Meet Melted Words | Tattoo Artist and Writer

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

Hi Melted Words, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Trial and error. I believe you have to get through all of the rough drafts, fragments, random thoughts, and projects half finished to get to the ideas that are meant to be shown to the world. It can be discouraging, to create and create and create work that goes unpublished, but without it, you couldn’t have landed on your next big idea. I will keep failing because it means I will keep succeeding, even if that rate is slower than I want it to be.

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 started creating my art digitally in 2021. I’ve always been drawn to tattoos and body modification, but didn’t know how I could fit in without having drawing skills. I was first inspired by other text artists, namely @julimdistortion on Instagram and her use of distortion and words. Throughout the years, I’ve experimented with mediums and subjects, but have always come back to words and writing. My work focuses on poetry, nostalgia, and the harsh complexity of the human experience we all share. This coupled with my love for tattoos creates my niche within the tattoo community. I use these mediums to create projects that foster connection, like the Tattooed Poetry project I created where I tattooed a poem one word at a time across 108 individuals and then made a short film about it. I am lucky so many people support my art and allow me to keep creating crazy things like this!

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.
We’re eating at Tacos Tu Madre in Los Feliz, Monty’s Good Burger in Echo Park, Highly Likely in Highland Park, and Kindness & Mischief in Highland Park. I’ll order the Noxi at K&M, and I’ll recommend you try the street tacos at Tu Madre.

We’re visiting the Silverlake Flea in the morning, hiking in La Cañada in the afternoon, Griffith Observatory at dusk, and enjoying the ocean breeze in the Palisades at night. I’ll make sure you buy a cute jacket at the flea so you aren’t miserable at the beach 😉

We have to go shopping at Remainders in Pasadena for art supplies, Offe Market in Echo Park for discounted clothes, House of Intuition in West Hollywood for candles, then Sunbeam Vintage in Highland Park for housewares. You’ll have to buy one thing from each place to use in your manifestation ritual!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To Sal, for always hearing me out and jumping in the deep end with me. To Sofia, for being the first person I tattooed on this journey.
To every client I’ve had, without you there would be no reason for this moment.
& to the friends and family who supported me when I said I was going to quit my job with no plan other than to learn how to tattoo.

Instagram: instagram.com/melted.w0rds

Image Credits
Sal Salazar