Meet Arlene Salinas | Tattooer & Shop Owner

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

Hi Arlene, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Originally, owning a shop wasn’t part of my ‘tattoo-plan’. I didn’t want the responsibility that comes with owning a shop. Being a shop owner just made sense for me. During COVID I acquired a small street front unit in the same city where I live; Norwalk. I live with a chronic neurological disorder and commuting is tricky so being close to home insures I can tattoo more often and still be close enough to be available for my kids. Ive been tattooing for almost 16 years now in Los Angeles. I want to be present for my boys. I used to work crazy hours 6-7 days a week. You get older, hopefully wiser, and figure out what drives you and what you can’t live without. Hand In Glove Tattoo coming into existance has been amazing so far and has given me more purpose as a tattooer and a member in my own community. The locals in my city have been loyal and supportive. Im just living my dream. I want to contribute to tattooing and its history and I want to create a special place for people to be themselves while expressing their dreams.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art and tattoos are a reflection of my experiences in life, tattooing and my culture. I think my versatility and knowledge sets me apart from others. Portraits are a speciality of mine. I also do traditional tattoos. I love it all. It was not easy getting started in tattooing at the time I did. I had to lug my art portfolio around to LA tattoo shops where I got told tattooing wasn’t for girls. I just kept at it, got tattooed a lot, and eventually started learning how to draw tattoos from another tattooer in Hollywood who was gracious enough to let me come by the shop every 2 weeks to learn. He moved and I started practicing on my friends and brothers. My entire tattoo career has been challenging, especially because I’m a woman. I was a former contestant on Ink Master and dealing with type 1 Narcolepsy while being on that show is an accomplishment in itself. Narcolepsy can be physically painful and there were times when I had to dig deep just to get through the a day of physical challenges. I’m pretty low key so being on TV is not where I want to be. Most people don’t even know I was on the show because it’s just something I did, it’s not who I am. It’s funny when I’m tattooing clients who watch the show and they have no idea I was on it. They usually ask what my thoughts are about that show. We can save that for another interview…
Being a woman, a mother to two boys, 10 + years living with type 1 narcolepsy, a business owner, and a tattooer is challenging. Along the way, I’ve learned that nothing is unattainable and that perseverance, consistency and timing are everything. I have exciting things I’m working on that will be well worth the time spent. I would like the world to know that my story is still evolving and so is my tattooing. I’d also like to raise more awareness for people living with Narcolepsy. I’m just glad I came still tattoo everyday. I’m excited to see my shop continue to grow. I hope everyone who walks in to my shop leaves happy and inspired.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To anyone visiting the LA area, I would recommend eating at Olvera St. at the Ranchito Grande. It’s my favorite place to eat mexican food. It’s the only mexican food besides my grandmother’s that I approve of! They’re family owned and have know my and my family to eat their for years. If you’re interested in art, you should definitely check out my favorite spot tucked away in the San Marino/Pasadena area, The Huntington Library. Long Beach is a great place to grab a drink and hit the beach. The perfect way to commemorate your trip would be to come in for a tattoo here at Hand In Glove in the city of Norwalk.

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 dedicate my shoutout to all the tattooers who came before and paved the way and to all the people I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside over the years. To my family, for being supportive. All my experiences in life and tatooing have led me to path Im on today.

Website: https://www.handinglovela.com

Instagram: @arlenesalinas_m , @handnglovela

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handnglovetattoo/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hand-in-glove-tattoo-norwalk

Other: https://www.arlenesalinastattoo.com

Image Credits
Photo of shop and photo of me in front of shop by Joel Bull @joelbullphoto