Today we’d like to introduce you to Odin Blackgrove.
Hi Odin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Originally I worked in horticulture. Since I was a child I was obsessed with history, philosophy and ethnobotany. I was taught about indigenous cultures and art from my mother who was at the time a museum curator. I loved seeing the relation different people had with the earth and the beautiful chaos that is living here. When I started tattooing I still showed my love for indigenous cultures and art. I didn’t want to replicate or imitate, I wanted to reflect and make something my own from what I had spent so much time learning about.
As I formed my understanding of tattooing I started to hone my rather specific style that was a manifestation of these passions. As others saw the style more people discussed and considered it and it eventually became a bit of a signature style. People now come to me seeking a specialization in this art form. In recent years I’ve been able to spread this love of art internationally. I have a lot of love for what I do and I think people can tell that. That mutual appreciation has brought my passion for my work more note than I ever expected.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Despite the controversy my artwork has received at times, I believe my greatest struggle was more an internal one. I was disabled for several years due to my autism and panic attacks. I had to force my personal threshold up or I wouldn’t have gained any social or occupational functionality. It was incredibly difficult and straining but I’ve managed to put myself out there and find the words to suits my thoughts more with each day. I couldn’t let myself be defeated into isolation by my diagnoses, I knew there was more I had to share with the world. My sociability has greatly progressed since those days and my clients have a clear comfort around me which makes me so very honored to work with them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My tattoo style is often referred to as “chaos abstract”. It’s a style of minimalism that brings focus to the motion and strokes. Simone Weil once said that “grace fills empty spaces” and I think my art is a celebration of the void that allows for grace. The intention of this style in tattoos is to accentuate the beauty of the human form and not merely plaster the body with distractions. I want my clients to not just feel like they are wearing art, I want them to feel like they are a work of art.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Everything has to do with everything. Every skill you learn is progress towards your goals no matter it’s perceived relevance, every time you make art you make yourself grow as an artist and as a person, every thought you genuinely consider shifts how you may see a new idea. We need to allow ourselves to fall in love with all aspects of what we do and who we are. We are clueless, scared, fumbling humans with nothing of a constant to rely upon and that’s so absolutely beautiful. We must enjoy our humble nature and celebrate the absurdity of the mundane and the mundanity of the absurd.
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