Typically, as an artist, you know,
it's scary because you don't have
certain things that other
jobs come with.
So, you know, being amidst
like a global crisis,
it's just like even more terrifying.
So my name is Lee D' Angelo.
I'm a tattoo artist.
I go by the name @rat666tat,
on Instagram.
I also own, co-own a tattoo
shop called Tapestry.
It's a trans and queer-run
shop.
Since the pandemic, I've
sort of gone back to being like a
commission-based
illustrator and like
selling clothing. So I
mostly do, you
know, oil painting, illustration,
things that I was doing before
tattooing that were
like, you know, good side
projects but can't really
pay the rent.
I mean luckily, last month it did,
and I think people are trying
to support artists a lot right now.
The first day that I sat down and I
was like, I'm going to do oil
painting again.
It had been five years and I
was like fully expecting that it was
going to be a failure.
So I sat down
and I was like trying to remember,
like, how to mix
pain. And it was an
epic failure.
And that was really a priority for
me. And then the next day, I got
back into it and I just like
I painted something that I didn't
hate. And
then I remembered that I actually
really enjoy it.
Tattooing is an immediate
sense of gratification.
You tattoo someone for a couple
hours and then you're both just so
happy and you sort of give someone this
gift, you know. With oil
sort of like mess around
on this canvas until you don't hate
it anymore.
And then even when you think you're
done, like, you could probably
do more to it.
It's really had to make me
stop and be like a more patient
person.
Because even given the type of
drawing that I do for tattooing,
it's all like linework
and very bold.
But like, oil, it's just like
layerings pigments on each
other. Like, you can't really
predict all the time what's going to
happen.
So you have to be
open to
the unknown.
And it's been
a good lesson for me.
Like, I think I need to probably
do both when things go
back to normal.
I also just started six
months ago, a
tattoo supply company that focuses
on eco products called Good Judy.
I realized when I opened
my tattoo shop that even
having five people working
in a building is generating
so much single-use, plastic garbage.
So I just I
just started looking into things and
trying to see if there
are alternatives out there.
And there really weren't.
So I partnered with
a client, actually, who's an
entrepreneur and we
co-run this eco tattoo supply
company together.
We focus on compostable
and biodegradable products.
Obviously, you know, having a new
business in the pandemic is really
difficult.
But it also sort of explodes
the issue of climate change and how
big of a deal and how much of a need
there is for more companies like
this.
I mean, I feel very fortunate that I
have, I have strong support
and I feel like, you know, people,
people do respond to my art well, so
there is comfort in that.
But at the same time, I'm like,
you know, I can't keep
making a new shirt every week and
people can't keep buying shirts
all the time. So I do have
a fear that the skills that
I have won't
sustain me.
You know, I am kind of worried about
what's going to happen post-COVID
when things open up again and people
are allowed to go back to work.
Like, will this affect tattooing?
Like, will people still
want to keep their appointments.
Will they be able to afford it?
Will they be afraid to
come into the shop?
I just don't know.
But I'm really trying hard to just
not listen to that voice, you know?