We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alyssa Williams. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alyssa below.
Hi Alyssa , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I was bullied as a kid up into high school, I was socially awkward and one of those quiet “weird” art kids. Being bullied made me grow a thicker skin and learn to not care so much about what other people said or thought, as it most likely stems from their own personal insecurities and I was a good outlet for them. I was very timid and shy for a long time and one day I realized life is about mindset. You can’t walk around being bothered by everything, it’s a waste of time and energy. You can choose to be happy.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve made and have loved art since I can remember. About a year ago I was in a really dark spot, I had always wanted to attempt to get an apprenticeship, but insecurities stopped me from trying for a long time. I realized I had to crawl out of that dark pit and just go for it, I’d rather try and fail at doing something I’ve always dreamed about than not trying at all. I didn’t want to dread about “what if” for the rest of my life. I’m now a tattoo apprentice at Triple Crown Tattoo in Bremerton WA. My shop has 12 artists and I couldn’t have asked for a better shop, my mentors are all so unique and insanely talented. Being around people who were once in my position made me realize I can be like them one day. It’s a lifestyle with process. I can grow as an artist and be the best version of myself. I look up to them a lot and I don’t think they’ll ever know how much they mean to me. The shop dynamic is kind of family-like. I’m just the little sister and I’m so blessed to be accepted, seen and motivated to express myself through art.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’d say the ability to have discipline with your art, physical health, and mental health are the most important skills that will impact your life. Discipline with your art and working through droughts of creativity will make your art better overall. It’s okay to make things you don’t like or want to share, it’s the practice. Physically you have to take care of yourself and realize drugs and rotting in a room will physically and mentally destroy you, love yourself. Keep your vessel healthy, you only got one. There’s gonna be a lot of mental health issues throughout your artistic journey, being an artists is mentally draining. I get imposter syndrome a lot at my shop. I think the most important thing is to realize you’re young and you can’t get where you want to be if you expect to be the best at what you do so early on. You need years of experience in your field to deserve that feeling. Satisfaction is never the goal, your journey shouldn’t be comfortable. Life is uncomfortable and so is growing up, but being able to grow through that as a young adult is beautiful and a part of the journey we all have to go through.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My friends have been the most influential people on me in my teen years. My close friends started a punk band they named “sailing camp” in our freshmen year of High school. Being introduced to the punk scene at 15 opened up my mind. I was an outcast with no friends, but had met a group of people who shared my creativity and love for music and art. They saved me. I got over a lot of my social anxiety and insecurities during those years. Punk music sparked a light in me, and it was just a chain reaction to who I’ve ended up as. I’m so thankful for all the talented people and different forms of art I was exposed to. I think it’s important for people to have community, scenes do that. I wouldn’t have had the gull to peruse my tattoo career if I had not met my friends and indulged in the local punk scene as a kid.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: livdeadgrl
- Facebook: Alyssa Williams
Image Credits
Picture of me – Mayson Honek Instagram: maysonhphotography
