We were lucky to catch up with Sabrina Stabs recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sabrina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
My first year tattooing, I was a college student, and worked a few jobs to sustain myself. Early in the morning I worked as a welder, and late at night I bartended. As time went by I became more determined to make it as an artist, I dropped out of college, went from 3 jobs to 2, then 1, to side gigs. Each time I let go of a job, I was paralyzed with fear. What if no one books? How will I pay my bills? Should I have stayed in college? Each time it paid off, in exchange for working harder to see it through. Sometimes the leap of faith wasn’t letting go of secondary streams of income, but what no longer suited me. I moved often, pushed myself outside of my comfort zone, and refused to give up. I often find myself thinking back to when I started my career whenever I need a reminder of how far I’ve come, to be grateful for where I am. I now tattoo regularly, and the work I do outside of that is only art, I love my clients, and I’m always ready for the next adventure.
Sabrina, 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?
My name is Sabrina Stabs, and I am a traveling tattoo artist. I work in many different styles, and love bringing my clients’ visions to life. I strive to create a safe and welcoming environment for anyone who sits in my chair. I work hard to expand my horizons and continuously put my best work forward. One of the best parts of what I do is being able to connect with my clients during our sessions. My travel has awarded me the privilege of knowing such beautiful people, and it’s always an honor being trusted.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think there often is a romanticization of “the starving artist”, as though our work means less if we know our value. The idea that a true artist must struggle to be successful, that our work’s worth is that of which we suffer, is unfair. The image of the harrowed artist in media is glorified, that virtue is found in the pain they’re willing to push through, their work is only as deep as they are depressed. The point of creating art is to express yourself, and that can come from any state of emotions. It is just as meaningful to pick up a brush when you’re happy.
I think this concept has created a really toxic model for artist to compare themselves to, one that instigates struggles with self worth and respect. The reality is that, you’ll only ever get what you work for and making it as a creative is already challenging enough without the additional expectations. An artist’s decision to respect their craft and charge for what they’ve worked hard to create doesn’t mean they aren’t passionate about what they do. Just like any other profession.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
There are so many things I found along the way that I wish I knew about sooner. Tattooing played a big role in my desire to become a better artist, and in that I got lost isolating that art form. It wasn’t until I broadened my perspective that I truly saw an impact in my work. I never though to pick up photography books, study graffiti, read “color and light” by James Gurney, or even study sculpting. It was all the inspiration I found outside of my one realm of creating that influenced me.
Contact Info:
- Website: SabrinaStabs.com
- Instagram: @SabrinaStabs
Image Credits
Portrait done by Shots By Squints