Below the Surface, A Small Step into an Artists Life

     I figured my first post should be a little bit of backstory on myself, where I came from and why I am an Artist. I will say that is a very odd approach for me as I'm used to taking a step back for my work to stand on it's own rather than being a part of it. Over the last few months I realized that I am a part of it as it is a piece of me, my mind, my soul and my ever living being.

    As you may know my name is Rebecca Enola Lynn Valentine, but you can call me Bec for short. I'm a 21 year old Artist residing in Daytona Beach, Florida constantly pursuing my career of Tattooing and being an Independent Artist. At quick glance people notice I'm very young to be living such a dream life for myself but it has come with an immense amount of work. The hard work doesn't only confine to actual work towards my career and art, but work within my core self as well. Over the last two years I have done more work than ever on finding my center, my pull, my connection to the Universe and putting that into loving myself and into my creative process. 

My Journal
 A collective of Songs, Poems, and Feelings 
A Piece of Finding my Inner Peace

    I come from quite an interesting family that has definitely been a huge impact on who I am as a whole, yet I don't let anything confine me from the growth that I desire and deserve. You'll hear many things about my family throughout my writing so I won't go in depth on everyone there is just yet! Growing up I was an Air Force Brat; not much emphasis on Brat but that seems to be the term for kids that grew up in Military Families. My Father was high up in his career field, a well respected member of the community, but was often deployed due to his career field being so small. Since he wasn't home too often I was mostly around my Paternal Grandparents in my early years of life. My Grandfather was my best friend, and my Grandma was quite the spark plug of a lady, and I cherish them dearly. 

     My Grandma taught my Sister and I how to sew, took us to art classes and really pushed our artistic abilities at a young age. I'll never forget the first art class I got to be a part of, I was roughly 6 or 7 years old and every Tuesday in the Summer my Grandma would take my Sister and I to Hobby Lobby. In this small back corner room of Hobby Lobby there was classes taught by a Professional Watercolor Painter, the first look for me to see art as a real career rather than a hobby. I remember that we we're the only kids in the class, every one else was easily in their 50s or older. The teacher was not exactly thrilled with two little kids coming into class and tried to specify to my Grandma that this was a class for Adults who wanted to better there art skills and not particularly for beginners or children. Spark Plug, like I said; my Grandma told him there was no age restrictions according to Hobby Lobby and that we would partake in all aspects of the class with respect and not be disruptive. So we did, every Tuesday we would go to class, learn the steps and techniques and make a work of art, then be a part of the critique. Let me just say, they did not hold back on the critique, and looking back I'm glad they didn't. It was something that made me cry at the time because I just wanted them to like my work for what it was, but they gave me tips, tricks, techniques and collectively pushed me to become a better artist.

    From that age on it was pretty blatantly obvious that art was going to be a huge aspect of my life. Around the age of 9 I had decided that Art would become my career. I wanted to be an Animator and work for Disney or Pixar, be a part of making the magic that was loved by millions around the world. I put all my passion and dedication into art, I won a National Art Competition, I made paintings and drawings and really put my all into it. My passion, my purpose, it was all there, right up until it wasn't. When I had moved again, this time from Germany to Florida around the age of 12, I just lost all my passion for art. I became one of those edgy pre teens that was too cool for anything. I was much younger than everyone in my Grade because I had been moved ahead a grade, so I was doing my best to be noticed by my peers. In that I lost a lot of myself and my passion. I still did the occasional painting or drawing but mostly my supplies sat stagnant in a corner. 

    After a year of living in the Panhandle of Florida I moved back to what I consider home; St. Louis. I moved in with my Mom, Stepdad and Sister. I loved living back at home, I had great friends, I felt so much more like me again. I was going strong on my "Scene" phase with brightly colored hair that was teased outrageously, all black clothes and blaring heavy metal in my earbuds all day everyday. I did art more during this time, but not by much. I was infatuated with my first real boyfriend and the life of being in High School. I still wanted to become an Animator but I wasn't putting any work or thought into actually making it a thing. My progress as an artist was very stagnant, and the works I did make were very moody and weird. I only stayed living in St. Louis for a year before I moved back to my Fathers house. This time still in Florida but now the other Coast. A place I didn't think I'd stay very long but have been here longer than anywhere I've ever lived!

Going to Busch Stadium for the Cardinals game was a staple of growing up in St. Louis

    I started getting back into my passion for art because I decided to spend most of my time alone. I had lived in Florida before and I hadn't done well at fitting in, so when I moved back I chose to not even try. I would just be me and if people liked me that was cool but I didn't care. I wanted to be alone, focus on what I wanted to do because it was Sophomore year, I had to prepare for the years coming. That's when a college advisor visited my Art Class to speak to us about their school, and offer a Summer Program that was a week to try out different courses and live as a college student for a short period of time. This invigorated me greatly, I was completely obsessed with the idea of going to this College program, and then going to this college for my 4 year Animation degree. It was a little school known as the Savannah College of Art and Design or SCAD for short. I attended the Summer Program and met some of the coolest people I have ever met; A fashion designer, a Painter; a Chaotic Theatre Girl and so many more people. It was the first time I had felt like I had completely been able to be myself and fit in with people. Finally, people like me. So I chose to go to College there, for the last couple years of High School I dedicated everything I had to art. I did Cermaics, Paintings, Drawings, everything I could to better myself as an Artist. I got my first Digital Art Tablet and began drawing in Photoshop and working on Graphic Design skills. I was finally living my purpose as an artist.

SCAD Summer Program Group

    I started College in the Fall of 2018, at the age of 17 I had began my Animation degree. I very quickly realized I didn't like the computer modeling aspect of Animation and wanted to do something that was more pre-production. Storyboarding and Character design; that was it. I switched my Major it Illustration for Animation with Minors in Character Design, Creative Writing, Animation, and Storyboarding. I had a full schedule and I was determined. I was only determined with the support of who I thought was the love of my life ( I was 17, okay bad decisions were made!) , but quickly he couldn't stand the distance between us and I had to choose. A career or a boy. Bad decisions were made, and I dropped out of College. I thought I could go home, I was only 17 and I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life anymore. I thought Tattooing was a great career choice as it was something I had always been interested in, but when I came home life fell a part quickly. If I wasn't in school I wasn't allowed to live at home, instead I moved in with my Boyfriend, couch hopping quickly became my life. I worked a minimum wage retail job making barely $400 a month, and doing art when I could. I still wanted to succeed in art but it didn't seem viable or doable anymore. I was lost, confused and didn't know where to go forward. After moving 4 or 5 times I ended up in a relatively stable house. Living with two of our friends, and having moved into Screen printing for a job; I was doing okay. It wasn't the dream life I had envisioned but I was willing to settle until I figured out how to go after Tattooing. I was working on a massive portfolio to take to shops and show them my work in hopes of getting an apprenticeship.  

    I wanted a Tattoo Apprenticeship so badly, I knew I could get one. I knew I had to, I wanted it, I would give my all to be able to do it. Before I knew it; the opportunity landed in my lap. I had gone and got my nose pierced at a shop and a few days later the owner reached out to me. He has seen my artwork before, and wanted to see if I'd be interested in an Apprenticeship. It finally happened, my chance, the opportunity I had been dreaming of finally just presented itself. I jumped at the opportunity, and for better or worse it worked. I stayed working with my Mentor and at the shop for just shy of 3 years, up until last month I was still there. I had wanted to stay there as long as possible, prove my dedication and loyalty to my mentor, but after too many things had built up staying was hurting my mental health. I chose to leave the shop and move farther away. Starting over, but starting over for growth.

Tattooing at my Original Shop

 

    Now I'm here, writing this. Starting this blog, starting these new experiences. Working at a new shop, living in a new city, working towards dreams I had thought I had long given up. I realized that these things aren't only my dreams; they're my plans. They are what I was made for, I have a purpose that the Universe has led me towards. It has given me the opportunities and for far too long I was blinded by my own doubts to ever take them. Now I'm taking the dive, throwing myself straight into the deep end of something new because I'm going to create something beautiful. A colorful kaleidoscope of a life, made to inspire and give passion to others. I'm here to do something grand, and I know I can achieve that.