Paolo Grippo Austin, TX

I am an artist based out of Austin, Texas, specializing in black and gray realism. I work under the shop name Vice and Virtue Tattoo, located in downtown Austin at 910 East Cesar Chavez St. I was born and grew up in Baltimore City. My family is split between the United States and Italy. My mother is a Baltimore native who comes from a family of artists, and my father is an Italian who relocated to the US in the 1980s to pursue a career in medicine. I was encouraged at a young age by both my parents to devote time to my “natural talent” in the visual arts. I was lucky enough to get accepted to the Baltimore School for the Arts for high school, where I cultivated my skills and gained a deeper appreciation for art ⸺ Who/where do you get your inspiration from? I am heavily influenced by my roots, combining aspects of my Italian heritage (passion, workmanship, and art history) with the natural eye and art techniques gifted to me by my mother’s family. Getting the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time in Italy has shaped my taste in Art and Design and continues to inspire my work ⸺ What did your family and friends think about you getting into the tattoo business? My friends and family were overall very supportive of my transition into the tattoo industry. At the time, I was working in home remodeling, and the people closest to me always encouraged me to use my skills in the arts to earn a living ⸺ What was it that initially sparked your interest in tattooing? What drew me to the art of tattooing was the honesty in it. I appreciate how heavily it relies on technique and the clear distinction between a well-done tattoo, in any style, and a bad one. This, along with the pressure of creating a tattoo in one attempt, interested me. For these reasons, I believe tattooing is one of the most challenging and inspiring forms of visual art. ✕

PAOLO GRIPPO