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

Alright, Toad thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Its important to me, as a trans / disabled artist, to make much of my work meaningfully represent folx like me in some way. Most of my clothing designs are human rights or politically motivated, I like to create tough/punk pride gear in the traditional tattoo style. Not everyone feels connected to the bright rainbow/ sunshiney scheme lots of pride merch historically has, and most queer people I know now adays, are ANGRY about whats happening in the world right now! I wanted to unapologetically create something to represents that part of being queer, a way to express something important, loudly right on the front of your chest!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hey, my name is Toad, Im a nonbinary-lesbian full time artist, currently working in the hilltowns of western Massachusetts, but transplated from Detroit!
I have worn many hats in my 31 years, including vet tech, herbalist, and business owner, but the one constant I kept coming back to is art, its something Ive been non-passivley absorbed with in every stage if my life.
My professional artist journey started with my tattoo aftercare business, I used my hobby of herbalism to create natural balms and soaps to heal tattoos. that was my doorway into the industry, where I met so many incredible artists, including my talanted partner who encouraged me to pursue tattooing and offered to teach me themselves! Once I started learning how to draw specifically for tattooing, it opened up creative floodgates for me, and from the start I felt pulled to use this new inspiration for positive change somehow!

I now have 2 main avenues of artistry, tattooing and t-shirt design. My t-shirts are almost always some form of political statement or piece on queer rights, they tend to include swearing or tough/punk imagery, all in traditional tattoo style. I really feel called to create options for pride clothing that aren’t the stereotypical rainbows\sparkles that are usually the only options in mainstream retail. I do some of my own printing as well as designing, but I often collab with other amazing queer owned small businesses, like tranfigure print co. To do more large scale printing, which is where you can find most of my available t-shirt designs!

Tattooing is a bit different, and deeply important to me. Every single person that comes to me for a tattoo is giving me their absolute trust to and I dont take that lightly, I work diligently to create pieces that my clients will be thrilled to have on them forever! Tattooing can be a form of self care or gender affirming care, the tattoos that I do for queer and trans folx hit especially hard in my heart. The look of joy someone gives you when a part of their body they maybe previously didnt like is now covered in a beautiful artwork, maybe a spot is feminized or masculanized by the tattoo, its an incredible feeling helping people in that way. I also have observed over the years, as a queer person myself and from clients who tell me about their experience, that it can be very difficult for queer and fem folx to find an artist/shop where they feel safe getting tattooed, or not fear discrimination or misgendering. I tailor my services to give everyone, but espeically my fellow queer clients a safe, informed, comfortable tattoo session they can feel good about start to finish! In fact, the front of my available design book says this “you will NOT get tattooed if you are racist, homophobic, transphobic, zionist, or a cop!” And I stand by that, I wont sacrifice my other clients safety for a dirty dollar!

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

Maybe it seems like too simple of an answer, but in this late capitalist hellscape we all need to eat, so supporting your local artists is to BUY THEIR ART, I know of so many artists who recently, unfortunately, have had to step down from their creative pursuits due to the current economy. If you want to continue to see art from small local artists in the world, SUPPORT them FISCALLY! these big box stores do not care about you or your purchases, local artists REALLY DO!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media is a double edged blade for me, on one end it can be great for putting art out for potential clients to see, but its also a mechanical monster with an unfair algorithm. Instead if doing dances and trends( which is NOT in the job description for tattooer or tshirt designer) I find that face to face interactions do the most. Unfortunately, online is still the best way for people to see my art, so I have found that handing out stickers with my art/ online handles on them really ends up doing a lot for engagement, and gaining new clients! Business cards can be hard or awkward to hand out, but everyone loves a cool sticker!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @toadandturniptattoos
• Other: Blacklabyrinthtattoo.com to make an appointment

Image Credits

Toad roupas