Meet Patricia Lewis | Professional vocalist , music producer and tattoo artist

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

Hi Patricia, how do you think about risk?
Honestly, risk taking has been my biggest teacher. I had to become best friends with uncertainty in order to truly believe in myself. I learned that sometimes, not knowing where my next paycheck would come from was the risk I had to take for the sake of achieving a vision that only I understood. Stepping out of everyone else’s concept of success was key to finding my path. I had to step out of my comfort zone and also my need of control. It was a crutch that was no longer going serve me. I had to l trust in my talent and let go. It requires great courage and faith. That in itself is a great lesson when it comes to tackling any obstacle in life.

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 am a violinist, a guitarist, a vocalist, a producer, an engineer and a tattoo artist. It sounds crazy when I say it, and some people don’t believe me. Many might quitely think, “Jack of all trades, master of none”. However over the years I’ve proven them wrong. It is possible to become successful at more than one talent. It just requires consistency and putting love into every single one equally.

In my case, it took a hurricane, homelessness and a pandemic to learn that I would never be in control of my destiny. I was only in control of how I navigated a destiny only the Universe was in control over. The world can get in the way of your plans without your consent. The faster I came to peace with truth, the smoother my journey became. This lesson humbled me. It forced me to use every talent at my disposal to survive.

I am whoever and whatever I need to be given the circumstances. And I can express my human existence in many ways and thrive at all of them if I choose.

Through the years I’ve been called a renascence woman. Some call me “The Swiss Army Knife”. Im just Patricia. I AM art, I am love, I am all my ancestors and all their efforts and talents rolled up into one and I express myself as such in whatever artistic medium at my disposal.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So LA is just such a sanctuary of self care. Echo Park is a place that brings me so much peace. The hollywood walk a fame is just a MUST. I love going to the Santa Monica pier and see the pacific coast sun set. And of course if your ever want to get a tattoo come visit me At the first all Women’s tattoo shop in the San Fernando Valley “Queens of Needles Northridge” lol.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Parents must go first. Ill never forget the day I was sad in my bed not knowing where to go for college. I was a visual artist and musician most of my childhood and teenage years, but I couldn’t study both. I was so scared to make a choice… I decided to not choose and not go to college all together.

My father walked in and said “you do not want to be stuck doing something you dont love” “Any kind of art will give you the freedom I was never able to have”. Thanks to his words I attended Berklee College of Music on a very generous scholarship.

My father is an artist at heart, my mom also dreamed of being a dancer but became a lawyer instead. She saw every talent I had and put me in every music course she could find in Puerto Rico’s Music Conservatory. She also saw my visual arts abilities and had me attend Central High School of Visual Arts where I became a sculptor. Many parents would have been afraid of their child taking such risks, however my parents never flinched. They always believed I could make a living from the arts.

I also want to thank my fiancé Jonathan Pinson and my mother in law April Pinson. After hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, I became a refugee. Jonathan was my angel on earth during such trying times. He uplifted my spirit and my will to fight for a new life in the US. I had moved from Puerto Rico to Los Angeles and had
To start over again. It would take two years to start playing music again in a new city, so in the meantime, I decided to dive into visual arts again as a tattoo artists. Becoming a tattoo apprentice requires long hours of unpaid work and practice. Even though my mother in law, April wasn’t a huge fan of tattoos, she supported me all through my two years as an apprentice. Allowed me to live and practice under her roof while I got on my feet. It is something I will never take for granted. I wanted to show her that it would all be worth it in the end and becoming successful at it is the best “Thank you” I could offer her.

Instagram: @Melo_gia_tattoo, @melo_gia_music

Image Credits
Photos by Karla Rodriguez
Tirzah