Meet Lisa Winter | Tattoo Artist

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

Hi Lisa, what role has risk played in your life or career?
The way I see it, taking risks is inevitable— It’s ultimately up to every individual to decide what risks are worth taking by weighing out the pros and cons. Some people take a risk moving away from their families to attend better schools, some people take the risk of investing their money into a new business with an uncertain future, and some people, like myself, decide to take a risk on their art.

Taking risks can be scary, but some of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken have lead me to the best places in my life and always end up being major catalysts for growth. Having enough belief in your own capabilities, as well as having people around you that support your goals makes taking risks easier— so if you’re feeling uneasy, maybe start there! Moving to that place, introducing yourself to that person, getting that job, learning that skill, whatever it is, with enough planning or practice, it’s all possible. The important thing to remember is to always bet on yourself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a Tattoo Artist in Downtown Phoenix at a shop called Solace Tattoo. Our shop prides itself on having a safe, chill, and open environment. A lot of the reason I wanted to get into tattooing was because I was sick of having negative experiences while I was personally getting tattooed. You do your research, the shop you go to has good work and decent reviews, and yet somehow when you show up to your appointment, you get the feeling that the person tattooing you is just ready to get it over with and get you out the door, or doesn’t really care at all about you or your tattoo. Almost everyone has a story like this or at least knows someone who does. Over years of talking to other people who were getting tattooed, I noticed there was definitely a disparity and a need for kinder, more compassionate tattooers. This was something I really wanted to make a difference in. As a tattooer now, I feel so honored when I get to walk someone through their first tattoo, share a meaningful moment, or commemorate a loss. Every tattoo matters. Even the silly ones, too!

A favorite tattooer and early mentor of mine always said “There’s room at the table for everyone”, and I still fully believe that. Some clients don’t want a more personal tattoo experience, but for as many people that don’t want that, there are just as many, if not more, that do! For every kind of client, there’s a tattooer than can meet your needs, so don’t settle! I hope to keep working toward making getting tattooed an easier, more accessible, and more pleasant thing for anyone and everyone.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh man! Well, I can’t very well give away all of my favorite spots, part of the reason I love them is because of how underrated and uncrowded they are! But I will say, you can’t come to Phoenix without eating at a few places! Here are my top 10 restaurants/coffee places (In no particular order, they’re all amazing):

– PHX Burrito House
– Azteca Bakery
– Copper Star Coffee
– Jobot (for the dim sum!!)
-Dark Hall Coffee
– Ziggy’s Magic Pizza
– Trapp Haus BBQ
– El Norteño
– Cheba Hut
– Cornish Pasty

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shout out my incredible team at Solace Tattoo! I get to work in a wonderful, open, and fun environment— and all of that is possible because of our artists. Not only do they inspire me to keep pushing myself, but our collective goal as a shop has always been creative growth, which makes it such a rad place to work. I’ve been with this team since I was an apprentice, and they’ve had my back from day one— turning from mentors, to coworkers, to close friends. Without them, I wouldn’t have had the same opportunities for growth, and for that, I will be forever thankful!

I also want to give a quick shoutout to all my earliest clients. A lot of the people I still tattoo today were first clients of mine during my apprenticeship. I will always be so grateful to those who showed incredible levels of support and kindness when I was so nervously just starting out! Y’all gave me the confidence to keep growing and learning and YOU ROCK!!

Website: solacetattoophx.com (shop page)

Instagram: @tenderstabs