Meet Ashley Victoria | Tattoo Artist

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

Hi Ashley, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have always been an artist. As a child I loved to paint, doodle, dress up, face paint, collect flowers to study and draw, anything creative I could do I loved it! I grew up hearing that artists don’t make money, that I couldn’t have a career in art, and for the longest time I listened to those people, and flailed through life working random odd jobs that never felt right.

There is always more to learn, to study, ways to improve your skills and artwork, and that is another thing I love about having an artistic career. The learning never stops. I find new artists every day that inspire me to be better, or to try different things!

This craft, this career found me through connections of other people I knew – and when this life was presented to me, I grabbed onto it and never let go. I was born to create – in fact, I feel like we all were. Having a career in art feels natural to me, it’s what I always wanted but for the longest time was too scared to have. If I never took that risk into the unknown, I might have never realized my full potential!

I love creating, I love to see the smiles on my clients faces after the end of their tattoo session. I love hearing how good their tattoo makes them feel and how they light up when people comment on how they love their artwork. It can really change a person’s whole day, and I love that! I love the connections that tattooing has brought to me. Some of my most valuable friendships are due to this career. I wouldn’t change it for anything.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always had a love for flowers. Some of my first memories growing up are walking through my pasture, sitting in fields of wildflowers, collecting different specimens. I remember sitting in the field of color, soaking up the sun and smelling the sweet flowers. So when I started tattooing and everyone told me I needed to figure out what it is I wanted to focus on, the answer seemed obvious. Each year I feel like my art changes as my interests do, but most people know me by my floral tattoos. Realistic looking flowers and plants are the main thing I tattoo (and will always love), but I am wanting so badly to do some more pop culture, movie, animation, type projects! I love tattooing in color so much that is all I’m taking on with new clientele. I love watching the way the ink saturates into the skin, trying to achieve seamless blends into other colors is like a meditative process for me. Tattooing is the only time where my noisy brain falls silent and I am just focused on what is directly in front of me. It’s beautiful peace in my mind, thinking about the task at hand, recalling and discovering what colors to mix to get the perfect hue I need. I love it!
It definitely wasn’t easy to get to the point that I’m at today. I had to sacrifice a lot of time with my family, work long hours, and take a lot of crap from people haha. You definitely need to have thick skin, discipline and a strong work ethic to make it in this industry, especially as a woman. Although I feel like I have a long way to go professionally and artistically, I am proud of far I have come. Looking back at pictures of the first few years of tattooing to now, I can tell a significant difference in my skill level, and I hope to only improve from here.
I think I am most proud of the fact that I never gave up on myself. There have been a handful of times that I have felt completely discouraged, that I wasn’t doing enough, or I wasn’t as great as the other artists I followed on Instagram. It took me a few years to truly understand that everyone is on their own path. You can never see all the time, effort, struggle someone has served in their life when an artist posts their work on social media. You only see the finished product. That can be super discouraging for newer artists, so getting over that hurdle is a lot on it’s own.
My main goal now is to make the best tattoos I can, providing my clients with a safe, fun, clean environment, and to have all my clients walk out the door feeling happy and pleased with their art. Have you ever seen someone after they get a tattoo they love? The way their face lights up, beams with excitement. They leave feeling happy, satisfied, accomplished. It gives people a nice new boost of self-esteem. It’s a beautiful thing really, to be able to make people feel good. I can’t solve a lot of the worlds problems, but if I can make people feel good about themselves, hopefully that positivity and light spreads to other places in the world.

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?
There are so many fun, unique things to check out in Colorado Springs, I’m not sure where to start! I would definitely plan a whole day around Manitou Springs. There is an old school penny arcade, tons of cute, unique little shops everywhere. There are beautiful parks, art galleries, great restaurants, you name it. Manitou is always a favorite of mine! I enjoy being outdoors, and in the mountains getting away from the city is more my thing. There are so many amazing hikes in this area with fantastic views of the city, waterfalls, rivers, streams and wildlife. There would have to be at least two days spent hiking to even begin to understand the beauty this place holds. Some of my favorites include St. Mary’s Falls, St. Peter’s Dome, Section 16, and any hike in Cheyenne Canyon really! Seven Falls is another really cool thing to check out, super beautiful waterfall nestled into the mountainside. I would also make sure to visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, just for the uniqueness factor alone – a zoo on the side of a mountain. Plus you can get close to and feed the giraffes, which is my favorite part, it’s such a fun experience! Downtown Colorado Springs has so much to offer for food and drink it’s hard to just list a few. Bonny and Read has some great seafood, T Byrds Tacos and Tequila is a great spot. If you like burgers there is Bingo Burger and the Skirted Heifer – I’m not sure which one I like better, they are both fantastic. The Exchange is an awesome cafe that has great food as well! The Famous is a fantastic steakhouse to try!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband Anthony has been a huge support throughout my career. He picked up the slack and made extra money while I was in my apprenticeship making nothing. He woke up early to take our son to school when I was too tired to get up from work the night before. He made countless meals, cleaned, picked up our son from school and took care of him, all while supporting me, emotionally and financially. I’m not sure if I would have taken the risk I did if it wasn’t for his genuine love and support. Thank you Anthony, I love you more than you know. My mom is another person in my life that I would not be where I am today without her. She’s always supported me and my dreams and I am forever thankful to have such a wonderful caring mother.

Instagram: @ash.victoriaart