Meet Ariel 麟 Lee | Tattoo Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ariel 麟 Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ariel 麟, how do you think about risk?
In my opinion, risk is integral to growth! Every great learning and period of growth I’ve ever experienced in my life has been due to taking calculated risks. In 2019, I was working in a corporate tech job in San Francisco. Fully burning out from the grind that is affording life in SF. I looked around at my life and knew that this was not how I wanted to lead it. I scarcely had time for myself, much less my partner, family, and friends. We knew we needed a radical change in the way we were approaching life and that meant taking a huge risk in our financial stability. We both left our high paying tech jobs, sold many of our items, bought a van off craigslist, and decided to travel across the country.
Vanlife forced us to reframe our priorities, ground ourselves in the present, and focus purely on what we needed to live and be content. That seemingly risky move away from financial stability, changed the trajectory of our life.
Learning to tattooing, and starting my own business is a direct takeaway from vanlife. I had belief in myself, and no matter if I succeeded in this or not, I knew that I would grow and learn exponentially as a result of this risk.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love that my art feels like an extension of the self. That is what art essentially is, extension of self in a visual expression.

My absolute favorite things to tattoo are things from the Asian diaspora. Being a first generation Asian American, I was forced to assimilate for most of my life. We were taught to go with the flow and not rock the boat. We were made fun of for eating our weird smelling ethnic food. I remember often tossing out the lunch my mom or dad would make for me, so that I could purchase the cafeteria pizza or beg for Lunchables because thats what all my other friends were eating. And the crazy part of all that is the fact that most of the students in my Central Jersey town were also from the Asian diaspora! 80% of the students in my school were a part of some Asian ethnicity!
I love tattooing things from the Asian diaspora because it selfishly makes me feel less lonely about my Asian American experience. It validates the trinkets we all used to hide away in the corners of our lockers. It makes me feel more in touch with my Asian American identity. Like yes! We all would go home from school and drink a whole sleeve of Yakult yogurt drinks, or watch Ghibli films, or snack on shrimp crackers! We all would use Tiger Balm after a hard day of soccer practice, or be forced to drink herbal medicine when we had a tummy ache from too much pizza. The duality of being an ethnically Asian human being raised in a Western world is something to celebrate and recognize and I want people who look at my art, my tattoos, as extensions of love for the duality!

The journey to get to where I am has not been easy at all! Growing up as a first gen Asian American came with a lot of baggage to “make it” or “succeed” in a way that made your parents sacrifice worth it! The definition of success was very limited! I wrestled with this concept a lot. Taking the plunge of starting my own business went counter to all the things I was socialized to know would bring me “success”. I am allowing people to see me through my art, to know me, to celebrate the very things that I used to be made fun of for. And that’s it so special. Through this art form I am reframing my definition of success. I am finding true human connection in commonality. I am exploring my culture and embracing it in a way I have never before. In a lot of ways, the things I love to tattoo: trinkets of the Asian diaspora, botanicals, anime, abstract shapes, represent the duality and complexity of my lived experience. I hope that when people get a tattoo from me they can feel the connection of that art to the person that made it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The best things about Denver is the proximity to nature and the arts culture! I would probably plan in a RMNP day. I am a sucker for a good hike! Meow Wolf is a must see. The local artists who put together that beautiful installation must be celebrated! And a visit to Denver is not complete without a few breweries! I also would bring them to the Hot Pot Spot in Thornton! Newly opened and soooo good!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Literally so many people!! I attribute so much of where I am to the people surrounding me. Specifically in tattooing, I have an AMAZING group of creative humans who are also on the self and community taught journey of tattooing! We used to gather and practice together to keep each other accountable. We would ask questions to each other and troubleshoot issues together! It was integral to my learning this beautiful art form! To name a few, Shan, Mason, Evie, Natalia, and so many more!

I also obviously have to shoutout my beautifully supportive partner, Michael! For the longest time, he financially supported us while I learned new artistic mediums. I have started a few small business, including a freelance art business where I did art forms such as: murals, floral design, designing and planning weddings, designing websites, etc.! Michael was there through it all, loading in, spending late nights with me making sure every last detail was perfect, and even sleeping over in our van while finishing the mural! Most recently with tattooing, Michael gave me the space and time to learn the technical skills and be my first test subject! So brave!! 🙂 He is integral to my every success as an artistic human!!

And lastly, I would like to shout out my dad! He passed from colon cancer when I was 14. I am 30 now, but within the 14 years that I knew him, he fostered an environment filled with artistic curiosity that I still carry with me 16 years since he passed! He, himself, was a professional artist, and while he struggled to get his footing, starting many businesses, exploring many different fields, his love of art, his tenacity to continue creating, contributed greatly to my belief that I could keep pursuing this full time!
I remember when he was very sick, weak from the constant rounds of chemo and radiation, still finding the time and energy to building me a drafting table from scratch. He wanted a place for me to draw and practice. He so wanted me to love artistic expression the way he did. I cannot thank him enough for giving me that love.

This is just the tip of thee iceberg!! There are sooo many people in my entire life that have provided loving support, mentorship, encouragement, etc. I have always wanted to pursue art full time, to make it my career, and every single human who has believed me has gotten me to where I am today. I am one lucky duck 🙂

Website: ariellinlee.com

Instagram: @ariel.tats

Image Credits
Isabel Henry Photo