Member of the Month – Kamloops Arts Council
For the member of the month – December, we interviewed KAC member artist Chloe Carbonneau-Labrecque.
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Full Name: Chloe Carbonneau-Labrecque
Medium: Tattooing, colored pencils drawinging and oil painting
How long have you been doing your art:
I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember and I’ve been tattooing for 11 years now.
What got you originally interested in the art you do:
Meeting a tattoo artist and seeing how she was able to make an enjoyable and stable life with her art made me decide to give it a go. I moved to Sherbrooke for my tattoo apprenticeship (I come from Montreal) instead of going to university. I specialize in color realism tattoos because realism was my art style from the beginning. My colleagues at my first studio would only accept black and grey projects so I learned to do color tattoos by filling the void. I also do my own style of irezumi (Japanese tattoos) because of my passion to Japan.
What is something you have learned about yourself through your art:
I came to Kamloops 3 years ago to open my tattoo studio Momiji Tattoo. After 2 years in a private studio I realized how important it was for me to work with other people even more after moving to a new city far away from everyone I knew. Joining the tattoo artist cooperative at Oak and Aether was the best decision I made after that lesson.
What do you most enjoy about art:
Tattooing is a very social artform as I am in constant interaction with clients and colleagues. It is the perfect job for an extravert with an introvert’s hobby.
What is your favorite joke/quote:
Were you expecting to get a massage?
If you could teach everyone one art medium or method, what would it be, why:
Colors in tattoos, painting and drawing. The basic techniques to do tattoos, paintings and drawings can be taught and learnt by many. The fact that I specialize in color realism tattoos gives me a big advantage in my field because there are not that many that does it, even more in smaller cities like Kamloops. Some tattoo artists shy away from doing colors and black and grey drawings are more common then colored ones. The unforgiveness of colored pencils and the technique to mix and create colors with painting are similar to the way you make colored tattoos. One art form have aspects that helps me progress in the other.
What do you think makes art important:
Trying to copy what you can see on a piece of paper for hours seems irrelevant after the invention of the camera 200 years ago. The satisfaction of getting better at each artwork and my interest over the subject are what drives me to make art. AI will replace artists in fields where it can and a machine will eventually be able to tattoo in my stead. It will make it even harder for artists to make a living out of their passion, but that in itself is a luxury that few can enjoy. Art will continue to bring joy to those who make it, wear it, admire it and study it. It is a part of the culture, place and time in which it was created and will stay important as long as there are people who can appreciate it.
Why are you a member of the Kamloops Arts Council:
I am still new to Kamloops and would like to be part of its art community. And because I wanted to have my art exposed at the airport.
What are you looking forward to the most in this upcoming year (A special show or project you’re working on):
I have a lot of big tattoo projects (back pieces, sleeves) that have been in progress for a year or so. I’m looking forward to see the final result (and so are my clients).
Are you on social media or have a website you would like us to include/link?
https://momiji.tattoo/
Instagram: @chloetattooartist / @momijitattoo