Mike Angel Miami, FL

MIKE ANGEL

I just make art 305 ⸺ Who/where do you get your inspiration from? I get most of my inspiration from the struggle & sacrifice my parents endured to get to this country and give my sister & me the opportunity to succeed in life. What would I stand for if my dad floated here in the ocean from Cuba at 19 & I grew up to achieve nothing? I have to make my family proud ⸺ What advice would you give to

someone about getting his or her first tattoo? (A tattoo virgin)

Research & experience the culture. Tattoos are lifestyle, and we dedicated tattooers take our creative process very seriously, so look at different styles & artists until you find an artist you relate to and request an appointment or consultation. Keep in mind all ideas sound great in theory but not all translate well on the skin, so the right artist will guide you & create your tattoo in a way where both you and the artist are satisfied with the outcome. Most importantly, treat tattooing the way you would want it to treat you! ⸺ What did your family and friends think about you getting into the tattoo business? What most family & friends would say… “Get a real job,”…”You’re never going to make money doing tattoos,”… “You should find a career”… hahaha. Obviously, I didn’t let any of that phase me & here we are now! ⸺ What would you say is your favorite part of the job? My favorite part of being a tattooer is that I get to live the life I want with no strings attached. I don’t have to hide my tattoos or clock into a job I have no interest in, I don’t have to wear a uniform of any kind, and I get to meet new people on a daily basis who share my same love for art & self-expression. Every story teaches me something new; every client becomes a friend ⸺ What was it that initially sparked your interest in tattooing? Tribal armbands in the 90s, stick-on tattoos my dad would put all over my arms and face as a kid, tattoo & low rider magazines, but most influential to my journey as a tattooer was when “Miam ink” aired on TV. I’m a Miami native so seeing these guys tattooing and also earning an honest living gave me hope that I could be like those guys one day. ✕