Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michele Aitchison. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michele, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Well, there’s my history, and where I’ve landed as a result. I started as an artist living in Chicago, then moved to rural Illinois, where I began tattooing and built a life rooted in art, on both skin and canvas. That led to the Bloom Project, an open-ended tattoo experience where clients could grow their ink over time. I documented this through photo shoots and social media, representing the process, and developed many professional friendships from shared time together over a 20-year time period.

Lately, I’ve been focused on building connections with others in the region. I host weekly Art Socials and co-organize Art in the Garden, a yearly Arts festival celebrating creativity and community. I recently received the Creative Catalyst Grant from the Illinois Arts Council to put towards a mural project that my family and I are working on together. It’s going on a building we’re transforming into Gallery 111. I’ve got a few new paintings I’m working on and some drawings to do for upcoming tattoos. I stay busy doing many different things.

Though this might sound great, getting here wasn’t easy. It took years of hard work, dedication, and the unwavering support and encouragement of my partner Guy Aitchison. There were many times I felt incredibly isolated, since I did not have a local arts community and was “not from around here.” I didn’t have a tribe, except for when we traveled or when friends came to visit. It seemed to all change when I had a child and started to connect with other families with whom we shared interests. Then, 3 years ago, I had a solo show at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts called Active Meditations, and began to meet more people in the arts. Feeling like there was community support and welcome, inspired us to take a step further and make a creative space where we could show our art, be our own curators, and also feature other artists’ work.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As a tattooist, my work is known for its look, featuring a softer aesthetic, matching bodywork that resembles a garment with very little use of black. My clients travel, inking sections at a time, with the work requiring layers and multiple visits to complete. That is how the Bloom Project evolved; it was a reflection of the process itself and how I would see people over a time period, usually adding more as they came back for refinements. One unique aspect of my work is that we can pick up wherever we left off and take the work further, ensuring the best quality I can produce with each tattoo. The setting is calming and feels like a retreat. People have told me that the experience means as much to them as the tattoo. It’s a chance to get away from chaos and focus on their transformation. In addition, I also do smaller pieces that can be completed in less time. With ALL the work I do, I like to have a second pass to refine, saturate, and develop further. I approach the tattoo the same way I paint. I lay out the piece first and then layer and develop it. When I am tattooing, I feel that the tattoo is like a painting on the skin and approach it that way. It’s an extension of my artistry, whether on skin or canvas.

When it comes to painting, I work in oils, and my work ranges from representational to abstract, from minimal use of color to bold and bright, depending on my mood. I’ve been painting since I was 19, so I’ve spent quite a bit of time developing my style and interests. I enjoy creating work that focuses on the rhythm of shapes and the contemplative engagement of these spatial relationships.
I’m at a point now where I’m ready to focus more on showing and selling my paintings through Gallery 111. In addition to original paintings, I”ll also be offering archival high-end affordable prints of my work. I want people to collect my work- on skin or canvas, small or large, painting or print.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being authentic. I can be myself and create from that.
With the tattoo, it may come from the prompt of a client- they have an idea and want to see a certain theme or subject expressed. I consider this a collaboration between their input and my interpretation of how to express that. We work together to make art on skin.
When it comes to painting, it’s so freeing. I am in my element and love to explore, respond, and see where it goes. It’s my own time, and I can take it as far as I want or keep it loose and expressive. I enjoy this opportunity to create- it’s essential.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission in art is to continue to evolve and explore – to keep creating.

Contact Info:

• Website: micheleaitchisonart.com, www.gallery111.art
• Instagram: instagram.com/michele_lotus/ instagram.com?micheleaitchison_paintings/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/MicheleLotusAitchison/