Meet Elora Schrader | Tattoo Artist

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

Hi Elora, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I feel like tattooing definitely involves a lot of risk taking, and has been that way since the very beginning. We take risks with our bodies, our health and our art, all in the hopes that it pays off in the end. From the risk of moving to a new shop or starting your own, to the risk of exploring new styles and stepping out of our comfort zone, growth comes from stepping out of our comfort zones. Starting my apprenticeship, with no real support and no idea what the future would bring, was the biggest and most meaningful risk I have ever taken in life. Not every choice I’ve made in my career has worked out the way I hoped, but it’s always resulted in the kind of character development I need to continue growing in this industry.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always been a huge fan of tattoos and body modifications, but never really thought I’d be lucky enough to make it a career. I really enjoy dark art and I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with a ton of people who appreciate the same kind of imagery I do, and meet others that opened my eyes to other styles and mediums. Getting to where I am professionally has been an uphill battle but so, so worth the fight. I never imagined that I would be where I am today, or tattooing in the styles I currently do. I’ve had a lot of help, a lot of excellent mentorship from artist I have immense respect for, and a lot of long conversations with myself about what I needed to do to get where I wanted to be. I’ve learned you will never please everyone, but doing your best in your career and being an authentic version of yourself, will bring just the right type of people around you eventually.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would tell them to check out MeowWolf, take some time out to visit The Wizard’s Chest, and then to stop and grab some lunch at GB Fish and Chips on Broadway!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m dedicating my shoutout to the owner of the very first shop I ever worked at, Ray Jimenez from Nocturnal Tattoo 2 in Lakewood, Colorado. Ray was a great boss and an encouraging influence in my time there, and spending all of that time in his shop really played a role in shaping who I am today. It gave me my first sense of the tattoo industry, and set a standard for what I would always look for in other workplaces. Many of my most meaningful moments in my early career happened at this shop. I deeply respect Ray and couldn’t possibly be more grateful for him allowing me the space to grow while under my mentor, and making me feel like I could really find a place in the world of tattooing.

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elora.schrader.77

Image Credits
Just me