Meet Mariah Deiwert | Tattoo Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mariah Deiwert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mariah, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
I find success not to be a high bank account balance, following count, or awards. Success, to me, is about being happy, doing what you love, and making the most out of life. A goal of mine, ever since a child, was to ensure that I am happy— it is pretty simple. Success to me, looks like a supportive, loving community and validation within oneself. I find that, if you constantly live your life chasing a goal or endpoint, you will always find it hard to find satisfaction, and the beauty is mainly on the route to that goal. It’s great to be goal-oriented, but it’s just as important to be grateful for what is in front of you right now.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a full-time tattoo artist, that specializes in fine line, black and grey, and stippling. My subject interests are in anime/manga, retro gaming, fashion, and florals. I find what sets me apart from others is how genuinely I appreciate my clients and the feelings I try to convey through my work. I find that, with my style, I mainly attract clients of my age, who have shared many of the same experiences I have had. Forming relationships is a part of my job, and it’s great to see my clients regularly and it’s always a learning experience with speaking to more and more people. Nostalgia plays a great role in my art, and my goal is to inspire others and bring out their inner children. Adult life is fast paced, and the tattoo experience of keeping an old memory and remembering childhood spontaneity helps slow it down.
To get to where I am professionally, it was not easy, but I am grateful for everything that happened how it did.
Taking risks has played a large role in my life, and I find it to have a snowball effect. For example, 3 years ago, I was working front desk at a gym, in college for a degree I knew I truly did not want to pursue. I took on an apprenticeship, 2 hours away, and would work 7 days a week, with my front desk job, unpaid apprenticeship, all while enrolled in school full time. I would drive 2 hours back and forth once a week and sleep on a friend’s couch because of how badly I wanted to learn tattooing. Three years later, I wanted more, so I started guest spotting and attending conventions. After only a few months, I have been able to say that I have started to make a name for myself in the tattoo scene, won first place for my first award, met many influential and supportive artists, and tattooed all over the United States. Just recently, I left my hometown and old life behind to work in the city as a full time artist.
Taking these risks are the scariest, yet most exciting things I have done for my career. I’ve adopted a mentality of refusing to stay stagnant— and if I am comfortable, then I may be doing something wrong. I had to teach myself about being comfortable in the uncomfortable, and if scared, do it scared. I found that many people have a fear of “What if it goes wrong?”, but the way I counteracted this pessimistic mindset was thinking instead, “What if it goes right?” Another lesson I have learned through this career path, is that rejection is redirection, and everything will flow and fall into place when it is time. For example, I placed 4th place when competing for an award— and was so frustrated with myself, my work, and let it affect my happiness. I redirected this rejection, and on my next competition, I won 1st place, with many of my friends present at this competition to celebrate me. Chasing a career as a full-time creative, there will be ups and downs plateaus, but the most important part is to enjoy the ride and fully believing in the flow of things.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have only lived in Atlanta for a month, but thanks to my friends and community, I have found places that I have fallen in love with. I try to find something new to get into each week— and there are many places I like to eat.
I do enjoy Asian food, so a day trip to Duluth would be essential. Be Banh Mi and Food Terminal are some of my favorites. For the city, I find that Ponce City Market is by far one of my favorite places to go— I like to shop and eat here, with Posman Books and Pizza Jeans being the parts I frequent most. I find it fun to go as a group, and we all order from a different place and share. For shopping, I like Buckhead Village, which is close to the shop, so I bring my hometown friends here to walk and shop around, especially if they are into the fashion scene. Coming from a small town, I bring all of my friends to Ikea, and it’s always a fun time seeing them get inspired and have fun in this simple furniture store. For nightlife, I found the music and ambiance of El Malo to be my favorite, or, if looking for a random side quest, Who Wanna Pho, in Little 5 Points is pretty fun— it is the epitome of Atlanta culture. Lastly, it is always a fun time to attend a concert, as artists always perform in the city, with my favorite venues being the slightly more intimate ones such as the Masquerade or Roxy. One thing I learned about living in the city is that there’s something for everybody to do.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutouts would be with my past shop, family, and friends: My peers, and past shop owner Trevor, whom treated me like family and pushed me to leave my hometown and chase my dreams, my parents and siblings who listened to and supported all of my crazy ideas, and my friends who also chase a career as a creative, especially Marques and Josiah, who motivate me and keep me focused. All of these people played a crucial role in my development as an artist and a person.

Website: https://linktr.ee/mixgreys

Instagram: @mixgreys

Other: Tiktok: @mixgreys

Image Credits
Josiah Robinson, R5 Media Co