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

Alyssa, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

From an early age I knew I was a creative person who had a special interest in representational art; drawing, painting, etc. as I got older, I began to pursue a creative career, but after attending art school for two years I started to feel like there was no way to make a living in a creative feel. I ended up switching to a degree in communications and working in marketing. After several years in a corporate environment I realized I needed a more creative outlet, and I took the jump and decided to dive into tattooing.

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

So, I am a tattoo artist and illustrator in Douglasville, Georgia. I specialize in black and grey realism and neotraditional/illustrative work. I love tattooing animals, florals, lady faces, and anything dark or creepy. I aim to provide tattoos that are a collaboration between myself and my client. My favorite pieces are my take on their unique ideas. I love doing reworks on old tattoos and coverups for that reason- it allows me to help the client feel more confident about themselves and that is something really powerful.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

One thing in particular I really love is the challenge of making clients idea as aesthetic and visually understandable as possible. You know, you have that client with the complex concept and when you really nail the design and they love it, it’s very satisfying. Now that being said, it’s also very satisfying to have clients that embrace your creative freedom and allow you do take your own direction with their idea.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

It’s really important to take the time to explore your local artists. See what creatives work and live around you; see their work. Yeah, you may love an artist who works in another country but have you looked at the tattoo artist who works in the town you live in? Have you bought any of their original artwork or prints? And if you love a tattoo artist near you, support their other art; ask them if they have prints for sale, or t shirts or even original artwork you can buy to even further support the artwork you love.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/amowensink
• Facebook: Facebook.com/amowensink