Today we’d like to introduce you to L. Bug.
Hi L., it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
My driving force has always been the joy I receive from making art. I’ve always been an artist. As a kid, I spent a lot of time making art in various forms, expressing myself through fashion and dancing, and coming up with little ditties I would sing around the house. After high school, I took a more practical approach and started hair school to have a career I enjoyed and utilized as a financial safety net while pursuing my true passion, art, and expression. I’ve been a barber since 2014, building my brand under my handle @clipofftheoldlock on Instagram. The punny name pays homage to my aunt and my grandmother, who are both hairstylists as well. I’m a chip off the old block, encouraging you to clip off the old lock. I’m currently showcasing and selling my art at The PSV Store and other handmade goodies like jewelry, greeting cards, and household accessories made primarily from vintage Life and Playboy magazines. I’m also organizing events at The PSV Store. I just hosted a Lesbian Speed Dating event, and next on the agenda is a School Supply Drive/Family Dance Party.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The main struggle I think many artists face is how to work past our daily struggles so we can make more art and make it a profitable stream of income as well. Having the security of consistent, dependable income is important and hard to step away from to make more room and time for being an artist. Learning how to make money by making art is something I’ll always have room to learn more about—having a day job and balancing art as a side hustle while trying to make art the main hustle has been my biggest struggle. The road seems to smooth out the more I learn to go with the flow.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I paint, draw, make multi-media and 3D art, write poetry, sing, and dance. In my art, you’ll see a lot of feminine imagery. Many of my pieces exhibit how I perceived my world growing up as a young woman in America and my evolving perspective as a 28-year-old woman. Regarding my musical endeavors, I have one song on Spotify that I made with my friend F.S. Chxll. It’s called Speaking Sweetly by L. Bug and F.S. Chxll. I have more music on the way. I would describe my musical style as ethereal jazzy hip hop. As far as dancing goes, I have been enjoying dancing at local hip-hop shows just for fun and am currently planning a freestyle dance class catering to people who feel like they can’t dance but want to get out of their heads and onto the dance floor and vibe out at shows.
Nashville has too many good musicians and artists for people to be shy dancers! I’m most proud of my perseverance. A lot of the time, it feels like you have no idea what to do next, so you have to make something up or try something new to keep the momentum going. That said, taking time for mental health and clarity should also be a top priority. I need to balance staying busy and taking well-deserved breaks, so I also try to do that. I’m proud of where I am mental as a result. I think I’m set apart just enough for people to notice my art and familiar enough for people to see their truth in my art. I believe people are drawn to what feels familiar and what allows them to see from a different perspective. Your truth can be so enlightening. I like to help people get to know their truth. I think my art can be a vessel for that. If you identify with it/me, that means something. So maybe what sets me apart is that I can show you something familiar in an unfamiliar way.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I would say that I’ve had the most luck going out to art shows, concerts, poetry slams, and starting conversations with creatives whose art spoke to me specifically. I’ve made some of my best friends this way. If you connect with someone’s art naturally, you will probably vibe with them as a person too. The goal is to make genuine friendships so you can make art with your friends and the whole community can come up. No one will motivate you and inspire you, like seeing your friends winning around you and having their support during your wins.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://instagram.com/clipofftheoldlock?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Instagram: @poetic.swayoflife
- SoundCloud: https://open.spotify.com/track/1dmeQEecHuT2EqhZfg774T?si=ORuc24q0TRCxxj7Vh1cFOw
- Other: https://instagram.com/pinbackpinup?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Image Credits
BeShootin ⭐️🧠
