Darling Tattoo: Xavier Darling's Story

Xavier Darling's Darling Tattoo Shop

A Passion for Art Since Youth

Xavier Darling's story starts in New Braunfels, Texas, where he was born and raised, and his passion for art arose. He dabbled in various arts, such as pencil drawings, clay modeling, and body painting. Despite never taking more than a handful of art classes, his mother's encouragement was enough to spark that flame.

By middle school, Xavier began to become interested in the different tattoos that students had at school. Realizing that there weren't enough opportunities at home for his passion to take off, he decided to take a leap of faith and moved to Oregon in 2005.

Apprenticeship and Early Lessons

Soon after his relocation, Xavier caught up with an Oregon native who initiated him into the art of tattooing. This formal apprenticeship was the underpinning of his first professional experience, apprenticing tattoo school and learning just how bustling working in a tattoo shop experience really is. Though he liked the social environment and ambiance, Xavier had other plans: a studio where each client's story could be set and each work of art conceptualized without this compromise.

Founding Darling Tattoo

Bowing his head in the sense of being a solution for high-volume shops, Xavier turned Darling Tattoo a one-man shop catering to his high standards. Darling Tattoo is LGBTQIA2S+ friendly and is a BIPOC and Trans owned business. From the music that one hears there to the lights in the studio, everything is indicative of his commitment to serenity. "Not all clients need loud music and bright lights," he explains. Under such a calm atmosphere, Xavier can keep a beat that is in sync with his and the client's comfort level—something Darling Tattoo has trademarked as its own.

Bouncing Back From the Pandemic

With businesses shut down in 2020, it was a wake-up call for many local entrepreneurs. Darling Tattoo was no different. With the studio having to shut down, Xavier had to find a way to keep himself occupied and turned to a creative solution. Using his gift in art he was able to sell instant art in print and T-shirt design, customized masks, and keep clients interested with periodic information updates on the web ensuring that the pandemic doesn't mask his shop's success. "Art doesn't wait for circumstances," he states. Through turning his customers' new expectations into a reality, Xavier managed to keep his business and art form afloat even in hard times.

Harnessing Technology and AI

Years ago, when there was not even a "digital-first" to begin with, Xavier attempted to sell himself online by self-promoting himself first on Friendster and MySpace, and then on Facebook and Instagram, just to peddle his body of work. Today, he mainly uses technology as a connection between him and his clients, being able to actively interact with them despite not always being in the studio.

When asked about AI potentially taking over the art world, Xavier responded by claiming that AI can never fully replace art as art is reliant on the human touch and authenticity which, AI, at least not today, can't fully offer. Ultimately, while AI has much to offer in the art world, it's safe to say, at least in the tattoo industry, that there won't be a full takeover just yet.

A Family-Centered Philosophy

What makes Darling Tattoo stand out, however, is that it has a three-generation clientele. Xavier tattoos entire families—fathers and sons, mothers and daughters—who were introduced to him by word of mouth. "It's not tattooing; it's a family tradition," he replies. By making everyone feel relaxed and by actually listening, he makes every consultation a conversation, in which art is simply an added amenity to the client's life experience.

Looking Ahead

While Xavier continues to grow Darling Tattoo further, he continues to marvel at the community he has reached so far. As he thinks about how he is going to grow his studio further he recognizes that the two things that he brings to the Portland community that are irreplaceable are his art's authenticity and the community of tattoo lovers he's built.