We recently had the chance to connect with Renn Bloom and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Renn , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I met the love of my life and we just eloped in Seattle last month! I am the happiest I’ve ever been.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Renn Bloom, a traditional tattooer based in Denver, Colorado. I happen to also be trans & gay, which are both significant parts of my life. My own life experience has made it important to me to build a business off of joy, safety, and celebration within the tattoo industry. I have a strong belief that while tattoos can be very light-hearted and just for fun, they can also be gender affirming care. I feel better in my body because of tattoos, and I feel very lucky to hopefully provide the same for each and every person who sits at my table.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
At the risk of sounding entirely cliche, I have to say my soon-to-be-husband, Mars. When we met, I was in a season of an incredible amount of change and he managed to see my heart through the mess. He’s never pushed me to be anyone but myself, and has done nothing but give me time & space to figure shit out on my own (am I allowed to say shit?). He’s taught me a lot about liking myself and I’m a better person and artist because of it.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I have a crippling fear of failure. I spent many of my younger years making safe bets because I knew those choices could never fail. The moment I started making decisions for myself and not being afraid of falling flat on my face, was the moment I think I started to actually become myself. I would rather live my life to the fullest and make some mistakes along the way, than never do anything because I was too scared.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
It may be a slightly more polished version of me (I have been in therapy most of my life for a reason lol), but every bit of the public me is really ME. I grew up with social media and I spent almost 12 years working for and doing endless amounts of research within social media or social media adjacent companies; I believe passionately that the public version of ourselves should be authentic 100% of the time. This is why you will find a lot of my personal life mixed in with my business on both my TikTok and Instagram posts. It’s all real over here, yall.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I can say with my full chest that I am absolutely doing what I was born to do, and the gratitude to be doing so knocks me on my knees daily. Creating art, hearing other people’s stories, providing safety and care in vulnerable spaces, all within a freaking TATTOO SHOP?! My younger self wouldn’t believe it. It’s an honor and a privilege, and something I have genuinely worked my tail off to create. I’m lucky everyday.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bloomtattoos.com/
- Instagram: @bloomtats
- Other: TikTok – @bloomtats
Image Credits
Sean Fister, @thecrashphoto
