Meet Adia Marré | Tattoo Artist (both Cosmetic & Body Art) and Performance Artist

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

Hi Adia, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I don’t think a non-artistic career was ever even a consideration! In fact, when I thought about what my future job might be, like back when I was a kid, the idea of working in an office or something scared the hell out of me. There’s no way I’d ever fit into corporate America. It’s too conventional. Child-Adia looked at life like a rainbow: big, gorgeous, marvelous. Even through all the hardships life brings, I’ve always held onto that in my heart. And so I’ve just always known that I’d have to pursue careers that fit into that framework of wonder.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I won’t lie to you, getting to where I am today was anything but easy. As a single mother living in a very expensive and competitive part of the country, every day is a huge responsibility on my shoulders: to my family, to my craft, and to myself. That sense of responsibility fans my creative flame and guides everything I do. I’ve built my business brick by brick, and when I look at what I’ve created, I am incredibly proud.

The motto for my business is “Reveal Yourself” because that’s what I believe art can do: take the real and the ordinary and unveil the extraordinary, the above and beyond. My art is my love language. The look on my clients’ faces when they see their new lip blush or brows, or that portrait of a loved one, or that beautiful illustration or important phrase they’ve always dreamed of wearing. It’s my very reason for this work.

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.
How could I ever choose? San Diego is abundance. That’s why so many people work so hard to make a living here.

We have it all: mountains with snow, stunning beaches, museums and art installations, some of the best food in the country, fabulous shopping, and the most charming neighborhoods: South Park, Hillcrest, Little Italy, and La Jolla. Between all of those, a week isn’t long enough to explore it all!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to all the trailblazing, trendsetting, fearless people who live their lives outside the box: the oddities, the outré. In particular, I look up to those unstoppable women who, against all odds, made their mark in an industry not historically built for them. In our world, a world that tells women what to do and who they should become, Finding other artists as peers in the tattoo industry, those who are truly supportive and uplift one another, is a precious thing that I don’t take for granted.

I’ll never forget that moment in my career when I was given a piece of “advice”: “Pick a lane.” Well, women like us don’t pick a lane. We rise above and soar.

Website: adiatattoo.com

Instagram: @adia_tattoo

Image Credits
The photo of me standing at Balboa Park was taken by the lovely Stephanie, of SNM Empowerment Photography. Find her on Instagram @snmempowerment.