Meet Alina Balayants | Intentional tattoo artist

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

Hi Alina, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk plays a big role in my life choices. I quit my day job understanding that to be fulfilled I need to be a creative in my work.
I left a career in operations to pursue my creative passions, not knowing If I am to succeed.
Two years ago I entered an apprenticeship for tattooing while having to find a side hustle to support myself while learning.
Fast forward to now I am a full time tattoo artist and people all over the country are wearing my art on their bodies. It’s still a long road of bettering myself but I am happy I took that leap of faith.

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.
Tattooing has been around for centuries, it’s an ancient practice, the roots of which have been forgotten and are slowly re introduced into society. It’s not just art; but an energetic portal that can shift the wearer into a new state of being. I heard the call to be one of those who bring the true meaning of tattooing back. To do it with intention to heal, release and connect. To treat is as a ceremony. It’s not easy and I am growing and healing together with my clients. My biggest lesson on this path is to believe in myself.
The path of the artist is a rocky one. You have to learn to trust in the Universe and it’ll always have your back. I’m still learning not to put myself in a box and allow to experiment with different mediums, trying not to hold myself to a certain standard because I draw for a living now.

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’d like to extend my gratitude to my father who always believes in me and reminds me to be courageous and fearless. My partner Alex that supported me through my journey. Also, my first mentor Pete Krol that opened the door into the industry for me and my second mentor Alejandro Tinoco, who keeps teaching me with an open heart.

Website: https://beacons.ai/soul.scapes.tattoo

Instagram: Soul.scapes.tattoo

Image Credits
Photographer: Valentina Nova