Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mia Barba. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Mia, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
As an artist, I believe confidence and self – esteem fluctuates so quickly. When I began my journey with tattooing, I quickly grew insecure about my work and my capabilities compared to my peers. After discussing with a couple other artists, I soon realized how judgmental each one was regarding their own work. I realized that I was my own worst critic and I have been actively combating it by trying to find bits and pieces that made me feel confident about my work and my skill. The journey is not linear, however I feel more confident to showcase myself as an artist now more than ever.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a tattoo apprentice under my grandmother, Kari Barba, at Outer Limits Tattoo in Long Beach, California. For me, this Journey has been so amazing to experience. I have always been surrounded by tattoos my entire life due to my grandmother and father being extremely talented artists themselves. This opportunity has not only allowed me to tattoo things that I enjoy such as anime and cartoons, but to also grow my artist skills and confidence. I am extremely grateful and excited to continue my families legacy.
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?
As someone who is still very active within their journey, there are so many things I can name that have impacted me throughout this time. A quality I have come to value is being extremely open to criticism. I know criticism is intimidating to someone early on in their career, for me it was always something I feared. I have now come to appreciate criticism as I realized I can never improve without input from others. I also highly value remaining as humble as possible. I believe the way you act not only represents your business, but also what you stand for. I always want to show my gratitude for those that helped me along the way. Lastly, I think time management is a skill that is extremely valuable. Being present and on time creates a wonderful environment not only for your client, but it also helps to relieve any unnecessary stress on yourself.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My grandmother, Kari Barba, has been someone I have admired her for years. Her resilience, knowledge and how she represents what she stands for are qualities that I am actively trying to learn. Having her as my mentor during my journey of tattooing has helped me overcome so many challenges both emotionally and physically.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @miabarbatattoo https://www.instagram.com/miabarbatattoo?igsh=YzAwZjE1ZTI0Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
Jaime Barba
