Conversations with Briana (BEC) Casillas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana (BEC) Casillas.

Hi Briana, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always been in love with art and dreamt of one day being an artist while working with others. As a kid and through my late teenage years, I was part of various art groups, classes and constantly thriving to learn more about any realm of art that I possibly could. As a young adult I basically stopped creating any pieces for a few years while I went to university. I went to school for my B.S. in Psychology and once I finished (2017)  I worked a couple of jobs in the mental health field. I even managed to work some of threes jobs through my tattoo apprenticeship.

I started my tattoo apprenticeship in October 2017 when my godfather introduced me to the industry. I became a full-time Tattoo Artist in 2019 when I began working with my friends over at Hustle Tattoo in San Diego, CA. I moved to Colorado Springs in April 2021 and have enjoyed all of the projects and opportunities I have been given.

One of the newest projects I’ve had the privilege to be involved with is the opening of a new tattoo shop in Colorado Springs. Super excited about the opening of Uprising Tattoo this spring. Make sure to follow our social media accounts (@uprising.tattoostudio) for updates on our opening day!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The hardest part of this journey for me had to have been when I quit my 9-5 job to become a full-time artist. I think at the time (2019) I was still super fresh in my career and barely gaining confidence after my apprenticeship, so I was just super concerned with no longer having the stability of my old job.

I had to learn that my art was good enough to support me in life, and once I gained that confidence I knew I had made the best choice by leaving a field of work I was comfortable in to be in an industry that challenges my skills every day. Every milestone, all the stress, the constant learning, and the friends I’ve gained and lost through the focus of my career has been the best experience and I am just getting started.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I would like to say I specialize in black and grey tattoos but I am constantly finding myself doing color realism, coverups, or some fun designs myself and clients come up with. I think being versatile in this industry is super important. We never know what kind of projects will be presented to us; so why not take the time to learn and proudly work in any genre of tattooing?

Aside from believing in the importance of continuously learning new techniques and styles of art, I strongly believe in creating a comfortable and memorable experience for my clients. I think what has set me apart from others is the personal experience and bond I have been able to create with so much of my clientele, but to be fair I have had some pretty awesome clients who make the experience so much more fun.

What do you think about happiness?
Creativity comes with happiness, and happiness with creativity. I am a strong believer that when you feel good, you do good. I also believe happiness helps with being more engaged and creative with in ones work and career. For example, if I go to work in a bad mood or am about to start a piece with a negative mind set, it’s not fair to my clients because I most likely will not be 100% focused on what’s important at that moment; the forever piece of art that I am creating. Your work environment is also a huge factor in your happiness. If you are not happy where you currently are, it’s ok to move on and strive to be the best version of yourself; and that is true in every aspect of life not just your work.

Being a full-time artist is a super fun job but there are so many unexpected factors that can bring down our spirits. From no-shows, last minute cancellations to “slow seasons”, these and other random scenarios may affect our spirits and motivation. During moments like these, I always try to focus on things outside of my career that make me happy.

My husband and my pets make me happy. My fur babies are the coolest and have such weird personalities. They’re pretty good at lifting my spirit, especially when I need a serotonin boost the most.  My husband has been my number-one supporter throughout my career. From my apprenticeship to now, he has been such a huge contributor to any success I’ve had (and I’m not just saying that because he let me practice so many bad tattoos on him during my first months of learning). He keeps me motivated and makes sure I take my self care days so that I’m not lacking in any aspect of my work and my life.

Pricing:

• I usually charge by the piece. It is a preference of mine, but for large-scale projects, my hourly rate is $150. For every appointment I book, I also require a $100 non-refundable deposit that does go toward the entire session amount.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @bec_5150
• Tiktok: @brianacasillas0