Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andee Liggett. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Andee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
In late 2006 I sought a formal tattoo apprenticeship. Driven by the lack of fulfillment from my full time office job, a desire to pour my creativity into something lucrative and a need for self expression, I had realized tattooing checked all the boxes. I found myself enamored with tattoos, tattoo history and the ability to get back whatever I put into it. For some that might be an obstacle, as being self motivated isn’t for everyone, but for me it meant freedom and a solid outlet for all these ideas dancing around my head. I took on 90 hour work weeks for just over 2 years and when I was “laid off” from my office job I dedicated myself to tattooing full time and never looked back.
Anything worth doing has its challenges. I definitely struggled for a good few years. Building a clientele while learning the craft required a lot of diligence and before social media took off, a lot of word of mouth advertising. Maintaining a clientele is constant work. There’s never a point in tattooing where you can just sit back and let the work handle itself, you are the work. To this day I still try to rely on word of mouth despite the overwhelming presence of social media. The modern climate can be frustrating as I didn’t get into tattooing to make content for social media. I don’t aim to be an influencer, camera man or video editor. I don’t have the desire or capacity to take away from my creative process for social media clout. I try to focus that energy on being present for my clients and their tattoo goals.
Mostly, the difficulty in maintaining a craft or creative living is the business side of things. It can’t all just be fun and games, you can’t just show up and color on people every day and succeed. There’s paperwork, organization, accounting, taxes, paying out of pocket for insurance, slow times and all the behind the scenes things that come with keeping the lights on. Discipline is necessary. Establishing personal and professional boundaries is imperative to having even a somewhat healthy work/life balance.
Truly, I enjoy being at the studio. I very much thrive on the liveliness, the creative environment, the banter, the camaraderie, the family that lives inside a tattoo studio. As difficult as the business aspect can be from time to time, that’s what really keeps me striving to maintain a place to host all the interesting and incredibly talented folks that I’ve been fortunate to work with all these years.
Looking back now, i can’t really pinpoint any obstacles. Maybe I’ve repainted my vision of the past in too favorable a light, but in hindsight, everything truly does feel like a step on the path to success, even if it was difficult at the time. Some might say I live to work, and maybe I do, but I truly and passionately care about tattooing, being around people with ambition and the opportunity to color on people for a living.
Andee, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Versatility is a trait that was engrained in me very early in this venture. The ability to perform a myriad of tattoo styles is especially important in the modern age. With the prevalence of social media putting tattoo related content in the hands of more of the populace than decades prior, the tattoo trends can change frequently. As a niche artist, it could be very easy to be relevant and in demand one week and on your pockets the next.
To me, being a versatile artist means you ought to know a lot of things. Understanding a vast array of subjects, their intricacies and symbolism is paramount. Naturally, I’m no human encyclopedia, there’s only so much one can hold up there, so I tend to do frequent and extensive research for most of my tattoo creations. Taking a deep dive into ideas can often help me through a creative block and can assist clients in seeing their creative visions reach full potential. For me personally, it creates a stronger connection and a deeper interest in their tattoo ideas. Knowing a little more than how to draw what the client asks for also makes for great conversation where both parties have a vested interest in the subject matter.
Creatively, I find myself mostly drawn to lore, mythology, fantasy, psychedelia, symbolism, history, natural elements, whimsy and the occasional silliness. With a profound love and respect for the long history and culture of tattooing and tattoo longevity, I find myself using more traditionally inspired techniques and design elements. The old adage “bold will hold” rings more true with each passing year of a tattoo career and I aim to make tattoos that can live well with their person.
The desire to curate versatility carries over to the entire studio as well. For many years, we have been so fortunate to host artists whose styles are all encompassing and well versed. We strive to create for everybody and connect each potential client to the tattooer who can best bring their vision to life.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of tattooing, for me, is the client relationship. Without the spark of desire from the client to want to express themselves, to represent a connection, to be comfortable and trusting enough to let me create for them, there is no tattoo. I also really enjoy reworking old tattoos that may just need a little refresh or covering tattoos that people don’t love anymore. It’s very thrilling to see people develop new love for an old tattoo. Being a part of the renewed or newly found self confidence of my clients is very fulfilling.
As a creative business owner I find the most joy in providing a space where artists feel free to exercise their own creative expression and facilitate client relationships on their own terms while being an integral and complimentary part of the studio as a whole. I love to see my coworkers and peers succeed. This collective vision has provided many years of working along side and learning from some very accomplished and passionate individuals, some of which I have been very fortunate to develop long lasting friendships with. We strive to be a very community driven studio and absolutely cherish our extended tattoo family in and around Denver.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Somewhere along the way, the arts were devalued in their relevance for our culture and like a plague it seems to have taken hold on most of the populace. It truly is a struggle for many creative fields to retain relevance in the increasingly digital and heavily distracted world. Many of us regularly and unknowingly feed the suppression of creativity and creative ventures for ourselves and others. Sure, everyone likes to say they love music or they love art but how many of us are truly supporting local artists or creative arts in general? What does that look like, really?
Well, it looks like throwing $20 in the tip jar of the band playing at your local haunt. Making sure to only support businesses that fairly compensate their hosted talent. Seeing local acts perform (art shows, craft fairs, local shows). Buying a print or original piece of art from a local artist. Doing research to find the best person, instead of the lowest price. Supporting creative education in schools and encouraging kids to seek creative career paths. Sharing local creative content you appreciate on social media. Actually being involved in your local art communities.
Support requires true involvement and attention from the community, which means individual participation. We find ourselves in times where as singular entities we may feel helpless in fostering change. However, when it comes to supporting the arts, a little bit of effort goes a long way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://roseladytattoo.com
- Instagram: @illustratedandee
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/andee.liggett
Image Credits
Head shots- Bradly Anderson @ingutswetrust