Today we’d like to introduce you to Arabella Vida.
Hi Arabella, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I always knew that I wanted to be an artist. I drew, painted, and sculpted constantly as a kid. My first job in high school was running my own little photography business. But when it came to college, I had a really difficult time picking one medium to concentrate on. I ended up leaving “regular school” after earning my associate’s degree and went to a special effects makeup school for film and TV. But after graduating from the SFX program, I learned that working in the film industry was not for me…
And then I had a light bulb moment one day where I realized that tattooing was honestly perfect for me. From my time in SFX makeup, I did learn how fun and rewarding it can be to work with the human body as a canvas. And I love that the tattoo industry is at a point now where it really can value artists for their individual styles. I loved that I could have the opportunity to draw the designs that truly inspired me. With every tattoo that I get for myself, I love my body more and more. So I think that it’s so beautiful that I can provide that feeling for others too.
I then spent the next three years working on my portfolio to eventually show to studios to start an apprenticeship. I took online art classes to keep improving my drawing and painting skills. And I really focused on finding my own artistic voice. Once I felt that I was ready, I began contacting shops all over LA and spreading the word amongst friends.
I finally landed an apprenticeship with “Puppy Studio LA” earlier this year and started tattooing not long after. My mentors have been working with me to help improve my technique. And I finally opened my books for clients not too long ago!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I grew up in a family that originally was very much “anti-tattoos”, so becoming a tattoo artist never seemed like an option for me. Especially being female and seeing that tattoo artists were mostly male at that point in time. It very much seemed like a boys club. But as I got older and started to get tattoos of my own, I began to meet more female tattoo artists. And my family eventually warmed up to the idea of body art as well.
It was really difficult at times continuing to push myself to work on my art. Because it’s an industry that none of my friends or family were involved in, they often didn’t understand why I was working so hard just to begin an unpaid position at a studio. (Tattoo apprenticeships are not paid, and can often last 1-3 years depending on the rules of the individual studio.)
And landing an apprenticeship can be quite difficult within itself. There is a lot of competition in Los Angeles. I contacted probably over 20 studios and only heard back from a couple.
The apprenticeship itself has been challenging in many ways too. I’ve been working six days a week for a long time now, just so that I can still afford to pay rent.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I really geek out on art history. Especially ancient Greek and Roman statues! I think there is something so captivating and timeless about those figures. They do such a beautiful job of capturing universal human emotions. But since these were deeply patriarchal societies, so much of Greek and Roman mythology feels like it’s centered around the thinking of men. I find joy in reimagining these statues from a modern female perspective and creating my own narratives with them. I like to imagine myself through the statues, so my own personal interests (art, plants, Halloween, etc.) tend to shine through as well.
When I’m not tattooing, I also enjoy making pottery! I like connecting myself to another art form that was so prevalent in those ancient cultures. And I really enjoy getting to paint my own designs onto the clay.
I love traveling, whether local or abroad, to art museums to see these statues and vase designs in person and to collect reference photos to inspire future work. I went on a solo trip to Europe last October and spent every day going to museums in cities like Berlin and Paris to study the art there. While I’ve visited many cities in Europe before, this was the first time I went completely solo. I was so proud of myself for overcoming my fears and committing to the pursuit of appreciating art.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Honestly, Halloween time! Which I understand is not a single memory. But it was absolutely the most festive and creative time of the year for my family when I was little. My mom worked in fashion and was very knowledgeable about sewing. And since she loved Halloween, she always offered to help me hand-make my costumes each year. So we would begin planning in the summertime so that we had enough time to prep. I would sit in the mirror practicing the makeup for whichever costume I had that year for so many hours!
Once October rolled around, we would blast music as we dug out all the decoration bins and hung things around the house. The whole place was absolutely covered!! And then we would have a huge Halloween party every year. All our friends, family, and neighbors would come, and we always had such a blast. They were definitely my happiest memories from childhood!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.arabellavida.com
- Instagram: @arabella_vida
Image Credits
All art photos are mine 1st portrait (of me tattooing) credit goes to Colina Vang 2nd photo (of me on the couch) credit goes to Misha Parfenoff
