Meet Veronica Musser | Tattoo Artist

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

Hi Veronica, how do you think about risk?
I have come to find there is no reward without risk. I grew up as a competitive figure skater and learned that with fear and risk comes growth. Figure skating taught me a lot of lessons about the importance of venturing into the unknown in order to learn more. At 19, I moved across the country by myself to pursue my art and coffee career. At the time, I was working in coffee and finding passion in the ways to be creative within the industry. I was determined to work my way up, while also spending my free time working on my art. Fast forward to the pandemic, when I was given a tattoo apprenticeship opportunity. I took a considerable risk in leaving a seven-year coffee career during the height of COVID-19, but I felt that I would look back and regret not taking the leap. I can now say that this has been one of the best decisions I have made for my career as well as my life. I have the privilege of creating art and connecting with incredible people for a living, and I feel so grateful. I continue to take risks, pushing myself to grow and live in the uncomfortable because I have found that when something feels a little scary, it is usually worth doing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been interested in art since I can remember. I always dreamed of becoming a professional artist but I didn’t quite know where I would fit in. Throughout my childhood, I experimented with all sorts of different media including drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, and graphic design. I spent a lot of time in high school taking art classes including art history and ceramics, and then decided to go to college for graphic design when I was 21. I wasn’t quite finding what I was looking for in graphic design, as I quickly realized a lot of the practical applications were for big corporations designing logos or marketing ad layouts, neither of which seemed to exercise my creative muscles in the way I wanted. So I settled for a career in the coffee industry where I got involved in teaching latte art and creating photo content for social media. In 2020, I was given the opportunity to learn to tattoo, something that had been a distant dream since I first saw a tattoo on a family member during my childhood. I wasn’t sure if I was going to fit into this industry, but I was lucky enough to be in Denver and saw that there were so many different types of people and art in the tattoo industry. As of today, I am focusing on large-scale ornamental tattoos. I find so much beauty and strength within this style of tattooing and I enjoy the duality of “feminine” images like flowers or swirls being done in a very bold style with thick linework and solid black. I enjoy working large scale because this way I can design pieces that flow with the organic and natural forms of the human body. Having the privilege to make someone feel more themselves in their own skin is truly incredible and I am so honored and grateful to get to experience that with my clients. My goal within the industry is to make a positive impact and to provide the absolute best experience possible for both my clients and myself.

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?
With my background in coffee, I enjoy showing visitors some of my favorite local spots. Some of these include Little Owl Coffee, Milk & Honey, Hudson Hill, and Queen City. My partner and I are also avid food lovers, so going out to eat is always a must when we host. For breakfast, Stowaway Kitchen is a go-to. For lunch, you can’t go wrong at Leven Deli with one of their huge sandwiches and amazing deli sides. Some dinner favorites are Temaki Den, Hop Alley, Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar, Ash’Kara, and Taqueria La Familia.

As far as things to do, I try to spend a lot of time outside enjoying the 300 days of sunshine we get here. The Wild Animal Sanctuary is a great way to be outside while getting to see some incredible animals who have all been rescued from various unfortunate situations. Another favorite spot is Iron Mountain Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs, CO. It is one of the most relaxing places with views of the Colorado River and the drive there from Denver is just as beautiful. Some other favorite things to do include going to the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Botanic Gardens, thrifting on South Broadway, and checking out the street art in RiNo.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Just Kids by Patti Smith

This book has been a continual source of inspiration for me since I first read it as a teenager. I go back and read it again at least once a year when I am feeling low on motivation or purpose. One of my main takeaways from this book is to not stop for anything in the pursuit of your art. I felt the pull to commit to my art and identify myself as an artist, something that Patti Smith experienced in her young adult life. She moved away from home at a young age in search of something more, and I felt very similarly moving away by myself. She set goals for herself and her art and made sure to never lose sight of the ultimate dream of becoming an artist. When I read this book, I continue to find advice and inspiration to keep pushing and being confident in yourself even when you feel the imposter syndrome creeping in.

Website: https://www.veronicamussertattoo.com/

Instagram: @veronicamussertattoo

Image Credits
Maggie Elena