Daily Inspiration: Meet Lydia Rose

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lydia Rose

Hi Lydia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hello Nashville Voyager, my name is Lydia Rose. I am a 22 year old multimedia artist & tattoo apprentice who lives and works in the lovely city of Nashville, Tennessee.

I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and grew up along the forested shores of the beautiful Columbia river. I have had a lifelong love and passion for the arts; and following this passion as I grew led me to attend Portland State University’s school of art and design, where I majored in art practice. Tattooing is my primary medium, but I also enjoy ceramics, screen printing, painting, drawing, textiles, as well as many other art mediums.

While attending classes at PSU, I moved in with my older sister Emily, who has always been my biggest role model and support system. She is an incredibly talented fine line tattoo artist, and at the time I moved in with her, she was tattooing out of a private garden studio called Reclamation Ink.
It was during this time that I lived with Emily in Portland that I realized my interest in tattooing. Seeing how she was approaching the craft in such a uniquely creative way was hugely inspiring for me. She encouraged me to pursue being a tattoo artist alongside her, and offered me so much love and support as I began my career path.

That year, I attended an Oregon tattoo school, and graduated with my Oregon tattoo license in January of 2024. Afterwards, I joined Emily in her studio as a licensed tattoo artist. We worked together for half a year, and I learned and grew so much from working alongside her.

In May of 2024, our studio and housing lease ended. Emily and I had some friends who were road tripping from Oregon to Tennessee at the same time that our lease ended; and although neither my sister nor I had ever been to Tennessee before, we took a chance and decided to accompany them in hopes of seeking out a better life for our family. We sold everything we had, packed our bags, and loaded into my sister’s Honda to head South East for over two thousand miles.

Traveling by car, we tent camped across the United States for a week; kids, pets, and all. It was an incredibly challenging, yet incredibly beautiful journey; and I will hold the memory in my heart forever. We saw the Oregon coast, the Northern lights, the Grand Tetons, the painted hills, and herds and herds of buffalo. We survived intense wind storms, a cougar prowling outside of our tents, and a car breakdown. We arrived in Nashville towards the end of May, just as the Cicadas were emerging and the summer heat was beginning.

The first few months following our arrival were very challenging. It felt strange and scary to be so far from home, in a new land that we did not know or understand. None of us were quite sure how or where to begin the task of rebuilding our lives. We found strength and support in each other however, and by August we had found both housing & job opportunities. My sister Emily reopened Reclamation Ink in Gallatin, and I began an apprenticeship at Fine Line Cosmetics and Tattoos, located near downtown Nashville.

I am now apprenticing under So Yeon, an incredibly talented & experienced fine line tattoo artist who specializes in watercolor & realism tattoos. She is a very inspiring artist, and an amazing mentor. I feel beyond grateful to be learning from her, and to be working in her studio alongside a team of such talented and hardworking artists.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I definitely would not say that it has been a smooth road. It has taken me a lot of hard work to get to where I am today in my career and art practice.

I come from an unsupportive community & family, who discouraged me from being myself. As a result, I was an incredibly shy and quiet child, and I struggled to find the courage to express myself. What first drew me to the arts was its ability to pull me out of my shell. As a little girl, drawing was my main outlet for expression- through making art, I was able to find myself and my voice.

In high school I worked hard on my drawings and grades, so that I could qualify for the scholarships and grants I needed to be able to afford art school. I worked hard to improve my drawing portfolio during my time spent at Portland State, and I pushed myself to explore many different mediums I never thought that I would learn.

Since beginning on my career path in tattoo, tattooing has been an incredibly challenging and high stakes medium to learn- it is unlike any other medium that I’ve ever practiced before. There are so many factors involved in putting permanent art onto someones body; From drawing the tattoo designs, to learning the technical side of things, to learning how to hold a collaborative & safe space for clients. I am constantly met with new challenges presented by this medium, and I am constantly learning and growing from it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a first year tattoo apprentice specializing in illustrative fine line tattoos. I enjoy tattooing bugs, botanicals, classic children’s illustrations, and anything else cute and illustrative in style.

I am most proud when I create a tattoo that my client loves- being trusted to bring someone’s tattoo vision to life is a huge honor, and nothing feels better than the feeling I get after completing a tattoo that my client and I both love.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The Covid-19 crisis started my senior year of high school. My world has changed so much since then in ways I wouldn’t have ever imagined possible four years ago.

The first few years of the pandemic felt very isolating. I live with loved ones who are immunocompromised, so for the last few years I’ve kept my social circles very small to decrease my covid risk factor. While this has felt very isolating, it’s given me the time and space to discover a lot about myself as an individual and as an artist.

I sometimes wonder who I’d be had the Covid-19 crisis never happened; and although I’ll never know the answer to that question, I do think that I’ve changed a lot for the better these last few years because of the challenges that the pandemic has presented me with.

Pricing:

• Flash designs typically range in price between $50 – $150
• For custom designs my minimum is $100

Contact Info:

• Instagram: lydia.rose.ink
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Personal photo credit: Mackenzie Chillasta @boyandbloom_

Other headshots credit: So Yeon @tattooartist_soyeon