Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Perets.
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’ll try to keep it short
I was born in a very small town in Russia with no real prospects. So when I turned 15, I moved to a big city to study. I got my education and was supposed to work as a teacher, but unfortunately in Russia salaries for important professions like teachers, doctors, and others are very low, so I realized I needed to do something else.
Despite all my relatives telling me how bad of an idea it was and how stupid it was to switch from such a “prestigious” profession like teaching to something as “silly” as tattooing — haha — I still went for it. The beginning was very difficult: I had to overcome a lot and relearn many things. Everything I knew about drawing, and the level I already had in art, felt almost impossible to achieve in tattooing at first. That was very frustrating, and at some point I even thought about quitting, because I knew how to draw it, but I couldn’t tattoo it the way I wanted.
After several years of working — around seven years in the profession — I started thinking seriously about finding my own style. Before that, I experimented with different styles, colors, and approaches, but eventually I realized I wanted to create something truly my own. That’s when I started developing my style. I did several free tattoos so people could get interested and see what was actually possible in tattooing, that it’s not just a picture.
I focused exclusively on my style, started participating in tattoo festivals, and began winning awards. Different studios around the world invited me to work with them, and I started traveling a lot. At some point, I became interested in the U.S. talent visa. I found lawyers, showed them my existing awards and achievements, and they agreed to work with me, saying the case was strong and worth trying.
I obtained this visa, moved to the United States, and now I am in the process of applying for a green card for individuals with extraordinary ability. I am integrating as much as possible. I now have my own studio in Seattle. It fully reflects who I am and represents me as an artist. I’m very happy with where I am in life right now and with the path I’ve taken
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?
I believe that for anyone who has achieved something, the path can’t be smooth by definition. My first difficulty was that, as I mentioned earlier, my entire family was against this path and constantly rejected it, repeatedly reminding me that I should find a “proper” job.
The next challenge was also something I’ve already touched on: I simply couldn’t technically execute on skin what I was able to do on canvas. That was extremely frustrating and destabilizing, because when you know you can do something but it doesn’t work, it’s like trying to write with your left hand. You know how to write, but if you’re used to writing with your right hand, it just won’t work properly with the left — it looks bad, and it makes you angry.
And probably the last major challenge was integrating into another country, because everything is completely different: the language, the people, even the nature and the food. Everything is different. It’s quite difficult — almost like moving to another planet. On the surface, it may seem like people aren’t that different, but anyone who has truly traveled a lot will understand exactly what I mean
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve been tattooing professionally for 13 years. I specialize in bright, colorful work that incorporates unusual elements not typically associated with any single tattoo style. I love using collage, stickers, graffiti, and portraiture. I enjoy mixing styles that people would normally never combine and applying elements that no one else uses.
In that sense, I’ve truly created my own style, one that doesn’t resemble anything else. I’m known for having over 50 awards from around the world. I’ve judged approximately 20 tattoo festivals internationally, based on my experience and my distinctive style.
What I’m most proud of is that, after going through this entire journey, I managed to stay true to my own direction despite discouragement or advice that could have changed the path and trajectory I had chosen. I’m proud that I was able to think independently and not follow other people’s suggestions about how I should move forward.
What sets me apart from others is that, for my age, I’ve been moving in one direction for a long time while continuing to invent, create, and develop something new. I also consider myself a fulfilled person. I’m proud that I’m able to help my family and give them gifts. Overall, I’m happy with what I have, and I think that happiness itself is something that sets me apart
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Yes, of course, I do have advice. I’ll give the exact advice I wish I had heard myself when I was just starting out. I was only 19 at the time and had a lot of doubts.
The advice I would have wanted to hear is this: don’t be afraid and don’t turn away from your path. If you truly like something, keep doing it. If you manage to turn your hobby into your job, you won’t have to go to work a single day in your life, because you’ll be doing what you enjoy — and getting paid for it.
Try to enjoy the process and remove everything from your life that causes discomfort. Also, try to surround yourself with people who inspire you and lead you toward something good, and avoid toxic people — those who push your success off until tomorrow or the day after tomorrow
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