Faithers: Pove Tattoo
"¿Qué es lo que te hace feliz?" Eso mismo es lo que un día se preguntó nuestro protagonista. Pablo Povea, más conocido como Pove Tattoo, es sin lugar a dudas una de esas personas que tienen la fortuna de dedicarse a lo que aman. Pero eso no es tarea fácil, muy pocos privilegiado son capaces de hacer de sus sueños su realidad. Trabajo, humildad, constancia y personalidad. Un ejemplo más de que los sueños se persiguen....¡y se consiguen! A continuación, Pove Tattoo al 100%:
What does having faith in yourself mean to you?
Having faith in yourself means truly believing that you can achieve your goals, that you are capable, and that you have the personality to decide what you want to do. I believe that mindset will lead you to be happy and feel fulfilled with yourself and others.
What motivated you to become a tattoo artist?
As a kid, let’s say I spent my days drawing, painting, and creating things. As a teenager, I did the same thing, but with a more specific focus on artistic things, paintings, museums, and musical instruments. I was always looking for ways to express myself artistically. Tattoos always caught my attention, although it's true that it wasn't until my girlfriend gave me a tattoo machine that I was lucky enough to turn my hobby into my profession.
What were the biggest obstacles when you started tattooing?
Fortunately, tattooing is now seen as something artistic and appealing, something that is trendy and embraced by people of all ages, but when I started it was frowned upon and very underground. In other words, it was a world for only a small group of people, so starting to work in this field at that time was complicated because we had neither approval nor credibility.
Was there a moment when you were about to give up?
Yes, as I mentioned in the previous question, the tattoo world had very little information available and few resources to learn on your own, which made it quite difficult not only to take the first steps but also to grow as a tattoo artist. What kept me going was that I loved what I was doing. That, along with the unconditional support of those who love me and always encouraged me not to give up.
From your own experience, what are one or two attributes that a person must have in order to achieve their dreams?
Being consistent and having a strong personality are the keys to getting what you want. If you are realistic and know that you are truly capable of doing what you want or what you like, it is just a matter of putting in the hours and ignoring the negative opinions of those who do not believe in you. You are not here to make them happy, but to make yourself happy.
If you had the chance to start over tomorrow, what would you change and why?
At first, I did all kinds of tattoos that weren't my style, ones I didn’t feel entirely comfortable with. But I think that stage and that process is necessary. First, to figure out the style you like to tattoo and that defines you the most. And secondly, because when you're new to a world like this, in addition to creating a schedule to keep a business going, you have to give people the opportunity to see your work and earn their trust. In short, the only thing I would change would be to have started from scratch with my own style, but I think that process has helped me become who I am today.
What habits have helped shape who you are today, both personally and professionally?
Prioritizing time for the people who believed in me, and as I mentioned before, having a strong sense of self — not doing things just to please others. Being clear about what you want and what you enjoy, and going for it.
It’s obvious I wasn’t born this way — who I am today is the result of a huge amount of hard work and sacrifice behind the scenes.
What are the biggest sacrifices you have made for your career as a professional tattoo artist?
I have always tried to balance my personal life with my work as best as I can, but if I had to say one thing, it would be “the time invested.” Getting a tattoo studio up and running after almost 10 years and keeping it stable with all the competition out there is only possible with many hours and a lot of effort. That's why, for a fairly long period of my life, I had barely any “free time” at all.
Is there a lesson you have learned over the years that you keep in mind every day?
Nobody gives you anything for free. It's not luck, it's effort. Sure, some people might have more or less of an advantage when starting out, but in the end, it all comes down to you.
What has been the most satisfying aspect of your profession to date?
The greatest satisfaction my profession has given me has been raising my family, enjoying stability with them thanks to all my hard work, and the personal and shared free time I can now afford to spend with them. On the professional side, I think the best thing has been being able to give seminars and see people leave happy and very grateful for everything they have learned. The latter fulfills me greatly on a professional and personal level, and of course, having met great colleagues.
What advice would you give to a teenager who loves ink and wants to pursue a career in it?
Don't focus too much on social media. Don't compare yourself to anyone else, neither in terms of their work or their achievements. It's good to have role models, as long as you don't compare yourself negatively.
Looking back and realizing how long and difficult the journey has been, has all that effort been worth it?
Yes, of course it has been worth it. It is a very beautiful profession that gives you a lot of freedom and quality of life. First, because you are rewarded for all that effort. It makes you feel good about yourself and about the people who have supported and helped you at all times. And secondly, because once you achieve a certain stability, you can once again allow yourself time for personal growth, which I believe is the most important thing. In the end, I always end up with time. Time for myself and time to give to those who, at some point, shared some of theirs with me.
What motivates you day after day to keep fighting?
I've gone through several phases. At first, it was a mix of excitement and enthusiasm combined with the need to work, especially for financial reasons. When I realized that I had enough confidence and that things were starting to go well, I was motivated to prove to those who didn't believe in me that I could do it. And, fortunately, from a long season until today, what motivates me the most is coming home and seeing that everything is okay. This is my greatest motivation.
One reason why you smiled today?
Waking up and seeing my dogs and my girlfriend. That makes me happy, and above all, it reminds me that happiness is found in the simplest things, in what we have and what surrounds us. It's that simple, although sometimes it's easy to lose that mindset without even realizing it. The important thing is to get back on track and not lose focus.
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