Conversations with the Inspiring Cori James

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cori James.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a conservative little town in rural Georgia and when I was 15 or 16, I started telling folks I wanted to be covered in tattoos one day. I had always been fascinated by them and by way of hardcore music and the local Hot Topic, I only became more obsessed. My small-town peers would respond to my love of tattoos with comments like, “You know… you’ll never get a job with a bunch of tattoos. Nobody wants to hire people with tattoos.” (Imagine that being said in Britney Spears’ voice, but with a much slower Southern drawl.) Honestly, the fact that my schoolmates thought I would fail at life if I became heavily tattooed only fueled my rebellious fire. I had always been intrigued by art, growing up with an art teacher for a mom and a former newspaper photographer for a dad, so I started mulling over the idea of being a professional artist by trade. Then, I realized that if I became a tattooer… I could have as many fucking tattoos as I wanted! That’s when I stopped saying, “I want to be covered in tattoos,” and started saying, “I’m going to be a tattoo artist (bitches).” I moved out of my small hometown and headed to Atlanta right after I turned 18. I started getting tattooed at the local shops, therefore hounding the tattooers to apprentice me. Eventually, I bothered them long enough that they finally said yes and the rest is history! I tattooed for the first seven years of my career in Atlanta and am happy to be continuing my career here in Denver with the hopes of building a rad clientele and making awesome tattoos. :]

Has it been a smooth road?
I can’t say it was a smooth road by any means. I dropped out of college once I got my apprenticeship and began working seven days a week between three tattoo shops and a serving job at a Mexican restaurant in Atlanta- the only one that actually paid my bills. I was the “shop rat” for a solid year- cleaning tubes, cleaning up everyone else’s messes, getting everyone’s food and coffee orders, hovering over artists while they worked, and the occasional hazing…of course- before I was finally able to start tattooing human beings. The workload and mental stress of being considered lesser than everyone else in my workplace was really hard on me. I developed an eating disorder due to stress and anxiety. I fell into a pit of depression for a while as I had numerous panic attacks a week. I put a lot of pressure on myself and the added stress of so much work just overloaded my brain. I very much lost who I was for those first couples of years in the industry. My mental health and self-worth were in the gutter. I worked in male-dominated shops for the first five years of my career and at first, I tried to just “be one of the dudes” so that I could fit in and learn my craft. I eventually realized, though, that I wasn’t one of the guys and I sure as fuck didn’t have to be someone I wasn’t. I’m a grandma deep down in my soul (I like early bedtimes and hot tea) and I knew to try to keep up with my peers was pointless and not who I really was. It was also totally unnecessary. Once I got a bit more of a grip on my mental health, I was able to lean into who I wanted to be as an artist- not some carbon copy of my mentors or my surroundings. That’s when my art and career really started to blossom. Being authentic to myself made everything so much better. Ladies, if you want to be a tattoo artist, I say go for it. But! Be true to yourself from the get-go. I was a stubborn apprentice because I wanted to be a traditional tattooer and one of my mentors specialized in fine line realism. Whenever he would try and alter my drawings to look more like his, I would mentally fight it and take note of what I did and didn’t like about his changes. I stayed focused on my goal to be a traditional tattooer and to specialize in my own style- not someone else’s. Also, cherish your fellow lady tattooers! When we support, uplift, and encourage each other, we are changing this male-dominated industry from the inside out and it is such a powerful thing. Life isn’t a competition. Celebrate your peers’ successes and uplift them when they falter. It’ll make your career so much more fulfilling, fun, and wonderful. Pinky swear.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I specialize in what I think is my own version of American traditional tattooing. I’m not a 4-color purist, like some traditional tattooers, but I stick to the tried and true traditional methods: clean black outlines, heavy black shading, with bright and bold colors. Therefore, I consider my tattoos to be traditional. I absolutely LOVE color. I use tons of color and try to put as much life into my imagery through the use of those colors. I’m more than happy to do black and grey work too, though! It’s actually super fun to switch things up and only limit myself to only using black and grey. It’s a challenge and I love it. I feel like my tattoos have an air of positivity about them. I like things bright and happy feeling. I love pop culture/nerdy tattoos too. Anything Harry Potter, Parks and Rec, or Dolly Parton related makes me a happy gal. But I’m honestly stoked anytime a client sends me their idea and just says, “Do it your way! I trust you!” Ugh! Music to my ears!! So fun!

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
I always tell people to start by getting tattooed by the tattooers they admire. Get tattooed. Spend time in shops. Meet the people you look up to in the industry and spend time seeing if it’s even the right industry for you. Don’t let all the new tattoo TV shows fool you into thinking it’s some glamorous job. It’s hard work and long hours. Then, you have to awkwardly ask someone for money after hours of hurting them!

Finding an apprenticeship isn’t easy, but making friends with your local artists is (as long as you are not a turd). So, go get tattooed and ask for advice on becoming a tattooer when it feels appropriate.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.corijamestattoo.com
• Email: corijamestattoo@gmail.com
• Instagram: @corijamestattoo
• Twitter: @corilovesyall

Image Credit:
The photo of me is by my good friend, Ashley White. @ashleywhitephoto

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.