We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Xiaoling Li a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Xiaoling, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I took the risk of continue to invest and pursue the career of a tattooer even when covid happened suddenly and basically shut down all tattoo shops and made my future looked very grim. I trusted in myself and took the risk to just hang on and pursue it anyways.

I did my first tattoos on myself when I have absolutely no idea about how to tattoo. It eventually ended up being too deep and permanently damaged my skin. It took 6 months to heal wheres correctly executed tattoos take about 2 weeks to heal. However, it gave me confidence and confidence was all i needed at that time.

I took the risk of showing up at tattoo shops and trying to show my portfolio.

I took the risk of being an apprentice under my current mentor without knowing him. I just went with my gut and trust in his humanity, which turned out to be the best decision i made to date.

Xiaoling, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

yes. Currently I’m a full-time artist supporting my life and artistic journey through tattooing.
I am very proud of this “full-time artist” status considering current economic environment in the U.S.. Living in one of the most expensive and competitive city, New York, the challenge I face daily to maintain this lifestyle is tremendous. Nevertheless, I’m thriving and growing under the pressure. At this point, making good art is no longer a choice but an order to survive. I’m grateful for the difficulties. I see them as accelerators and precious nutrient. Hard soil breeds strong flowers.
As for tattooing, I do fine art or contemporary tattoos in my own style. custom and flashes. My unique style of tattoo designs has been a success. People love and support my style so much I have been tattooing my original designs since I started. I purposely restrict my creativity to flow in the following three categories: First, ikebana inspired vases and floral designs. Second, original fairy/goddess designs in black and grey or blackwork style. Third, my signature metallic florals and plants. surrealism decorative objects floating in imagery space and bounded partially by common sense logic, partially by surrealistic logic. Key words to further elaborate this genre includes: neotribal, solar punk adjacent, nostalgic, sensual , body harness, feminine……The thing that set me apart from others is that i can actually draw as a tattooer. What i meant by “can actually draw” is the ability to create stylish and original drawings, that touches people’s feelings, instead of tracing old designs or belonging to any existing tattooing styles ( for example, traditional American style, traditional Japanese style….). This requires unique narratives, visions and aesthetic that most tattooers simply do not have. I believe in the future of tattooing and fine art merging into one thing. I belong to the new wave of tattooers that do their own thing instead of being grounded by traditional styles and mindset that are boring and not creative.
Undeniably, We new generations of tattooers are the ones actually shaping and leading the future of tattoo industry. I’m proud and grateful to be a contributing member of this more creative and authentic group.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My work depicts an unique aesthetic and everything i create falls in an imaginary realm i continue to build. what I’m eventually doing is trying to present this world better by adding characters and convincing pieces to it day by day. I’m doing so through different formats. Tattoos, illustrations both traditional paintings and digital paintings.
My main drive is to keep building this world. From a tattooing perspective, it gives each design more meanings, depths, charms and value. From a personal level, I find it difficult to be motivated by secular life. Materialistic things are so mundane and unworthy to strive for. Instead, within this artistic wall i built myself , my soul could rest and fly. This is a way i want to spend my decades on earth. Art is a lifestyle and that thus is my goal.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Born and raised in Beijing, China, I am a child of immigrants coming from both north and south korea. This family background taught me this world does’t owe me anything and I should work hard and long and excel in order to earn my place and anything I want. This hardworking and competitive mindset served me and got me where i am today.
I’m slowly unlearning it for it cause me constant anxiety and proves to be counter productive anyways. This survival instinct is at the cost of mental stability and happiness.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ling.is.eel

Image Credits

all photos taken by myself.