We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Billie Summers. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Billie below.

Alright, Billie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

So I taught myself the basics of painting, colors, content, mediums, etc. But i’ll always be learning something new that can side my art. I took a few classes in high school and university which definitely encouraged me to paint and experiment on my own time. I think the most essential skill I have is being open to learn king new things. Time and opportunity I would say have been the biggest obstacles in terms of having time and space to create. I would love my own studio one day just to have a conducive creating environment.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Yeah- My name is Billie and I have been painting now for about two years. I’ve done various art shows but I’m more interested in finding other artistic avenues where I can create more and differently. My style previously was similar to neo-expressionism and impressionism. Today I’m interested in changing my art style to something darker and more abstract. With the fall and winter approaching, I’ll be able to find my newest style. I have taken a small break from painting to focus on tattooing. I fell in love with body art, so I’ve been tattooing myself! I’m hoping to find an apprenticeship that suits me, and likewise. My goal is to learn tattooing and get my body art licensure to begin!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Well the current ecosystem we have is deteriorating because of so many things but in my opinion, it’s due to waste. In the past I waisted so many of my art supplies and their packaging. I could have reused several of the items I had to create something tangible or provide to other artists who work in sculpting. The best thing artists can do for each other is to be supportive, even when sharing or providing additional creative materials. With inflation, everything is becoming overly expensive, including art supplies, transportation to art events, etc. So having a strong art community is so incredibly important and I’m hoping to find mine somewhere!

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

Oh man I love them. I did hear though that cryptocurrency is now government regulated? If so, that definitely changes how people will use it but it shouldn’t impact the uniqueness of NFTs. I’ve written several papers on these tokens and it’s really a fascinating topic. NFTs give every artist the opportunity to create and sell digital photos which society does all day, but the difference is that each NFT is special and possesses its own rights to be bought, sold, and traded. I do believe there’s a proper algorithm in terms of layering and fitting each piece together. I’ve made 3 NFTs and I haven’t sold one yet, so that’ll be my goal for the rest of the year. Sell at least one!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thebilliebobshop