Even before Hiram Casas learned how to write, he knew how to draw. The native of Havana, Cuba, studied at the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts, one of the oldest cultural institutions in Cuba. That training led him to become a graphic designer and, eventually, a tattooist.
The 12-year tattoo artist’s hyper-realistic portraits, rich in contrast and striking against the skin, have earned him airtime on Paramount Network’s Ink Master and driven business to Basilica Tattoo, a tattoo studio Casas co-owns with award-winning color surrealism artist Vic Vivid.
We caught up with Casas to discuss Ink Master, his immigrant journey and how Las Vegas has played a major part in it all.
Havana is a long way from Las Vegas. What brought you out here? When I came to the States, I lived in Florida for a few months and then I met my wife, [who] was living in Vegas, and that’s the reason why I came here. … Now I have two kids. Now I own a house. Now everything’s here. This is my home.
Some of Hiram Casas’ work
What were your initial impressions of the city? I was in a small town in Florida, Deltona, really close to Orlando. Just one main street, pretty country for me. So when I moved to Vegas, and my wife took me for a ride on the Strip, I was like, Wow, this is what the United States really is.
Everything was more organic, even without [me speaking] English. I had my wife going with me to places and translating for me in order to get a job, but … it was easy to come here and [find] some opportunities. That was what I was trying to achieve. Get some opportunities and take advantage of them, because where I come from ... you don’t really have opportunities presented to you. … Now I have this opportunity where I can actually draw on people and make a living out of it.
Did putting permanent art on people make you nervous when you began tattooing? When I started I was in my teens, early 20s, so I guess I wasn’t that deep. I was just trying something cool. I was trying to belong. It was an outlaw feeling, especially because tattooing [in Cuba] ... had some legal limbo, where you’re not really doing anything illegal, but at the same time there’s no institution that granted you a permit to do the work.
It’s the human touch—that’s what draws me to tattooing. You have that experience when you have a client and you get to meet people, [they] share their life and you share that bond. You’re getting into art through pain in some kind of way. It’s impactful.
You competed on Season 13 and 14 of Ink Master. Were you a fan of the show before that? I wasn’t really following it, but I knew what it was about, and I liked those kinds of competitions. I didn’t have that attitude that most people that worked with me had toward the show. They’d say it’s bad for the industry and it’s not showcasing tattooing in the right way. What I was thinking at the time was the opposite. I think it’s great for the industry. It’s opening our business to a massive audience, everybody’s getting more in touch with our industry, and it’s helping us to be recognized.
There is no specific way to present art. It’s so subjective, and the best thing you can do is make it open for more people to receive it. That’s what matters.
Are there any pieces you’ve done at your shop that are especially meaningful to you? Everyone that sits in my chair will get a unique piece. Whatever I create is always for you, and I do it with you, too. I want it to have your stamp on it to look the way you want it, and I always put my own. That’s my way to throw some kind of karma into the atmosphere. I always want to give my best into everything I do. People appreciate it more when they can tell you’re trying the most. That bond, to me, matters. For some people it’s just a canvas. That’s not the case for me. I always create relationships with my clients. We stay in touch. I want it to always mean something.
What’s it like to look back on your journey from Havana to Las Vegas and see yourself as an artist and business owner? I appreciate it a lot. I believe in luck. I believe in hard work. I believe in being a good person. If you create the right relationship and you behave the right way with people, then that will open opportunities for you. I didn’t make it by myself. I always have great people surrounding me. And this is just the beginning of the journey.
Basilica Tattoo 3170 E. Sunset Road #G, 702-888-3881, basilicatattoo.com. Wednesday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m.
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