Meet Shayla Bowen | Tattoo Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shayla Bowen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shayla, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Personally I’ve always dreaded the idea of working an office job. There’s something I read sometime from my therapist that said that people with overactive imaginations sometimes have issues without ruminating on mentally ill ideas when they’re not creating, because the creativity has to come out somewhere. That’s definitely been true for me. I’m an artist because my soul and brain chose that for me, even if it makes things harder for me. I’ll never have as much money as some of my friends but I feel fulfilled as an artist. If I’m not creating as a career I’m miserable. If I do something creative for a job, I’m happier. It was as simple as that I suppose.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My tattoo style is kind of a combination of American traditional and neo-traditional, which I suppose technically makes it neo-traditional…..but it’s closer to American traditional on that spectrum. I love color, stylized portraits and pinups, and anything with a subject that makes a statement about humanity or society. In terms of my journey, like so many others in this industry, it was tough. I had a lot of undiagnosed mental and physical health issues during my apprenticeship that led me to be let go because I couldn’t perform at my best. That really shook me up and ruined my confidence for a while and I almost gave up. I ended up having to work at a really problematic shop after that with a portfolio of tattoos done from home, which is not ideal. After a couple years of being in shops that beat me mentally into a pulp with no confidence at all, I had to take a mental health break. I gave up for a few months, simply at the end of my rope because this industry is not for the faint of heart. Hazing, bullying, sexism, ableism, gatekeeping, gaslighting— it’s got it all. After I spent some months away and had my confidence back I started at It Always Hurts tattoo and wow wow wow I’m so glad I didn’t give up forever. I really never thought I’d make it to this place in my career. Somewhere I have a good work-life balance, I have support, freedom, loyal clients who I love, and amazing coworkers that instantly accepted me as part of the family— that was the dream and now I’m there. I think the biggest lesson is don’t ever give up. Quit the specific shop you’re at and find somewhere else if you want to give up, because it probably means you’re not in the right environment. Second lesson is work really hard but also play really hard. The artists mind is that of a child, and that child needs play time. It’s hard work to market yourself as an artist, especially in this economy, but don’t forget to let your inner child have time to exist too. Balance is everything, you’ll go nuts without it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hmm, I’m a bit of a homebody so I don’t have the most extravagant ideas, but let’s see.

I love the museum district. Houston has some amazing museums, and the Natural History Museum and the botanical garden next to it are my favorites. I think museums and cafes nearby for day 1.

A Whole Foods picnic at Hermann park and then the zoo for day 2.

Some street photography of the amazing graffiti and murals hidden throughout downtown, Franks Pizza for dinner, and Mollys Pub for drinks for day 3.

Flash tattoos at It Always Hurts and then Hearsay Gastro Pub for dinner on day 4. Their burgers are incredible, and their fries are god-tier.

A trip to a bunch of the vintage shops in Montrose and Midtown for day 5 with dinner at North Italia and then party time at Numbers Nightclub. Oh and they have just so many cool events, everyone needs to check out Numbers.

I think days 6 and 7 I would drive down to Galveston and stay at an Airbnb on the beach and hang out on the strand.
Listen, I know technically that’s not Houston, but if you’ve got a week in Houston you gotta end it at the beach haha. And there’s a Rita’s Italian ice and custard right next the water, what more could you ask for.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The reason I’m where I am today is thanks to so many people. My mom and dad, who despite our complicated relationships have always been so supportive of my dream to be a tattoo artist. My little sister, my bestie, and my boyfriend have also been there for me through everything, and they’ve willingly been my canvas since before I was any good. Lastly, I want to thank everyone at It Always Hurts Tattoo because without the support and freedom and love they’ve given me I wouldn’t be able to do so many of the cool things I’ve been able to do since joining their family. I love y’all:’)

Website: beacons.ai/shaylarbo

Instagram: Shaylarbo

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