We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Koby Griggs a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Koby, 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?
Ever since I was little I always loved to draw and create. Any time an idea pops in my head, I want to get a quick thumbnail sketch down, so I don’t loose it. There’s a sketchbook with me wherever I go. I find my creative ideas come to me when I am busy with mundane tasks. Drawing during church, restaurants, classes, and sitting in the car. I even leave a pen and paper outside the shower. I believe artist block is inevitable for every creator. And mine finally hits, when I set a scheduled time for me to be creative. Whenever I’m stuck in a bind and need to produce art, whether it’s for work or art class, this is the time that my abundance of backup sketches are helpful. My creativity flows when I’m level headed and there are no set expectations . Traveling to places that inspire me usually do the trick a well. I love hiking in nature with my dog or going to the local aquarium to do life drawing.
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?
My Name is Koby Griggs and I grew up in Lubbock, Texas. My mom is an high school art teacher and one of the main reasons I fell in love with drawing. Seeing the end result in an art piece is always very rewarding to me. The majority of my artwork usually include a fantasy element. Whether its morphed together animals, or animated skeletons. I always want to add something unique to my pieces. When I got into high school I started placing high in art competitions. I attended Carnegie Hall in New York for the National Scholastics Art and Writing Competition after winning a Silver Key. After High school I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design In Atlanta, Georgia where I Majored in Illustration. A few months later, I got a job as a Background Artist at Floyd County Production’s where I worked on the animated Television series Archer. This career was very rewarding because it constantly threw new challenging backgrounds at me to work on. After working there for two years, I was promoted to a Senior Background artist until the series ended in 2023 with its 14th season. After the Writers and Actors strike hit, there was a shortage of available jobs for artists in the animation industry. At this time I tried to keep myself busy by learning new skills and staying optimistic. One day I came across B. Driven Tattoo Shop in Old Town Conyers, GA. I showed the owner my portfolio and he was gracious enough to take me in as a tattoo apprentice. I found being a tattoo artist is a wonderful fit for me because it allows me to be surrounded by talented artist in a creative environment. Im proud to say that I have recently started taking in clients to be tattooed.
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?
Determination, self care, and being personable are three qualities that got me to where I am today. Setting goals and being driven to make those goals a reality is a mindset that helps me greatly. Whether its practicing with a tattoo machine or sketching out new design ideas, each push puts me one step closer to my goal of being a successful tattoo artist. Self care is extremely important to me. Even though I’d like to be some times, I am not a machine. Im only human, and I do have moments of anxiety and doubt. Its essential to give yourself a break sometimes and treat yourself with the respect you would treat others with. Being personable is also another great skill to have. This quality did not come naturally to me for sure. I was and still am a very introverted and awkward individual. However I find putting myself in another persons shoes makes it easier for me to communicate and form a trusting relationship with others.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My mom, Stacy ZumMallen, is one of the most influential people in my life. Not only is she a strong female role model to look up to, but she also supports my dream of being a successful artist. It does not matter to her that I work for an animation studio, or work as a tattoo artist, just that I am happy and doing what I love.
Whether it’s just listening to each other talk about our day, or helping me set up an art gallery show in my home town; my mom’s love and support definitely gives me the confidence and positive mindset that I need to succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: kobygriggsart.com
- Instagram: @ko5by @ko5by_tattoo
- Facebook: Koby Griggs Illustration
- Linkedin: Koby Griggs
