My name is, Olyvia Villarreal. I am a 25-year-old queer Latine artist born, raised, and living in Milwaukee, WI with my lovely partner and dog. I’m proud to share roots with my family who come from the Hannaville Potawatomi reservation and Zacatecas, Mexico.
How did I get started?
I’ve always been creative thanks to my dad drawing from time to time and spending time with my grandmother making things with beads and leather. As I got older I grew a strong interest in tattoos and would eventually start teaching myself how to handpoke in, March of 2018. I have since learned a lot from other artists in the tattoo community and would consider myself a DIY/community-taught artist.
Where does my inspiration come from?
My art style has a heavy vaquero feel due to the adoration and spiritual pull I feel for the western region of Turtle Island. Other inspiration comes from daydreams, feelings, travels, and my culture. I just enjoy the creative process and being able to make things that will look pretty or cool adorning someone’s skin.
Why hand poke?
I began hand poking due to its accessibility but I've grown a closeness to the proximity of pre-colonial tattooing by sticking with a machine-less practice. I believe hand poke offers a more gentle and intimate experience which hopefully allows the process to feel less transactional. I appreciate that there’s less stimulation in hopes of allowing folks to not focus solely on the pain but on the experience altogether. Of course, the organic and handmade look this method offers is something I admire most.
Do you create other forms of art?
I enjoy putting flash or other designs on fabric with paint/markers or making prints. I've been enjoying the process of making beaded earrings and necklaces lately, with the addition of clay and having to paint on a tiny scale. I like mediums that don't require too much finesse or technical skill, I just want to have fun and be creative.
