Meet Katie Mena | Tattoo Artist

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

Hi Katie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I felt ready to start my own business around a year after completing my tattoo apprenticeship. I had established clientele and found that interest in my work was steadily increasing. I also wanted to create an environment supportive of a more comfortable, client focused tattoo experience and starting my own tattoo shop was the best way to achieve this. Having amazing friends who offered me space in their building to setup shop was also a huge deciding factor.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a tattoo artist and own my own shop, Electric Sun Tattoo, in Las Cruces, NM. I work in a fine line, delicate style and enjoy tattooing nature based content such as plants and animals. I especially enjoy drawing and tattooing flora and fauna representative of our surrounding area and the Chihuahuan desert. As I began my tattoo journey and was apprenticing I struggled to find my style and where I fit in. I wanted to discover my unique voice and be able to start specializing in a style and content. Once I let go of self imposed judgement and comparing myself to others I truly understood that my unique style is simply by my unique hand. It’s as simple as looking at something and drawing it by my own hand. I saw my clientele really connect with my work at this point, and it all fell into place. Also setting boundaries for myself and which projects I take on has truly helped me to focus on what type of content I enjoy tattooing which has led to a sense of cohesive style and overall image for my business. I have put in countless hours of planning, design work, communication with clients, and financial investment to get where I am now. I believe dedication and practicing something every day is how we improve at anything in life, and the foundational step to improving as an artist is simply to do your art everyday.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Southern New Mexico is truly a hidden gem of places to explore. The beauty of the Organ Mountains in Las Cruces, NM is truly captivating, and I enjoy hiking trails in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. My choice of favorite trail changes with time, but currently it’s Fillmore Canyon trail at Dripping Springs, a beautiful hike that’s not too strenuous and that has a waterfall during monsoon season. My favorite restaurant is La Nueva Casita and is located on historic Mesquite St., just down the road from my tattoo shop. Elephant Ranch is a super fun bar located near the Rio Grande river, it’s a great spot to spend time with friends. White Sands National Park is a must see as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be where I am now without the support of my husband, Jonathan. He has always believed in my abilities and was all on board with my decision to invest in tattoo training and setting up shop. Thanks, love!

Instagram: Instagram.com/electricsunlc

Image Credits
Personal Photo Image Credit: CYM Photography All other photos Credit: Katie Mena