Meet Calli Loskill

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Calli Loskill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Calli, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I find creativity to be like nature, it’s something that grows and can be tended to. Life experiences are the dirt, sunshine and rain fueling the growth of inspiration. I feel inspiration is found in meaningful connections made from experiencing life with the intent to express or solve. I keep creativity alive by finding new ways, sometimes challenging myself to find every way I can, to use the inspiration like finding multiple uses for an herb in the garden. I find understanding the limitations of the medium, materials or project’s purpose is key to truly strengthening creative skills.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m the first woman to own a tattoo studio and the first woman licensed as a professional tattoo artist in Jefferson City, Missouri. I focus on tattooing my own original art and concepts. My art reflects my passion for the existential, the human condition, the natural world and the many different ways they relate. I think tattooing is a special and exciting art because it is inherently expressive of the human condition. In addition to my original art and tattoos, I also tattoo cosmetic and reconstructive tattoos for patients of cancer or body modification surgeries. Whether my original art speaks to someone or I’m trusted with a personal commission, I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect through art and tattoos.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The first skill that I feel is monumentally impactful is communication. This skill is always being tested and improved. Communication skills apply to everything: business discussions, policy explanations, elements of art, principles of design, tattoos as a medium, limitations, boundaries, emotional conversations, personal subjects and the friendly, hopefully pleasant chat that may be the best distraction for a client in pain. The second area of knowledge I’d recommend considering is the continued development of personal art. This contributes to inspiration for professional art and encourages creativity. The third piece of advice, especially for anyone starting out, is to remain aware that we are all human. The human quality of tattooing is the most revered aspect of the art form. Much of my policies, including my lifetime guarantee, exists because I’m aware that I and my clients are humans with lives to live. This awareness helps me to have patience, be understanding and handle any situation with care.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

I know in a competitive world where we’re given grades and put into classes the question of strength and weakness is inevitably asked. I find it’s better to concentrate on what I’m interested in or even passionate about than to invest effort into what I, or others, believe are my strengths. When I focus on what I love, I know regardless of my skill level that I will develop whatever weaknesses into strengths by dedicating myself and my time to something I enjoy. When I was in elementary school I thought I couldn’t be good at art because I had a best a friend that was. I thought she’s better than me so I shouldn’t try. Those thoughts of weakness weren’t stronger than my love of art and to this day I spend my life pursuing that love. I believe love is the strength to focus on because it will be able to overcome any weakness or obstacle.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Perspectives on Being an Optimist

We’re often asked if we’ve seen a pattern of success among the many thousands of

Leadership Development
Mastering Communication: Stories & Lessons

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.”

Productivity
Perspectives on Staying Creative

We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists,