An Inspired Chat with Ludo Smolic of Tucson

We recently had the chance to connect with Ludo Smolic and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Ludo, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
After I get up and do the essentials like brushing my teeth and all the other stuff, I take care of my lovely animals of all shapes and sizes. I have two little old lady cats that get medication and special food, and then I mist down my tarantulas, scorpions and centipede. After that I have my parrot and my dog to feed and take care of and plenty of snakes to check on. I find it therapeutic to take care of all of them first thing when I get up. It grounds me for the rest of my day and I get to see all of these wonderful, beautiful animals every day. After that, its breakfast and then getting onto whatever I’m working on that day!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Ludo, a lesbian artist born and raised in Tucson. I do traditional inkwork of all things macabre and grotesque. I love drawing monsters, the human form and religious themes. I’ve struggled with mental illness, trauma and physical disability most of my life and I draw my art from a deeply personal place that I’ve used to cope since I was a child. I think horror is a powerful medium for all kinds of expression and emotion, a vessel to get fears and pain out while coming to peace with things. I hope my art resonates with others in their own way.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
I’ve had a tight knit friend group for nearly 16 years and all of them have had their own way of shaping me into who I am today. They’ve stood with my since I was a child struggling with situations no child should have to go through and they kept me sane every day and taught me that I could actually be strong and not be afraid to be who I am, and pursue who I want to be. I wouldn’t be who I am without them and their endless kindness and support gave me the foundation to learn what I want from life.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Starting at the age of 20 I started having physical health problems as I was slowly losing mobility, began using a cane full time and was nearly paralyzed by the time I was 25. I found out I had a tumor growing on my spine. I had spent all those years not knowing what was wrong with me, seeing specialists that pointed me in the wrong directions and never getting a correct diagnosis. By the time I found a doctor who listened to me I was about ready to give up and accept that I would be severely disabled for the rest of my life. Luckily, I’ve since had surgery and I’m doing much better. I don’t have to use a cane most of the time and I’m able to live a mostly normal life. The experience changed me for the better, no matter how painful it was at the time and how unfair it was to lose a lot of my early 20’s, it gave me an appreciation for what I have that I didn’t have before.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I think so, yeah! I have no reason to be anything except who I am anymore. I struggled with my identity for a long time that I wouldn’t let all that personal work go to waste hiding who I am. I don’t have any shame about myself and I love sharing who I am and my experiences with other people. I show my art to the public and bare who I am authentically without worrying what others think even if it’s a vulnerable piece of myself.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I would be doing my art to the fullest even if there was no one else in the world to look at it. At its core I like doing art for myself and couldn’t imagine a world that isn’t surrounded and shaped by art (both mine and others!). I try to be self satisfying in everything I do, to be proud of myself in any small way I can be. I have works that no one else will ever see, and I’m happy with having only myself to please with it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thesnakebitchart.com
• Instagram: @theesnakebitch
• Twitter: @theesnakebitch
• Other: I also have an Etsy if it’s okay to add that! If not, totally cool. https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSnakeBitchArt