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| Artistic Soul of Chiefland |
Fun Aleta fact: I love tattoos.
I know, I know, around these parts you either hear “Ooooh, what tattoo did you get?” Or people shake their heads thinking you’re bound for Hell and eternal damnation. I’ll be frank, it’s just not even worth it for me to get into a discussion with a person believing the latter.
To me, tattoos are art. They are a permanent testament to the things that I love and/or hold dear. If questioned, most tattoo-bearing people would have some story behind each piece. A tattoo that they got with their best friend. A picture of a place that they love. A memorial tattoo. A special quote. Lyrics that have some meaning to them. To undergo the tattoo needle, for any length of time, there is typically a story there.
While I had often thought about getting a tattoo, my little sister wound up beating me to it. It’s almost laughable now. I vividly remember my mom asking her “it’s going to be a small one, right?...like 2 inches?” Rheba came home with a massive piece on her back. Okay, okay, admittedly mom may still not find it as funny as I do.
Something I remember, though, is the time Rheba put in contacting the tattoo artist, and the effort that Jennifer put into making sure Rheba’s tattoo was everything she wanted it to be. Even though Jenn’s husband was ultimately the one who did Rheba’s tattoo, I was so impressed with the time and effort they put into Rheba’s tattoo. Rheba could not have been happier with it, and it has always meant a lot to her.
I'm often nervous walking into a new interview with someone that I don't know so well. Upon knocking on the red door, Jennifer greeted me and put me immediately at ease. She is such a warm spirit.
Jennifer is both creative and quirky. A woman who's priorities go God, family, friends, then work; a rarity in this day and age. She is one of the most loving, giving, compassionate individuals you could ever happen upon.
Jennifer identifies as an empath. An extraordinary quality that only adds to exceptional artistry. Emotions effect her, overwhelm her. And if you are someone she knows really well, there is no sense hiding how you’re feeling, she will see right through it.
As I often am, I was incredibly blessed to have met Jenn; and in doing so, have made a new friend. I hope that you will enjoy her interview.
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| Jennifer Gonzales |
"A combination: Phoebe from Friends, and Punky Brewster."
What has been your vacation?
"Orlando. We rented a big house for all of our family, our employees and their families. We stayed there for a week. We went to Disney, but it was great. There was just no stress. The greatest part was having everyone that I loved all in one place. We just had a really great week."
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| Jenn and her family at a Friday night football game. |
"When I was 18, I went to get my first tattoo. That was where I met my husband. We later moved to New Jersey, then we moved back to Gainesville. I actually worked at Bodytech for quite a while. Then, we decided to venture out on our own and since we had been to two cities, we decided to go to the beach!"
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| Jennifer and her mom |
"My daddy is bringing me back to Chiefland. He's my heart. He's my best friend. He has saved me. He is what has brought me back. My mother passed away recently, and it really opened my eyes to the fact that we're never promised another day. I just want to spend as much time as I can with my dad."
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| Jennifer and her dad |
"We opened our shop in Ormond on December 8, 2007. The new Chiefland shop will be opening July 7th. It will be by appointment only. I am going to be traveling back and forth to Ormond every other week, because we are keeping that shop as well. I will have a new apprentice, Cheryl Langston Barron."
"This new shop is like my sanctuary. It has a red door, because every happy home should have a red door. It's like walking through love. Everything is love. The artwork that is on the walls…Every piece of artwork is from people who inspire me, every piece is custom, every piece was made for me."
"I am looking forward to a slower pace here. When you're growing up, you can't wait to get out of here, but once you have kids, you can't wait to be back home."
"We are now accepting appointments for the new shop!"
Do you have a favorite tattoo that you've ever done?
"I don't have a favorite. I literally put my heart into every tattoo. And I hide hearts in every tattoo I do."
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| Jenn and her family enjoying a movie night |
Lanie: "Like a boss bitch."
Jenn: "I can't. I don't know that I can say I 'handle it.' Whatever I'm doing at the moment, that is what I'm focused on. I will say, my mind is always running. I am always over-thinking. But these are my priorities: God, family, friends, and then work. When I'm with my kids, I put my all into spending time with them. When I'm with my husband, I put my all into spending time with him. When I'm at work, I put my all into that."
"My husband is my saving grace. He is my rock. He balances me."
What is the best part of your job?
"Seeing people happy. Fixing a mistake. Some people think that memorial tattoos might be hard to do, but I love doing them. Giving someone something to remember someone by. It's like giving someone a chapter as closure to a book."
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| Brent's Rose |
"Brent had me do a very specific rose for him that was all the different colors in the rainbow. I asked him the significance and it was that he loved life. The colors represented life. Because of all of the colors, and all of the blending, I joked that that specific rose would just be Brent's rose. I wouldn't do another like it. He laughed and said 'I think you'll do a few more.' Literally the day after he called me to schedule his next appointment, he passed away. He'd said I would do a few more, and I did. I gave several of his family members that tattoo to remember Brent by. I remember giving his fiancé that tattoo, and we were both weeping."
What is the hardest part of your job?
(She laughs) "Paying taxes. It's extremely hard to own your own business. Many people do not understand the struggles to owning your own business."
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| Jenn and her Mother-In-Law |
"My Mother-In-Law was the one that really pushed me to become a tattoo artist. My husband taught me, but my Mother-In-Law was the one that pushed me to use it. She told me once, 'Never rely on a man. God forbid, if something were ever to happen to Mike, you would need to support yourself and your kids.' She was what really drove me to start tattooing. For that, I am forever thankful."
"It takes an immense amount of dedication. Do not give up. If one person tells you no, find another person. If that person tells you no, find another person. Never give up. And the old adage is true…practice makes perfect."
"You're only as good as your last tattoo. I still get shocked at people wanting me to tattoo them. I still get butterflies."
What is something that you wish more people understood?
"People don't always understand what goes into tattooing. I spend hours either days before, or the night before, drawing up a tattoo. Stretching someone's skin for hours on end is not easy. There are nights I go home, and my hands are sore, and my eyes are nearly crossed. It's harder than one might think."
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| Jenn's best friend, Jimmy Rogers, drew this for her. |
"I'm scared of dying. I'm scared of roaches. I LOVE donuts….donuts, unicorns, and mermaids. I also love the smell of wood."
What is something that you're looking forward to in the future?
"Sunday dinners at my dad's house."
To see more of their artwork and to contact the shop, go to: https://www.facebook.com/ArtisticSoulTattoo
She is my ex-daughter-in-law but she's still my daughter. She is the mother of my grandson and will always be part of our lives. She's the best artist and when people talk about tattoo's I tell them to call her.
ReplyDeleteShe is an amazing person, and she speaks so well of your family! :)
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