We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Luka Ciotta a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Luka, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
To be quite honest, I don’t think I’ve ever fully overcome imposter syndrome. It kind of comes and goes. There are days where I feel like I’m doing exactly what I should be doing, and other days I look at my work and feel like I shouldn’t be where I’m at in my career, but I have to remind myself to look back at what I was putting out even just 6 months ago and remember that growth is an ongoing process. No one is ever done learning and growing.
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’m a tattooer in Phoenix, AZ. I work at a shop called Hand of Faith. Tattooing is the best job in the world. Im incredibly lucky to support myself doing what I do. I love being part of a craft that has been around for as long as tattooing has. It’s magic and tattooers are wizards. Being able to continue with this craft is an honor. Putting artwork on people forever is something I try not to take for granted, and it has allowed me to meet people from every walk of life.
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?
For me, some of the most important qualities are being personable. You’re marking someone forever and it’s so important to make them feel comfortable and enjoy the experience, especially considering how painful it can be. Time management is another huge factor. It’s so easy to lean into tattooing to a degree that becomes almost unhealthy, so it’s also important to remember to make time for life outside of the shop so you don’t burn yourself out. I also think that it’s hugely important to put ego aside. Learning from people who are miles ahead of me in tattooing isn’t always easy. Having your work torn apart by people with more experience can suck, but it’s also a great teacher. If you can look beyond the personal feelings that come with a critique and understand that they’re telling you these things to help you improve, it will allow you to grow so much faster. As for advice to people who are just starting out, all I can say is to make friends with disappointment. Tattooing a the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and also the most rewarding. If you can find comfort in discomfort, you’ll do well.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
I’d say it was just that they never pressure me to go in any particular direction. My parents are both massively supportive of me and my sister. I’m lucky to have that; I’m aware it’s not as common as it should be. They’ve never judged me for taking a less traditional approach to work and what I want to do with my life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ihateslimbo
Image Credits
Kiva Meulenbeek
