Meet Thomas Salcido III of Collective Art in Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Salcido III.

Thomas, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Well, art has always been a part of my life and I will never take it for granted. Art has helped me graduate high school and pretty much saved my life. For starters, I can honestly say I was a trouble maker as a child, always getting into trouble at school and in the streets. I never took my artistic skill very seriously, just never thought it could take me anywhere, but one person knew it would. Kelly Hogan was my 8th-grade art teacher and now a life long friend of mine. Before the school year started I got kicked out of school, Kelly convinced the school principal that I will not cause any trouble and he allowed me to stay at the school. When I was able to go back, she warned me that it wasn’t easy getting me back and that I needed to be on my best behavior. She then ended up moving to my high school and then became my art teacher for all of my school years. To keep me out of trouble and when I needed to express myself she would let me paint on her walls in her classroom. As a quick hustle, I began drawing and writing names for my friends to gift to their loved ones. Everyone would always tell me, “man, you should do tattoos!” but at the time it never really crossed my mind. The summer going into my senior year a close friend of mine bought a tattoo kit, he offered me to buy it off of him since I had somewhat of an artistic skill. To be honest, I didn’t even know how to put the machine together, I started to wonder if this was even for me.

Exactly two weeks later, I did my first tattoo on someone, and it was the best feeling ever. I can’t explain the feeling I got marking someone’s body with my art for life, but other tattoo artists will know what I’m talking about. I knew I wanted to do this forever. Fast forward to a year out or high school, ironically I didn’t have any tattoos of my own yet so I went to a shop who’s artists work I really admired. Every time I went in to get tattooed, I would show them what tattoo I did the day before and they would give me small pointers and useful information. Now I didn’t take an apprenticeship, I just didn’t know that’s how it works, but in all honesty I’m glad I didn’t. This was self-taught and thankfully, I had friends that were willing to let me practice on them. Three years later, my good friend Victor Figueroa offered me chair at his shop I admired so much. I took it with no hesitation, and now I call these group of guys my brothers. I’ve been at this shop for three years now and have shown so much growth and not only in my craft and in overall life.

Has it been a smooth road?
Getting to be the artist I am today was nowhere near a smooth road. I had plenty of obstacles along the way. For starters, my parents see me starting this as a hobby, which they were all for, they didn’t know I was looking to choose this as a career path. As I began to do this and only this, I would always hear things like I needed a real job, a career with stability, benefits, something I can raise a family on. Which is understandable coming from parents who want the best for you, but I knew what I wanted and wasn’t going to settle for a job that made me unhappy. As I started my journey in only tattooing, that obviously had to start with practice and unfortunately not really getting paid to do so. So yes, big obstacle was money, I had to learn to be okay to go without money for a long time until I got to a high enough standard for people to pay for my work. As I began to get better and started to make my own money I had to learn how to build a reputation not just being a garage tattooer and becoming a professional tattooist. Believe it or not a lot of people declined coming to my home and getting tattooed because it wasn’t professional, it took several years for me to get where I am today.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Here at Collective Art we focus on giving the client diverse styles of tattooing. I personally specialize in black and grey realism and lettering. I am known for the clean fine line script and portraits. Some of my favorite things to do and that I’m known for are bible verses, names, all by freehand. I also enjoy bringing portraits to life, nothing makes me happier than finishing a tattoo on someone of a portrait they admire most and see my realism work speak for itself. Our shop, Collective Art is proud to say that we provide any type of style of tattoos that the client desires. From black and grey realism to traditional color and everything in between. As a shop, we set apart ourselves with the environment we bring, its family-oriented, professional and very therapeutic at the same time.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes I do, born and raised here in Phoenix I saw a lot of people with tattoos. It’s an upcoming city along with the close cities around Phoenix as well, tattoos are more accepted here. It’s a great thing to see happen. Anyone that would like to start in the tattoo business and live in this area has a great opportunity to do so. We have plenty of artists to look up to around here, and some are willing to apprentice a young, ambitious artist.

Pricing:

• $120/hr
• $50 deposit required

Contact Info:

• Address: 2620 w. Broadway Rd, Mesa suite 7 85202
• Phone: 480-232-0249
• Email: t.salcido77@gmail.com
• Instagram: @Thomas_The_Artist

Image Credit:
Savagesznmedia, Whatacatchphotograpghy, Claudia Vidaurri

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