Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddie Morrill.
Hi Maddie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was enamored with art from a young age. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family of artists: my grandmother is a professional watercolor painter, and she taught me how to paint before I even knew how to write my name. My dad is also involved in the art industry, and for the majority of my life was a freelance digital artist. I grew up with both of them encouraging me to create, and I would not have become an artist if it wasn’t for their support and instruction. In fact – both of my parents told me I needed to go to art school, not the other way around!
I was constantly drawing throughout my adolescence: There were always sketches on the edges of my assignments, and I spent most of my day in the art studio. I won numerous awards during my high school career thanks to my proclivity for creativity, including a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) for my ceramic works. There, I worked towards an Illustration and Art History double major before moving back to the Salt Lake area to pursue a career in art.
I have always worked in various types of media, including but not limited to watercolor, acrylic, oil, ink, charcoal, multimedia, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics. While showcasing my framed ink drawings at Craft Lake City, I met my tattoo mentor, with whom I worked under in an apprenticeship for a little under two years. I am now a full-fledged tattoo artist working at Cultivate Tattoo, where I specialize in dotwork, linework, and full-color pieces.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Tattooing is a medium that is unique in many ways, and it challenged me in ways I had not expected. Those challenges pushed me to think and create in a different way than I had in the past, which enabled me to become a more well-rounded and accomplished artist. My training in multiple forms of media allowed me to discover the similarities shared between tattooing and the past artwork I have made.
For example, stencil preparation (what you use to transfer your design from paper to the skin), and linework (the outlining of a tattoo/when you use lines to create value) is similar to ink and penwork, but I personally believe color and shading is similar to watercolor and oil painting. In colorwork, you work from the darkest to lightest colors to avoid staining the lighter pigments, which is similar to how one would layer fresh paint when using oils. The blending of colors and color theory reminds me of watercolor painting, where you are building upon layers of color and pigment to achieve soft blends.
Another struggle of mine was to embrace the limitations within the medium itself. Tattooing is the most permanent yet most impermanent form of artwork there is; it forever marks the human body, but the body in itself is not eternal. Skin aging must be considered when inking a tattoo. I had to think past what looked good on paper and consider what the tattoo may look like 10+ years from now. I always classified myself as a detail-oriented artist, but the tiny drawings I would create before my tattooing career could not be replicated as tattoos without risking turning into black blobs over a period of time. It took practice and reaching outside my comfort zone to discover what my style of tattooing would look like, and I’m looking forward to the years to come.
One aspect I feared I would struggle with was the canvas: The human body is a 3D surface with no flat planes. However, it became something I learned to not only overcome but to embrace. The human body adds life to artwork in an inimitable way; the artwork ultimately becomes a part of who you are, and cannot be replicated by ink on paper or clay.
A good tattoo should enhance who you already are and bolster your love for yourself and your appearance. I am proud to work in a field that aims to help people celebrate their bodies.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an apprentice, I trained in multiple styles and techniques to become a well-rounded artist. After I finished my apprenticeship, I have been particularly focused on detail-oriented work, including dotwork, linework, and multiple color blend pieces. I enjoy doing this work due to (what I call) the “near-far experience”, where a piece is recognizable and beautiful from a distance, but the closer you get, the more you start to notice the individual and numerous details that make up the components of the artwork.
One of my latest series of ink drawings was based on a series of 35 floral patterns. Up close one would see individual tiny flowers arranged in a pattern, but from far away, the floral drawings create a cohesive grayscale pattern that spanned a complete wall. I have been referencing this thought process in my tattooing: My goal is to draw a viewer in and continue to bring them in closer as they start to notice all the little individual components.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I encourage all artists, amateurs and professionals alike, to continue to push themselves out of their comfort zones, and to continuously work, work, work. Art is a beautiful medium that never peaks, and with every day of practice and struggle, you become a more accomplished artist.
You should have a full and varied portfolio; an artist who understands multiple mediums is someone who can make waves in the art field. If tattooing is what you specifically desire, I encourage getting regularly tattooed, along with doing thorough and correct research. I have learned new techniques and discovered better products through communicating and tattooing with other artists.
It is also vital to accept and encourage critiques. It is imperative that you are open to thoughts and criticism from other accomplished artists, but also acknowledge how to keep your voice heard within your artwork. If there is a particular way you drew or styled a piece, make sure you are able to defend your work but be open about how you can continue to improve.
Tattooing is an art form that takes time to perfect but is well worth the effort. I embraced every open door that appeared (tattoo-related or not), which ultimately led to gaining an apprenticeship. I have been asked by numerous people how to get involved in the field, and I say to stay open-minded and encourage all sorts of opportunities. Connections are vital in the art industry, and the more well-versed and well-rounded you are, the more unique and meaningful your work will be.
Contact Info:
- Email: maddiemorrillart@gmail.com
- Website: maddiemorrillart.com
- Instagram: @maddiemorrill_art
- Facebook: Maddie Morrill ART
- Pinterest: @kittykatmorrill
- TikTok: @kittykatmorrill
Image Credits
Max Rutherford and Maddie Morrill
