Conversations with the Inspiring Tiffany Rainey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Rainey.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My artistic journey started pretty early in life, I grew up in a small town in the pinelands of New Jersey with my parents and three siblings. We didn’t have very much, but it was a loving family nonetheless, I’m grateful for that. I always felt like an alien growing up where I did, but with my small circle of friends I found much solace in music, writing and art. I went to study art in college since my father worked there and it was the somewhat pre-written next step in my path. By then (ever since about sophomore year in high school really ), my wayward mentality and frustration with feeling stuck in a system had somewhat already jaded me. I was partying often, broke as hell and working as well as going to school… I was stealing food and sleeping in my vehicle often to avoid rent. I actually remember at some point surviving off supplements, cigarettes and red bulls. (ah the wonders of a twenty years old body!). I dropped out of art school when I was maybe 21.

Six months after a most epic journey to Burning man back in 2009, I high-tailed it to California and started hitchhiking around the country. I didn’t know what I wanted to do but rather that I wanted to explore as much as I could. I would be a street kid in Ocean Beach one day, or Venice the next, or riding around on a bus full of hippies in the Pacific Northwest. I was mostly just following a path of least resistance because I had no direction and didn’t really want one. I lived out of my backpack; all I had was a change of clothes, markers/pens, a pad of paper. I would land in beach towns or at random Wal-Marts and sell my ball-point drawings for coffee and bus money. I had some of the most amazing experiences-and some of the worst. Though some unfortunate events would occur; I’d go hungry, sleep in unsafe places and the freezing cold, be victim to numerous crimes and physical dangers… I also made some of the best memories and most intimate connections of my life during this time. Life was really a ride of extreme highs and extreme lows.

With my passion for creating illustrations and art in general, I had always dreamed of tattooing but had no idea how to get my foot in the door. In maybe late 2010, I hitched up to Washington state from San Diego to catch a regional Rainbow Gathering- a monthly/yearly event where people would meet up and build a city in the woods. There was no money here and people would gather for weeks at a time; sharing food, gifts and celebrating life with each other. This is where I met my first Mentor, one of the best people I’ve ever met really. He went by the name “Useless” somewhat ironically. Useless was raised by bikers in Arizona, so naturally had a bit of tattooing experience-enough at least to get a tattoo machine in my hands. He gave me a gift of genuine confidence more than anything, and helped me transform into the person I am and the path I am on.

After a couple of years of trying to tattoo on my own and maintaining odd jobs here and there, I found an Apprenticeship in Ocean Beach with Ted Hawkins, where I feel like I learned a lot of important aspects of tattooing. I had a crossroads and left San Diego in 2012. I had only finished a bit more than half of my apprenticeship, so naturally was on the lookout for a new one on the road. After waywardly traveling through the south, I found myself stuck in NY after getting stranded by a violent partner who damaged my vehicle/home. I really believe Fate has interesting ways of sending us to where we belong or truly want to be, though sometimes it’s through these seemingly tragic or dramatic events. In NYC, I found Bang Bang Tattoo in Lower east side. After applying and waiting(and insisting consistently) for a couple of months, I apprenticed for about five months there and moved on to tattoo professionally for the first time in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn where I lived with my beautiful sister. Brooklyn held a lot of important experiences for me, but New York was a bit much energetically. I feel like New York was very much a cocoon stage for myself as an artist and person. After a chance meeting with a tattooer that was moving to Hawaii, I found a job on Maui and tattooed there for almost a year. Maui was yet another life-changing experience, it was almost like a movie-where it was beautiful and heavenly in the beginning and turned quickly into more of a tragic nightmare at the end.

Anyway, my Hawaii experience gave me another dangerous, abusive relationship to escape. One of the worst, most traumatizing times of my life really. We were commonly in physical altercations, and I found myself being victim to extreme possessiveness and emotional abuse; often being threatened and told who I might or might not speak to, having my things thrown away or withheld from me… I came back to the mainland with him at the dawn of 2015 and escaped thanks to my very intuitive female friend in Oceanside to whom I basically owe my life. Some of these experiences are something I still struggle to process, and even talk about openly to this day, nearly five years later. Not only was everything else falling apart, but back home out east at this time my father was dying of cancer. I had nothing but a few hundred dollars in my bank account-most of which I needed to ship my beloved pup to me since he’d gotten stuck at the airport on island. Thankfully I had my amazing friend in San Diego, and my beautiful family and sister help me get up to Denver-where I feel like my story really starts.

After I moved up to Denver, I started painting to cope with all the loss I was going through. I found a great job tattooing right away. I had a newfound appreciation for life and how little time I had to reach my dreams and wanted to inspire/empower others to do the same. For the first time in my adult life I was very grounded and had more time to work on my art. I found an amazing, loving community here within the first year. I painted at local shows and then started bringing my paintings to festivals. I traveled around the world and took some painting classes in Italy. I took many painting classes with artists I looked up to so much – Autumn Skye, Alex Grey, Amanda Sage to name a few. My main focus has very much been tattooing and painting for the past few years, the only distractions really being hikes with the pup or dozens of the awesome music events we have here in Denver.

Right now, my whole life is culminating into my next business venture – a mobile tattoo studio and gallery on my ’97 Ford Thomas School bus dubbed ‘Dream Machine Tattoo”. I am very ecstatic to bring this to life- especially since I had originally thought of the idea while being on buses back in my days of being a traveler and learning to tattoo. The fractal of life coming full circle over and over again, in greater and greater accomplishments is super inspiring to me! Art has given me a grounding purpose and been a vessel of personal growth beyond what I could ever dream of or ask for. I feel like I owe art my life because it’s really given me everything, so I continue to work relentlessly everyday towards my dreams and hopefully inspire others to follow suite.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road! I’d be surprised to meet anyone who would say life has been all good and no struggle. I try and not identify with my struggles and traumas too much, but also honor them because they’ve brought me to where I am today. Many abusive relationships, extreme poverty, many personal mistakes putting myself in danger have been a few. I’ve pushed myself physically, mentally and spiritually to the edge time and time again to manifest my current reality. I’m grateful for all of it.

For any women starting on their journey, I’d say (albeit cliché) – just never give up and keep pushing. Don’t listen to anyone’s negativity or doubt. Follow your intuition and take up all the space you need to feel safe and strong on your journey. Know what you want, and go make your vision a reality.

What should we know about Sol Spectra/ Dream Machine Tattoo? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a tattooer by passion and trade, and my heart and spirit guides me to paint. I feel like I am most known for my tattoo work, but a lot of people especially locally have found me through live painting events at local shows and festivals. I’d say I’m most sought out and known for my illustrative, geometric work in tattooing; and psychedelic &colorful aspects in my paintings.

As a brand, I am most proud of my personal progression and all of the hard work and time I dedicate to my craft. I live and breathe art and tattooing, literally doing it from when I wake up until I fall asleep with a few coffee breaks in between. I take pride in giving every client and every piece my all and doing my best to do my best every day.
I especially feel like my newest bus conversion project will set me apart from other tattoo studios. I am excited to turn the Dream Machine Tattoo bus into a collaborative/community art space and offer an exciting experience for my clients that is truly different than anything else.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
There are so many! My mother, of course to start. My beautiful sister Erika has had the most impact on me through my life and supported me through many trying situations. I would not be an artist, and maybe not even in the same place as I am in tattooing had it not been for her. She is the reason I am in Denver, which five years in still feels like the best place I’ve ever lived.

It’s hard to pinpoint anyone because there are so many amazing strong women in my life day-to-day. There are tons of women in the art community that are constantly pushing boundaries and inspiring me every day. I feel like women in art (and other previously male-dominated industries) have come so far since even ten years ago, and we seem to only keep gaining momentum. I’m so grateful to be living in a time with so many feminine role models fulfilling their dreams and changing the world.

Pricing:

• Tattooing-125-150/hr

Contact Info:

• Website: www.solspectraart.com
• Email: solspectra@gmail.com
• Instagram: @solspectra
• Other: @dreammachinetattoo

Image Credit:
Lucas Hong-Jie Zhao

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