Daily Inspiration: Meet Nyahzul Blanco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nyahzul Blanco.

Hi Nyahzul, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I wasn’t naturally gifted, but I had an enormous amount of passion, and that passion fueled everything. It pushed me to pursue art in every way I could and, step by step, helped me discover my own voice.
I studied graphic design and worked as a designer for about ten years. It was a stable path, but I knew it wasn’t where my creativity lived, I was doing it simply because it seemed like a practical career. Throughout that time, I continued painting and showing my work whenever possible. Eventually, I made the move to New York City because I wanted to grow, to challenge myself, and to immerse fully in my practice.
From there, my world opened up. I exhibited across the U.S. and abroad, curated numerous exhibitions, and became the Assistant Director at Rabbithole Projects in Brooklyn. I also co-founded and served as art director for FAKELORE, an award-winning stop-motion animation series, it was a meaningful expansion of my creative life.
In 2016, I began a tattoo apprenticeship at Last Rites Tattoo in Manhattan, which set me on the path I’m still on today. Tattooing became another language for my art, one that deepened the way I connect with people and with my own imagery. Currently I work at White Rabbit Tattoo and 1983 Art Studio.
I’ve continued to evolve my studio practice alongside my tattoo work, always letting one discipline influence the other.
Now I’m launching Trade Mode Life, a community-based web app designed to foster the bartering of art for goods and services, it’s a new mARTket. A project rooted in everything I believe about creativity, connection, exchange, and supporting each other’s gifts.

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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but is it ever? As a single mother, balancing art, work, and life was often challenging. I’m also a self-taught artist, and that can come with its own set of barriers! people sometimes look down on artists without formal training, and we still live in a world where art is often treated as a hobby rather than a viable career.
When I began tattooing, I struggled with a lot of self-doubt. I questioned my age, my abilities, and constantly compared myself to other artists. There were periods where I felt depressed and unsure if I would ever feel “good enough.” I know many artists experience these internal battles, but at the time it felt very personal and isolating. I fucking cried a lot!
Over the years, I’ve learned how to do the internal work. Connecting with myself differently, understanding where those fears come from, and choosing every day to align more closely with my practice. It’s not that the challenges disappeared, but I’ve grown stronger, more grounded, and intentional in how I navigate them. And in many ways, those struggles have shaped the artist I am today.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a multidisciplinary artist and entrepreneur whose work spans painting, drawing, tattooing, art direction, and curation. I’m also the founder of Trade Mode Life, a community driven platform designed to support artists and collectors through bartering and creative exchange. My practice has always been fluid, moving between mediums and disciplines but rooted in storytelling, symbolism, and a deep fascination with the emotional and mythic layers of the human experience.
One of the things I’m most proud of is raising my daughter, Mantis, while building a life fully immersed in art. Choosing this path wasn’t always easy, but it shaped both of us and affirmed that creativity can be a foundation, not just an accessory, to a meaningful life.
People have often called me “unique.” Sometimes it was meant as an odd compliment, other times as something to set me apart in a way that felt uncomfortable but I’ve grown to embrace it. My imagination tends to move ahead of the moment, and many times that means being misunderstood. Now I see it as one of my strengths. I’m a visionary thinker, and I create from a place that’s intuitive, symbolic, and unconventional. What sets me apart is that I’m not afraid to exist in my own world and invite others into it.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about New York City is its raw, unapologetic energy. There’s truly no place like it. NYC has shaped me both as a woman and as an artist, it pushes you, challenges you, and offers endless opportunities if you’re willing to show up for them.
The city is alive with art in every form and the diversity here constantly inspires me.
What I like least is how expensive it has become, especially for artists trying to build a life and a practice. And winter… I’ll be honest, I’m absolutely not a fan.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nyahzulart.com
• Instagram: @nyahzul
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyahzul-c-blanco-5a789b18/

Image Credits
Portrait by: Mario Orlando @modoshoot