Meet Marisa Lee

We recently connected with Marisa Lee and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Marisa, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

You literally have to catch yourself doing it every time. Imposter syndrome is your mind playing tricks on you. It may never go away, but you learn to handle it when you notice it. Your past self probably never was creative enough to see this new self you have become without imposter syndrome. When you create work you are proud of there’s no room for imposter syndrome. If you’re not making work that you’re proud of, then you have to keep on creating. Keep creating and see the pattern in your work that feels like home.You’ll feel safe.You’ve created a safe place where your authentic self can come out. The imposter is gone.That’s why it’s good to focus on projects. What passion of yours can you document your journey? So you can remember the steps you’ve taken. The decisions you have made. Seeing what triggers you where the imposter gets in the way. You need to be aware, that’s the first step.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am an illustrative tattoo artist. Currently I am tattooing at markets once a month and booking appointments for custom and flash work. All of my flash is available to see at marisalee.com and there you can see my illustration style to accommodate your tattoo idea. If you have a tattoo you need to cover up, I can create a custom tattoo for you to help you cover up your tattoo. I am most excited how drawing everyday leads me to expressing emotions that others can relate to or make up their own story to process something in your own life. Every week I drop new flash sheets which you can see at marisalee.com and a new color I will be offering is red outside of my blackwork.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Be proactive.
2. Repeat yourself.
3. Know your goals.

These tips are based on marketing yourself as an artist and building your style, your aesthetic you will be known for. Be repetitive. Keep doing the same thing over and over again. For example, I always hated drawing shadows so I use patterns or distort the drawing in some way by making it more 2 dimensional and cute. I play off of these things when looking at reference images. Instead of getting stuck when I go out and draw things that I see in the real world, I get excited and see how I can shape it so it fits into my world of illustration. When you keep repeating a certain way that you draw, you’ll see the smallest quirks you do and slowly incorporate new design details. Even once you get tired of drawing the same way, then you can treat yourself to experimenting and it will feel so satisfying to push yourself in a different way. You’ll be aware that you are trying something new, see what brings you excitement and run with it. The great thing is that once you’re done experimenting for that drawing session, you have your style to come back to and keep drawing with.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

A book that I recommend is the Creative Act by Rick Rubin. This book helped me accept characteristics about myself that I thought were hindrances. It brought a new creative light to feel empowered about personal traits I was confused about or questioned why I felt a certain way. The following are a couple quotes that I hope you can resonate with:

“The best artists tend to be the ones with the most sensitive antennae to draw in the energy resonating at a particular moment.” – pg.7

“In nature, some seeds lie dormant in anticipation of the season most conducive to their growth.” – pg. 132

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Image Credits

Marisa Lee Photo

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