Meet Tyler Sherer | Artist

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

Hi Tyler, why did you pursue a creative career?
At the age of five, I was gifted a book called “Fun with a Pencil” by Andrew Loomis. I spent countless hours studying the book and drawing, trying to recreate the characters. As I grew older my interests evolved and I discovered tattooing. The idea of making permanent art fascinated me. Tattoos live and breathe with a person; it doesn’t sit still it travels, it moves, it ages, it dies. Tattoos are a symbol of an individual’s journey, a mark in time. All of this has led me to pursue this path.

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 would describe my style as fine line black and gray with an emphasis on creating tattoos with value, depth, and contrast. With each project I take on, I try to take it a step further than before, while creating a body of work that is individual to my approach. As for subject matter, I’ve been influenced lately by Greek mythology as well as the artwork of the old masters, which I feel translate powerfully when applied to tattoos. Looking forward, I hope to branch out and incorporate a variety of subject matter including The American West and modern motifs. I’ve dedicated the last year to studying with Noah Minuskin at Hous Studios in Los Angeles. I think it’s important at any point in your career to take a step back and meditate on the direction you’re aiming for in the future. I’ve focused on improving both the application of my work and the process behind understanding the client’s experience. I want to learn more about each client as an individual and give them something that is truly meaningful to who they are and applicable to their own journey. As an artist in today’s culture, I think it can be challenging in that there is pressure to create constant content for social media algorithms. I prefer to focus more on creating work with intention and to keep my head down and focus on bettering myself as an artist first. There aren’t any shortcuts in life, and if you’re going to be a true artist you must dedicate your whole self to your craft.

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?
As of lately I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Los Angeles Arts District if you ever stop by I highly recommend:

Food-
Loqui
Breadlam
Brera Ristorante
Bread Lounge
Zinc Café
Hi Bakery
Wake and Late
Rykn Cafe

Coffee-
Stumptown
Maru

Shops-
Hennessey + Ingalls
Artbook @ Hauser & Wirth
The Good Liver
The Row
Wine Stop

Museums-
Norton Simon Museum
The Getty Museum
Hammer Museum
The Huntington Library

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I’d have to shoutout my wife Alanna. She has supported me throughout everything in my career. Alanna has been by my side since before I was tattooing, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her.

I’ve been very fortunate in my life to have a few mentors that have helped me progress in my career. When I was 18, Aaron Levant introduced me to many different artists and art forms which gave me further insight into how the industry works. Our conversations about what I might want to do creatively are what led me to pursue tattooing.

In 2012, My career began as an apprentice at Think Ink Tattoos in Woodland Hills, CA under Leo Martinis. Over the next four years Leo taught me how to tattoo and gave me a place to develop my skills as a tattooer.

In 2016, I started working in Thousand Oaks, CA alongside Jeff Johnson at Dire Wolf Tattoo and Fine Art. Jeff created a space at Dire Wolf for me to find my voice as an artist and develop my style in fine line black and gray. He’s helped me progress in my tattooing and introduced me to oil painting. He continues to be someone I consider family to this day. I owe so much of my early success to him.

In 2022, I had the opportunity to work with my current mentor Noah Minuskin at Hous Studios. Over the last year he has helped me expand on my work further than I thought was possible; learning about the form, line quality, value, and what it means to truly live as an artist.

Instagram: @tylersherer