Today we’d like to introduce you to Layla Sackett.
Hi Layla, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been an artist since I was old enough to hold a crayon. Nearly everyone in my family is creative, whether it be with art or music. I do both. Growing up there was almost always music at home, or playing guitars and singing. For fun I always liked to color/draw or write/sing and play instruments. At times I had a pretty dysfunctional home life but music and art were my escapes and emotional outlets. My interest in tattooing started at a pretty young age. My parents both have a good amount of tattoos and the idea of permanent artwork you can wear was fascinating to me. When I was around 12 years old I decided I wanted to be a tattoo artist. And one thing about me, if I decide I want something I don’t stop until I get it. As a teenager I was always drawing or painting. To the point I got in trouble at school for drawing instead of doing my work. I remember I would draw all over my body with sharpie and do “sharpie tattoos” or henna tattoos on myself and my friends. Lucky for me, it ended up working out. I started my tattoo apprenticeship at the age of 19 and haven’t looked back. It was a long way to get where I’m at now. There were times I was tattooing, working 2 other jobs, on top of being a mom as well. I’m now to the point tattooing is my main source of income, and for that I’m immensely grateful. I have been tattooing nearly 6 years now. The shop I’m currently at is Higher Love Tattoo. I’m incredibly thankful to everyone that helped me along the journey of my career and am looking forward to many years of tattooing to come! When I’m not working, I’m a mom to my beautiful daughter, who is currently 2 years old. In my spare time, I am a dancer and burlesque performer. I also have began diving back into music and am currently working on an ep album. I have many plans for my future with art and music in every aspect of my life!
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?
I think one of the hardest challenges in the tattooing industry is you really have to build from nothing. The first couple years I made very little, to no money and was working 2 other part time jobs and tattooing. It was exhausting at times but I was determined. About 3 years into my career I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I tattooed the whole pregnancy until about the last 4 weeks and man was that a challenge too. Finding a balance between work/home/being a mom and trying to also make time for friends and family nearly drove me crazy at times! But, things finally are falling into place, I’m finding that balance, and I can’t wait to see how I continue to grow, as a person and artist! And I want to again send out a huge thank you to my friends, family, and clients for making it all possible for me to have my passion as a career. I truly couldn’t have done it without every single one of them.
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?
My art is my life. Creating is my passion and what drives me forward everyday. I feel incredibly thankful for everything I have achieved so far. I’m still mind blown everyday from the support I’m receiving and people I have been able to connect with through my work. I tattoo full time while also being a mom to my beautiful 2 year old daughter, Santana. She is already just as artistic as I was at that age. At home we love to draw and paint for fun and sing and play instruments. It’s so amazing that I get to share my love for art and music with her now too. I also dance and perform burlesque which is another way I get to showcase my artwork. I hand-make my costumes, do makeup and choreograph a dance routine for every act I do. In my remaining free time I enjoy playing guitar, writing music, singing, and circus arts as I am a former circus performer as well. I enjoy doing Lyra/acrobatics and hula hooping. I also dabble in fire eating/ fire spinning. Art is in everything. I made my life into art in every way that I can. It has always came very naturally to me, even as a child I was always thriving in art and music classes. I always felt it was my destiny, and responsibility even, to create and inspire others to create. And I try to do that by living my most authentic self to its fullest capacity. Any idea I have for art or music or dance or whatever it is I make it happen. And I want to share it with others. I feel music and art is a big thing that unites people. Music and art are universal languages. People from all walks of life are brought together through these things and I feel very proud to be a part of so many different communities where I get to express myself through my art.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The tattoo industry is a rapidly growing industry, there’s been so many advances in technology and creativity. I’m excited to be a part of it and help it continue to evolve. I hope to see more women owned businesses, and plan to eventually have my own studio one day! As far as changes I expect to see, I myself hope to build a “pop up tattoo shop” where I want to convert an rv into a mobile tattoo shop. I have seen it be done already but I think there should be more of that. I want to travel more and get my work out in the world and I think that would be a really awesome way to do it and I want to see more of that kind of thing. I have been getting into the music festival scene so I would like to at some point have life on the road and travel to different festivals and get to bring my tattooing and art all with me too. I hope one day to have my music be successful enough that I too can perform at festivals.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lay.j.art?igsh=anZnZHQ1ZGxvN2Y2&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16WqH7Wodr/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@layjart?si=EsJahf7V2hwGNUKe
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/YzQkXGGrX0JnMwfG2T
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lay.j.art?_t=ZP-8wzuHj632bu&_r=1
Image Credits
Personal photo/headshot done by: JRD Designs & Photography LLC
