Hidden Gems: Meet Ali Richey of Karma Paw Inks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Richey.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Being an only child can get boring, spending so much time alone. While finding ways of entertaining myself, my outlet of choice quickly became art. Any medium I could get my hands on, I would turn it into something different. Drawing and painting were my go-to’s, but the day I turned 18, I was ready to become the medium and get some permanent art on my body. I knew the moment I walked into that shop that this was a community I wanted to be a part of, and the more art I added to my skin, I realized that this was quickly becoming a passion for me. Learning new skills has always been fun, and I never imagined that I would be able to turn this into a career or that it would progress as fast as it did. Thanks to the loyal clients I work with that have become fast friends, I’ve been allowed to create my own space where people feel comfortable and cared for while I add to their art collection.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with any new endeavor or skill a person takes on, there’s always a learning curve. I used to stay up late nights to research techniques and practice a design for a client that would be coming in, time and time again, hoping that I was good enough to be chosen as their artist. The biggest obstacle I faced was having a feeling of imposter syndrome, where even when I was being praised for my work, I didn’t feel competent enough to deserve it. Any new style of art sent my way was a challenge I was worried I wouldn’t be up for. But I wanted to grow and progress, so I chose to push through the anxiety and give each person my full attention and focus. The theory that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill has merit. Still, the wonderful thing I’ve discovered about the learning curve is that along the way, each dedicated hour you add will bring you exponentially closer to becoming the top 10% in that skill, even though you’re not a master yet.

Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your business.
I love being a jack of all trades, so my biggest draw is being an artist that doesn’t stay in their comfort zone. I’m known for having a broad range of styles I work in when many artists I see stick to a specific design type. I don’t knock any artists that only do traditional, new school, tiny tattoos, etc., because I know those specialists hold value in this industry. I’m always transparent and happy to refer those who want something I need to be more confident doing. However, the clients that come to me do so because I’m always willing to adapt. Of course, I love to offer my creative input or put my spin on designs when working with people. Still, this art is going on their skin, not my own, so I want to make their vision come to life instead; that mindset has allowed me to do black and gray, color, floral, tribal, Japanese, semi-realism, script, fine line, anime, abstract, fluid work, and many other tattoo styles.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
My favorite thing about the Tempe/Mesa area is the diversity of people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. My conversations with clients here are always interesting, fun, and different. However, anyone with a tattoo knows they’re at least a little painful. So stepping outside to be greeted with 100+ degrees of sunlight beating on their fresh ink is not a fun experience; I’ve lived here my entire life, but I will never get used to our summers in the valley.

Pricing:

• $100/hour for tattoos
• $50 deposit towards the total for tattoos
• $50/hour for custom design work

Contact Info:

• Website: https://karmapawinks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karmapawinks/
• Other: https://goo.gl/maps/CY1Vc3MHy2kqgKiE6