Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Barker.
Hi Abby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Ever since I could color I knew I loved anything to do with art. The first time I went to an art museum my dream became to put that creativity to good use, but I wasn’t always sure where my art would best belong. Coming from a very religious background, tattoos were taboo, and tattooing as a career option was not on my radar. All I knew was that I loved drawing tigers and foxes over and over again, and I loved using pen and ink most of all. In college I chose to study illustration, hoping to find my niche along the way. I studied for three years before the depression and anxiety I was experiencing made school almost impossible, and I decided to drop out. I got married, went to therapy, started a family, but never stopped drawing. I later left the religion I’d belonged to since childhood, and with that came a lot of new perspectives. I could finally see tattoos as I see them now – a way to express individuality, a way to heal from past trauma, or just a way to decorate the most fundamental thing we’re all born with- our bodies. I was drawn to the humanity and connection that tattoos bring, and once I started getting tattooed I realized I wanted to share my art with people this way. I worked hard to update my portfolio and gain the apprenticeship I have today at Echelon tattoo, and I look forward to truly becoming the artist I’ve always wanted to be.
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?
Most of the obstacles I’ve had to face have been internal, and my biggest battles have been with the core beliefs I had about myself. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression since childhood, and didn’t realize I had ADHD until later in life. All I knew was that I could not focus in class unless I was doing something with my hands, and mostly that was drawing. Art has often been an outlet for me to process everything going on around me, or more honestly to distract me from the things I wasn’t quite ready to process. I’ve also done quite a bit of therapy, and I am a big advocate for good mental health and neurodivergent acceptance.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve always had a natural fascination for animals that was obvious in a lot of my drawings. And because I loved animals so much I was obsessed with Pokémon, as well as creatures from sci-fi and fantasy. In 2021 I went mildly TikTok viral for my animal combination videos, where I would spin a wheel for a randomly generated animal a few times and then try to combine those animals into a new creature. I loved the creative challenge and was surprised to find that I loved fulfilling comment requests as well. I have a lot of ideas for future projects, but one of them is an art book filled with animal hybrids, cryptids, and my favorite creatures from legend.
How do you think about luck?
I do feel lucky, but luck is such a weird concept to me. There are so many factors in life that are out of my control, but when I choose to see the lucky side I do think I am able to get out of my own way more. I don’t like toxic positivity and I definitely believe in the power of a good complaining session, but sometimes it’s good to feel lucky on purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://echelontattoo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbyruoktattoo/
