Today we’d like to introduce you to Libby Lou.
Libby, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Sure! My story is that I have been making art since I was a wee one. Growing up, I had a lot of pets and was absolutely fascinated with claymation and cartoons. I always wanted to draw my pets as cartoons or design them in the same fashions as the characters James and the Giant Peach. I started off tracing Pokemon and Neopets from images that I’d print offline. Then I graduated to drawing real animals from life. My parents used to actually keep all of my tracings in a gallery wall fashion above their bed. I would get so stoked to run up to their bedroom and see all of my work on the wall. That same feeling is what motivates me to make to this day. I just like to make things and see them out in the wild.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
At this moment, I am heavily focused on digital art. As a generally nervous person, digital art lets my brain funnel out into seven different directions at once in a centralized place. Currently, I am diving down the rabbit hole of kawaii tattooing, so I get to tie together my digital drawings into tattoos. Kawaii in tattooing newer movement of delightfully colorful and cartoon-esque tattoos. I am a tattoo apprentice at Banana Tattoo in Youngtown, so right now, I am learning the ropes in the medium of tattooing. Essentially, I get to poke my artwork into breathing canvases and to me that sounds delightful! As for the reason, I’ll give you a little insight to my personality in that gift giving is my number one love language. I feel that tattooing is a consistent process of giving and receiving. You give your craft to another person and they receive your artwork eternally. That same person gives you their trust and you give them your process, your craft. The ability to give wholeheartedly is my honest inspiration. I generally just hope that people are able to take away a smile from my body of work. Positivity is what I aim to promote.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
My biggest piece of advice for other artists is to always make time for your art. If you have an itch to make something, then you are very well capable of making the time to make that thing. It’s super easy to waste hours scrolling through socials, Netflix or what have you. But art is like exercise, muscle memory builds over time. It’s super easy to be like, “Ah, I’ll go to the gym… tomorrow!” Or, “Ah, I’ll sketch for that painting… tomorrow!” And then tomorrow comes and your day fills up and oops. Just make time for it, it’s so worth it. Also, trust the process. I’m trying to apply that phrase in a lot of respects in my personal life and it means so much. Trusting the process can mean whatever it needs to for you as an artist, but just trust it.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Well, there are a few different ways that people can see my work! I am a tattoo apprentice at Banana Tattoo in Youngtown. I have tons of paintings and drawings there at my station and a portfolio of tattoo flash. Anyone is always welcome to stop by and visit my little world there at Banana Tattoo. Digitally, I also have an Instagram account where I am posting the vast majority of my work. I also love to participate in local art festivals and shows, so you can keep tabs on my Instagram for up to date information about those types of events.
Contact Info:
- Email: libblyloutattoo@gmail.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/libbyloutattoo
Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
