Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Felty.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m just a guy floating in a river of life and I feel incredibly fortunate to share this experience with so many talented and charismatic individuals. I’m so interested in the variety of life out there that I want to hear/see/feel as many perspectives as possible in order to let those experiences color who I am as an individual. So, speaking about my story doesn’t feel natural without including everyone who’s shared a part in forming my own perspective. I’ve been tattooing for ten years and with the help of my friends and family, I was able to bring a concept to life called Welcome Stranger Tattoo.
The idea was simply to create a space that was neutral and inspiring for everyone. I was desperate to shed the stereotypical ego of the industry. I’ve always felt the art of tattooing to be way bigger than me as an individual, so the space that we created for it had to be no different. I believe the true power of tattooing lays behind the ability to provide an individual with an experience that can positively impact their life and I came to understand that not every tattoo had to be about me or my artistic preferences. Sure, I love when my preferences for aesthetic and design align with the customers, but when they don’t align, that work can often end up being the most rewarding and for no other reason than to see the way it can empower a person through a difficult time. Regardless of the reason somebody wants to be tattooed, the act of marking the body is reverent and Welcome Stranger Tattoo exists to elevate that experience for everyone.
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?
Nothing worth having ever comes easy. I embrace when things are difficult because there are lessons to be learned within new life experiences. Creating the space for Welcome Stranger Tattoo really taught me a lot as an individual and an artist. I can’t stress enough the importance of finding flow in life. I feel like human beings tend to make things more difficult for themselves and 80% of the battle is just fighting yourself. I can’t think of anything in our space being the way I had originally intended. Everything from finding a location to naming the space really pushed me to edge and challenged me. Being patient and persistent is a perpetual balancing act and I had to learn to be comfortable with life just happening. The truth is the only thing we control is the way we respond to what happens to us and its in our best interest to struggle well.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been making a living doing creative work for almost half of my life. I work at and own Welcome Stranger Tattoo. I believe I am most known for my range of style and technical ability, but more recently, I’ve been known for having a unique artistic twist on traditional tattooing, which is something I’m still discovering. At the end of every day, I am most proud of the group of people that I’ve curated to work at Welcome Stranger Tattoo. Each person that works there adds something special and brings energy to the space. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to bring this concept to life.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I feel like Dallas is a fairly easy place to live. Its convenient and has a ton of resources. This city loses a lot of its creativity energy to Austin because of the lack of outlets here. That’s also part of why I chose Dallas to be my home, I want to be part of that change and generate some new creative work in hopes our contributions at Welcome Stranger Tattoo help form a stronger art community.
Contact Info:
- Email: welcomestrangertattoo@yahoo.com
- Website: www.welcomestrangertattoo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/welcomestrangertattoo
