wants to silence you, try to understand that it is coming from a place of self rejection. When a person who has never allowed themself to be authentic sees you being confident in who you are, they may be inclined to try and bring you down due to the fact that they subconsciously see you as above them. This is simply a projection of their own insecurities and not to be taken personally.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I have been tattooing for almost a decade. Art became a form of meditation for me when nothing else made sense. In the moments I decided to put a pencil to a piece of paper, I gained the freedom to create my own reality. When I get into a creative flown state nothing can touch me and I feel as if I have the entire world in my hands.

To me a blank canvas represents infinite opportunities and even in my darkest moments I can find balance between lines that give structure to my creations. Within the limitless possibilities of my imagination, I fall into a tranquil state of being. This head space allows me to let go of insecurities, failures, doubt, fear, and perfection.

The truth is, becoming a tattoo artist is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. In this industry, I don’t have to hide who I am. In fact, I feel empowered to continue my pursuit of self discovery through individual expression and work towards reaching my full potential while inspiring others to do the same.

Pursuing this career has allowed me to use my skill to empower others. Nothing beats the moment my clients leave feeling more confident than when they walked in. I am honored that so many people have entrusted me with a piece of themselves and I will continue to do the same for them for as long as I am able.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

One of the main qualities that positively impacted my journey is ambition. It’s the engine that drives progress. With aspiration, intention and clear goals ambition propels you forward, turning dreams into reality and shaping your career trajectory. Ambition is built through purpose and purpose is found within the pursuit of authenticity.

Another important area of knowledge that relates to my previous statement is discernment. Having unrealistic standards for yourself will inevitably cause you to hold the people around you and the things you create to those standards as well. Since standards are put in place to determine failure or success, when you hold yourself to unrealistic standards you are setting yourself up for failure. To avoid this, practice setting attainable goals by breaking your bigger aspirations down into smaller steps and set a deadline for when you are going to achieve these steps.

In the tattoo industry specifically it is incredibly important to understand the risk involved for both yourself and your clients when working in a facility where open wounds are present. Tattooing is not heavily regulated and when you choose to pursue a career in the tattoo industry you accept the responsibility of prioritizing your clients well being if you want to be taken seriously. Your studio is not a safe space if you aren’t properly licensed or educated on the prevention of blood-borne pathogens.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always interested in potential collaborations! A couple months back I had the honor of being a guest artist at Black Serum in San Francisco alongside some of the most skilled artists in the industry. It was truly an incredible experience and I look forward to expanding my journey further across Europe. I am a huge advocate for community within the industry as I believe one of arts main primary functions is to bring people together. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to share my story with the world and hope to inspire others to pursue their deepest passions as well.

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