We were lucky to catch up with James Hall recently and have shared our conversation below.
James, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Hello, my name is James Hall and I am a native Austinite and local creative business owner. For years I have established what a high end tattoo studio can look like, for the purpose of creating an environment conducive to comfort and creativity.
In 2017 I sought out to continue an idea, and a personal journey, for what a high end tattoo studio would look like, what would happen by merging my love for art outside of tattooing via community events, and what impact this could have in our local communities.
After a few years proof concept via art nights and creative/social gatherings, rapidly growing public art shows, and a few charity events for good measure; I noticed a rapid increase in response to this idea that hadn’t quite yet been done; at least not in the package I was presenting.
In 2020, despite current events, I saw a massive opportunity to launch this concept to the next level. Kristopher Ray, another local creative and incredible visionary, jumped on board using his skillsets in design and marketing to help create something never done before in Central Texas.
Aura IV Tattoo Gallery is a premier studio, and has quickly become the epicenter for our diverse Austin culture for high quality art and tattooing, where atmosphere and presentation are key. 2800 sq ft of modern design space located in central Austin has allowed us to increase and enhance the impact via our previously mentioned events where, in our daily routine of high end conceptual tattooing, we can grow an understanding of community and continue to host our social calendar events, workshops and seminars of both tattooing and fine art mediums, and expand our charity efforts including our national recognized participation in P.Ink; a breast cancer organization dedicated to transforming women post breast cancer/mastectomy.
Along this journey, I have frequently been asked by clients, peers, and other community members (most recently Wise Interviews), and how I am able to not only balance my daily workload; but also in my ability to hold myself accountable in my constant pursuit of growth in structured goal setting habits.
In reflection, I have consistently noticed that showing up and being intentional with your efforts is key. Life can be hard, and going above and beyond the required minimums of daily life can be even harder. Excuses never got me anywhere, and discipline paired with hard work has brought ideas to fruition time and time again. I regularly maintain a 60+ hour work week between my clients and back end work leading into my tattoo process, Oil Paint for 8 hours a week, run a business, and maintain a personal life conducive for positive mental and physical trajectories.
Showing up is half the battle, and ensuring that you are using bandwidth accordingly for tasks is crucial. In the modern age we have more distractions than ever. Notifications, worm-hole algorithms, and the ability to get side tracked are ever present; this is where routine has come into play. I am extremely social and extroverted (also suffered from ADHD for a period of my life). Diet, exercise, and routine has all molded my energy into a unified direction that regardless of circumstances ensures that I have the best ability at a given time to execute my daily requirements and goals.
On the question presented, over time I have ensured that habits and process are lined up for success in my goals with effectiveness in executing them; minimizing the loss of momentum. Additionally, I don’t rely on others in the room to do my work for me or set the environment and headspace for what I think is a product; instead I think taking charge in your space is helpful and will do wonders for the path ahead; taking charge and bringing that energy into a space will often help others as well that are looking for direction forward, establishing a pace in a healthy manner can aid peers, co-workers, friends, etc and see how high we are trying to reach in a given day; and the village can prevail in their efforts together.
Whether this is a physical workspace, a virtual meeting, or a client interaction; bringing your energy to the table and establishing goals (individually and/or collectively); can help everyone see where the target is.
Ive learned to be successful and effective through trial and error in my years of accomplishments, and time as a leader in my community. Positive energy, creative headspace, a clear vision of process, and recognition of paths to success are key.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I mentioned this ahead in the initial question; but would love to elaborate.
I am from Austin, and in hind-sight through out my life tried to find direction for my uniquely social nd creative energy. Problem solving, Creatively thinking, and giving back to my social circle have always been factors. Whether or not I did these constructively is another story… one many of us share.
In 2019 I graduated and moved out of my parents house with an enthusiasm for ANY path ahead. I had no idea what was waiting for me, but after a few summers are hard jobs or primitive backpacking throughout West Texas leading to my accomplishment of Eagle Scout; I learned to persevere and navigate forward regardless of resources or circumstances.
I did not start of with an ideal bank or either.
As I got pulled into a path of graphic design and print media; I started getting tattooed at the age of 18. An accomplished tattooer in town had shown me something I didn’t believe when I saw it; a creative process where my idea would evolve through a collaborative effort and give me something I was really looking for. VS. a internet image, or pre-designed piece of art to chose from.
I couldn’t believe it; I had never been around tattooing and certainly not at this level. Before me was an artist, who MEDIUM was tattooing. Could I do that, is that a path?
Months went by and as I continued to hang around the local tattoo studio, or draw design for my friends by this point; I was eventually given instructions and direction for how tattooing could become and option with the right attitude. Months later, after a lot of scalding and being laughed at my other artists and studios; I landed an apprentice ship. The same month I lost my graphic design job.
A door opens.
Onward and upward, I navigate forward with discipline and hard work to establish my value as a now 19 year old kid looking for a path that would allow me to highlight core skillsets mentioned early on. A social, creative, and meaningful purpose.
By the time I was evolving into a young tattooer and becoming familiar with my new community; I managed to get a handle of the business side and quickly ran a private studio for one of the most highly respected studios in Austin and for years grow my own business alongside. Finally in 2017 after tinkering around with ideas and with an explosion of success, I decided that the effort I was putting out would now belong to an entity completely my own. This lead to a studio merge where a close friend and I took a similarly establish art focused tattoo studio and grew a proof of concept for what had the potential to be what we felt was a new and fresh approach to a creative space in tattooing; but additionally in our creative efforts both outside of tattooing and in community.
After a few years, and impending global shift; this existing studio format dissolved and I set out to bring a new and more precisely polished version of my vision to Austin Tx.
Aura IV Tattoo Gallery is born.
I chose an abstraction of what a tattoo studio, or “brand” generally looks like; truly creating something original and unique with my full creative vision alongside those who believed in me. The community I have been for nearly a decade.
AURA;
The distinctive atmosphere or emanation surrounding the body of a living creature and regarded as an essential part of the individual
IV / 4;
The number 4 is a number of “being”, it is the number that connects mind-body-spirit with the physical world of structure and organization
This embodiment comes together come historically, ideologically, and symbolically in an all encapsulating concept; brought to life by my good friend Kristopher Ray.
Previously I have been told many things, and in prior business interactions I was told directly that I was “too ambitious” in my goals. Ensuring that I was oriented properly, and channeling my effort in a unified direction by removing static; years later and AURA has become something completely its own.
An incredibly modern environment in both presentation and atmosphere has given way to 4 art shows hosting work from all over the country and hundreds in attendance; multiple workshop and seminars to enhance not only our own understand but an opportunity for others looking for growth, and two notionally recognized charity events with over 46m hits on social platforms has shown me that “too ambitious” may have been incredibly accurate.
Everyday I am grateful to my family, friends, peers, and clients for allowing me the chance to show what can be done together.
We recently hosted out PIXEL art show, and on going series of art exhibition hosting over 100 artists from around the country, and opened our newly expanded studio space at The Linc in Central Austin. This studio gallery concept is available for the public to visit at any time and see our rotating gallery of art, meet our artists, or participating in our continuous calendar of events including our bi-weekly art nights.
Follow us on social media via @AURA4TATTOO , or via our website and newsletter sign up at www.AUR4TATTOO.com to stay in the loop on our next big art show, educational opportunities, or community driven charity events.
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?
Looking back, I feel three things that really helped me personally were as follows.
Consistent goal-setting/Trackable progress
Discipline
Perseverance
Consistent goal setting has helped me maintain my “eye on the prize”. What am I going to accomplish today? What do I need to do by the end of the week? How am I going to achieve that deadline this month? Setting goals, illustrating the optional paths of success, and executing effectively.
I also have helped the speed and scale of this by seeking to have others around me, that are better than me. Other with stronger business background, inspiring creative abilities, or healthier habits are all things I aspire to and I have made an effort to attract those and take notes as needed for how to apply observations into my own journey.
Discipline; saying the above is easy. Receiving a deadline takes no effort. Getting out of bed, so to speak, is required. The hard part, and idea rooted in the word discipline, and the ability to show up for yourself and others as needed. I say that by this week I have the important emails sorted and responded, the files required for a project or digital task submitted, and make sure I give 100% of my daily effort to myself, my immediate work, and to others around me at a given time.
That takes discipline, and only through routine and process have I been able to streamline the amount of energy needed to accomplish this effectively, and precisely.
Perseverance is required for myself in staying the path. I have people around me to help motivate me or hold me accountable; I am setting goals and within my own discussion setting the bar, now I have to persevere through circumstances.
Today I am going to mow the lawn, but its raining. What do I do? I have a lot a day and time for this task in my streamline schedule and hierarchy of importance? It must be done, as it was a goal I set.
Making real time adjustments as needed despite the energy or mental effort allowed to that day in time must now be recalibrated and I must persevere through the shifting of circumstances to ensure that because task 1 can’t happen, it doesn’t fall back on task 2, takes 3 isn’t pushed off to tomorrow, and the domino effect begins where one or more tasks/goals suffer due to the unforeseen.
As trivial as the lan mowing may be, this can happen in a variety of ways across the board. You have lunch, a 2 o’clock meeting, a 4pm deadline involving meeting summaries, and dinner/movie at 7pm.
The meeting is pushed to 3pm; and now your 2-hour allowed window for your deadline is tighter pushing you beyond work hours. Rush is in full effect, and you are not adequately prepared to meet your personal/social obligations. If any one of those falls through, in my experience, it can lead to a rapidly snow-balling feeling of falling short, being behind, or any other potentially frantic state; leading to failure.
These three items in a row and al make sure that you and others around you have the required resources to effectively act when a challenge is present; you have the discipline to process and effectively execute the challenge, and through perseverance you WILL conquer the day.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
N/A
Contact Info:
- Website: JamesHallCreative.com AURA4TATTOO.com
- Instagram: @jameshallcreative @aura4tattoo
