Life & Work with Marissa Olney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Olney.

Hi Marissa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started drawing when I was little and never stopped. I just hopefully have gotten a little better at it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been tumultuous to say the least. Trial by fire every step of the way. In the past, there have been struggles of self-doubt, self-loathing, being brokenhearted, excessive hedonism, poverty, finding my voice and technique as an artist. I recently lost my house and car in hurricane Ian and had cancer removed from my eye. I think these tower moments are the most distilling, and crystallize us. Surprisingly the most recent experience has filled me with so much unconditional love and gratitude for the people in my life.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an artist. Historically I’ve worked in multiple disciplines; music, painting, sculptural installation, and tattooing. Tattooing has kind of taken the front seat the past few years. I specialize in large-scale Neotraditional and ornamental pattern work. Anything narrative that accentuates the anatomy of the adorned.

I’m most proud of my collaborations with clients, the ability to co-create a vision that will endure time.

I feel like my lens sets me apart; it’s really that way for each of us… we’re synthesizing universal experience through our own specific voices, but the core is inherently one.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love the Books Closed podcast by Andrew Stortz. I’m currently taking a financial literacy course with Ryan Roi geared towards artists that has been absolutely life-changing in terms of reworking antiquated operating systems around money and implementing financial systems for the future. I’ve taken quite a few spiritual courses with the goddess herself Marly (Fawn and Fire Intuitive) I highly recommend if you’re interested in spiritual exploration, shadow work, expansion and growth.. absolutely shifted the course of my life. She’s a marvel. On that note, check out Dharma Punx with Josh Korda as well. In terms of books, I just finished ‘Becoming Nobody’ by Ram Dass; highly recommend.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.southernmosttattoo.com
• Instagram: @ethosandiron
• Other: www.marissaolney.com

Image Credits
Damali Phipps, Matthew Narvin