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

Nicole, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I am happy as an artist, however this is something I think about often still. Being a full time artist is truly FULL time, every waking moment practically. Finding a balance between work and life is difficult for most of us, but that line between the two is essentially nonexistent as a creative. I’ve taken basically everything I do to unwind and relax and turned it into a job; so what do you do on a day off once you’ve done that? For me, you end up just continuing to work until the burnout inevitably hits. When I reach that burnout is when I question my career choice the most.

Now, that always leads to a spiral of thoughts around who’s to say what a “regular job” is, and how much we’re led to believe work is only really work when it’s in the name of capitalism for the sake of profit. Though that’s not what really makes me fall in love with my job again. It’s when I think about what the results of my work has done for others.

I had a client who was recovering from surgery and was bedridden, and told me how my painting in her room made her space happier to be in. Or many clients who were getting tattoos to cover up unwanted scars and felt better in their bodies after getting tattooed. Or younger artists who message me and tell me how inspired they are and started painting after seeing my work. I think being able to brighten anyone’s day, however big or small, is one of the most meaningful things you can do. And knowing something I made mattered to someone else, and really made them happy is so overwhelmingly humbling and rewarding. That human connection is why I’m happy as an artist, and would gladly choose this career path over and over again.

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

When I was younger I was pretty free spirited and just let life take me in whatever direction felt most natural. So at 19 years old when the opportunity to tattoo presented itself I simply fell into without much thought. It wasn’t until I was already tattooing a few years that I realized I had started down a sustainable career path. I’ve been tattooing I think 12 years now, specializing in anime tattoos. I’ve been painting much longer, truly every since I could hot a brush. But it was just a hobby and I didn’t think I could make a job out of it, though I tried (and failed) several times. I always jumped around with styles, and it wasn’t until I realized I could take my specialty in tattooing and apply it to painting that I started to get commissions and make a career of it as well.

Now I try to balance several titles; tattoo artist, tattoo shop co-owner, and painter. Though I’m tattooing far less these days so I can focus more on painting. I specialize in anime paintings, both acrylics and oils, on canvas and on custom wood cuts(the wood cuts definitely being most popular and unique) Painting is my first love, and has always been my biggest dream to do full time. I’m so unbelievably grateful to be able to do just that today!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think people need to understand how much art is essential to human life. I know that sounds bold but it’s true! Be it music, cinema, literature, wall scrolls, figurines, comics, paintings, whatever it may be we have always turned to art to bring us joy and to cope with life’s difficulties. For something so crucial to helping us live out day to day life artists should be appreciated more and paid their worth, with actual money not exposer. While also being treated with the same respect you would give to any “real job”.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Thought this book is seemingly unrelated, “The Book of Joy” by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, & Douglas Abrams. My first goal before all goals is always to simply be happy, to be present, calm, and enjoy each day the best I can. I think achieving that has a domino effect on work and all aspects in life. Though I learned much more from this book, the way I think about and react to obstacles is a major thing I’ve taken from it, and that’s something I’ve absolutely been able to apply to work. Also just little note, the audio book is a really special experience for anyone interested!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nicolewillingham.com
• Instagram: nicole_willingham_