Maverick Spotlight Artist: Mike Biggs
MIKE BIGGS
📍 Las Vegas, Nevada
@biggsstudio
Pick up a gorgeous hand made tiki mug made by Mike Biggs!
Mike Biggs is this month's spotlight artist! Not only has he been a friend for years, but he also is our guest on Support Your Local Tattooer this month. If you haven't already, make sure to give it a listen & hear all the rad stories!
1. What made you realize you wanted to be a tattoo artist/ artist in general?
I think when I was in college at Art Institute of Phoenix I started drawing tattoo-like designs. Ive always been an artist my whole life. Always drawing and painting. I wanted to get a tattoo while I was going to college and drew a couple designs I wanted to show a shop but couldn't afford to get one- that was back in 1999. I didn't get tattooed until I was about 24 or 25? I was working at a LIDS hat shop in the airport in Vegas and a coworker saw me doodling while working and said her cousin was a tattoo artist. I met up with him and the rest is history!
2.Most meaningful tattoo story you've helped create?
I think the most memorable is when I started tattooing realistic nipples on breast cancer survivors. I think I did it 2 or 3 times. Every time they cried afterwards and gave me big hugs. Feels good to be able to provide that for someone. Getting the nipples right was hard! But I think I did a good job and they were happy.
3.One challenge you've had to overcome in the industry and how it has impacted you?
It was ALWAYS challenging for me to deal with people in general as Im not a very talkative guy. I had to get out of my comfort zone and learn to deal with people. The hardest was dealing with difficult people....people who micromanage and nitpick everything you do and having to redraw a design a million times until they are happy. It can be really frustrating dealing with people who have shitty attitudes from the start and don't seem to trust you or the process. People always wanted to rush a huge project and you have to constantly deal with a crazy customer. I don't do well with confrontation. I let people step all over me. So eventually I just learned to speak up and defend myself and my abilities and reassure them its going to turn out ok. I gotta say im kind of a hermit now and happy to not have to deal with people too much LOL! But it did change me and made me better at talking and dealing with people in general. Keeping eye contact and being more confident of my abilities.
4. Anything else you'd like to share?
I miss doing tattoos but I love what I do now more. Doing my own thing and doing it for myself is really a game changer in my life. Im doing art and running my own company and that makes me so happy. Keeping it simple.