Art and Soul: Learning to look within you

How did Soul become Soul:

Soul is a tattoo artist based in Northridge, CA. Backed by a degree in art/animation and a unique creative expression, Soul has created a brand known as “Art & Soul.” Soul was exposed to the art industry since youth, stating how she “found art at a really young age…and it was always something [she] was really drawn to too (Heh, get it?). Painting, sculpting and illustrating became a very large part of [her] life,” plus, she grew up “with a family in the tattoo industry,”. Immersed in art from a young age, Soul has worked hard to establish herself within the industry through her tattoo apprenticeship, higher education, and continuous experience. Whether working directly with a client to adapt a concept or drawing personal artwork, Soul is a representation of what a dedicated artist looks like.

Soul’s main inspiration for art originated from the cartoons and anime she would watch as a child. This instilled a distinct art style she describe’s as exploring “the balance between dark and light…with an overall whimsy-goth aesthetic.” Beyond the scope of her career in tattoos, Soul hopes to pursue entrepreneurship in the form of “opening [her] own tattoo shop, and [bringing her] animation degree to life by creating [her] own show or at least a comic or two.” Additionally, aside from growing as a tattoo artist, Soul is working on screen printing her designs onto apparel. In short, the Art & Soul brand is growing at an amazing rate, with much in store.

Not only a tattoo artist, but a traditional artist:

Although Soul's career surrounds the permanent art of tattoos, she also partakes in physical art by using her background, experience, and education to create vibrant pieces with a distinct style. Establishing an art style, however, was not an easy task for Soul. She fought with herself about what her distinct aesthetic was, stating, “Growing up, I was outcast for my love of darker elements—horror movies, demons, and tattoos—things that didn’t fit in with mainstream tastes,” which was difficult because having an art style that is not “typical” is hard to come to terms with and accept. However,  Soul says, “As I heal my inner child, I explore these themes in my work, balancing them with elements I once rebelled against, like flowers and femininity.” At first, Soul was not sure what style of art to establish within herself, but, over time she adapted the multiple aesthetics of art she ws drawn to and created what Art and Soul is today. This growth and acceptance has led Soul to become confident in the kind of creative they are.

A lesson can also be learned from the establishment of Soul’s artist style: You can be two things at once. You can be masculine and feminine. You can be hard and soft. You can be fun and serious. Humans are not confined to something based on existing characteristics of themselves, and we should not box ourselves into the stereotypes of our aesthetics. As Soul says, “This contrast [of two or more styles] represents the conflicting parts of myself and allows me to fully accept who I am, free from societal judgment.,” a beautiful statement reassuring that embracing all aspects of ourselves leads to acceptance and self-love.

Hence, Soul’s art is not only a combination of fantasy, darkness, and femininity, it is a lens into the possibilities humans can be. “Through my art, I want to create a safe space where others can also find beauty in the layered, sometimes contradictory parts of themselves, beyond external influence.” This statement is what viewers should take away from Soul’s work, embrace the multiple versions of yourself, and fuse them to make something amazing.

Staying True to Yourself with Patience in Mind:

One of Soul’s main pieces of advice is to stay true to yourself and your art style, but remembering that establishing who you are as an artist takes time, experience, and trial. For example, Soul’s distinct style and theme of art was not created overnight. As mentioned earlier in the blog, Soul had to discover who she was by looking to her passions, experience, and true-self. In a way, you must look into your soul.

Alongside the journey of self-discovery being long, it will also be challenging. There will be many times where an artist will want to stop, whether they do not believe they can achieve success, or they feel too lost to find themselves. In response to this hesitation, Soul says, “don’t quit, no matter how hard it gets. If you’ve been gifted with a skill or talent, it’s for a reason—don’t let it go to waste. Use it, nurture it, and let it lead you to make an impact. Every challenge, every setback, is just a stepping stone on the path to greatness. There will always be people who doubt you, who tell you it’s impossible, but remember: the impossible is only impossible until you prove it’s not…I’ve had my fair share of people telling me I couldn’t make it, but I’m here to tell you that you can. Don’t let anyone stand in the way of your dreams, especially not your own doubts. Dream bigger than you think is possible, and then dream bigger again…Keep pushing, keep believing, and don’t ever let go of your vision. You have everything you need within you to make your dreams a reality.”

Instagram: @ArtandSoul.La

Tik Tok: @ArtandSoul.La

Website: www.artandsoulshop.com

Where to get tattooed by Soul: Queens of Needles Tattoo Shop (8821 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324)