Talia Migliaccio is a rebel, fueled by a passion for pushing boundaries in pursuit of a new world, where creation is king...or, better yet, queen. Though her roots lie in Denver, Colorado, she seeks nature in her travels, working to facilitate harmony between the earth and humanity. Versed in many artistic mediums, her unique practice of tattoo poking speaks for itself as she uses ink to draw together body and spirit. At 21, this old soul knows herself, and it shows.
1. What inspires your art and creations?
The heart of my inspiration was birthed from a place of mystery - an exploration of the void - a deep love for all taboo. I am continually inspired by the world surrounding us, both seen and unseen - the macrocosm and microcosm - the as above and so below. I am constantly taking note of patterns throughout my daily experiences - listening to everything around me as though it is my direct dialogue with universal forces - from license plates to lyrics. I am fascinated with the interconnectivity of every motion - every step - the layout and design of our home planet. My fuel is truly rooted in a place of shifting consciousness through creation - in a playful manner - to show that it is possible to live differently - to think differently - that the dream is so real and so alive. But then this all breaks down into smaller patterns, for example, what inspires my tattoo practice vs. what inspires my video work, my sculptures, my photos, etc. I do believe that no matter the medium or lineage of inspiration it all continues to inform itself in a neural network-like fashion.
2. At what age did you begin doing tattoo work?
I began tattooing in March of 2013, which would have made me 18.
3. In what ways do you connect your art with your consciousness?
My creative output is a direct reflection of my consciousness, and perhaps I can even say that in some ways it is a direct reflection of the collective consciousness.
4. Would you like to expand more on your "Flood Book" and what that is and means to you?
Ah... that term came from a post of writing about my sketchbook practice. I chose to call it a flood book because I felt it better encompassed the energy these books symbolize for me. Since 2007 or so I have very consistently kept a sketchbook, or flood book, rather - I do my best to make daily entries, but sometimes within the flux of life that gets thrown off. They are a place that I truly feel able to flood my mind onto paper - nothing to hold me back or to guide me in any one direction. They hold drawings - paintings - writing - a true release and exploration of imagination.
5. I saw on your website that you use many different mediums of art for expression. What are all of the forms you use?
I have gotten my hands into just about any and every medium that has been available to me. Drawing, painting, ceramic, beading, metalwork, video, photo, and tattoo are all ones I have pretty thoroughly explored. Tattoo and drawing are what I am most fluent in recently. I have a longing to dive back into exploring form and the creation of spaces through multidisciplinary processes, though.
6. How long have you been doing pottery work?
Ceramic has been coming in and out of my life since 2006 or so. I began by taking wheel throwing classes at a studio in Denver, which was shortly followed by my 6-year attendance at Denver School of the Arts. In those 6 years, I worked with it on and off - it has always felt like one of the most instinctually and natural mediums of use to me. Last year I reentered my relationship with it in an entirely new way and am very eager to continue that facet of work.
7. What do you do to stay grounded?
Hmm, staying grounded… that term can have so many translations and meanings. I listen to a lot of hip-hop and dance to a lot of hip-hop, and I had a realization recently that it is hugely grounding for me - I also find it very motivating, and it ignites a lot of movement in my heart, mind, and body. Spending time alone and in silence is also deeply important for me - it allows me to listen and access my dialogue with the realms of imagination.
8. What are some of your favorite products, and why?
So glad you asked this! I’m very passionate about conscious consumerism and holistic products. My rule of thumb in terms of what goes in and on my body is that I first and foremost read the ingredients, which is one of the most informative practices that I have picked up. In terms of self-care and beauty products, if they contain something that I wouldn’t feel comfortable eating, something synthetic, or something chemical-related, consider me uninterested. I also lean towards only using products that are handmade in small batches or by small companies, and even better if they are made by someone I know! This is from the standpoint of living out morals - if my mission is to work on shifting how we live on this planet to a more harmonious negotiation, then I feel it is simply ethical to live out this mission through every single choice I make. The toothpaste I use has been one of my greatest everyday life improvements - I swear by it as though it is a daily religious experience - it’s made by a small company based in Washington called "Uncle Harry’s", and is clay based - it’s very affordable and has amazing simple ingredients. Everything I have used from Uncle Harry’s company has been amazing - I definitely highly recommend them! In terms of body moisturizing, I am all for oils - a few that I have been using most recently and absolutely love are La Tierra Sagrada’s jojoba oil, rose body balm by Il Curator, Living Libation’s breast massage oil, and Medicine Mama’s Bee Magic. I have also been working a lot with rosemary, rose, and vetiver essential oils.
9. What are your favorite food choices and why?
My morals with food are very similar to my product morals - read the ingredients - look into where it is coming from - who my money is supporting - was the growing and harvesting of it humane or ethical in regards to a harmonious life on this planet. I aim to get my food from farmers markets, small locally-owned natural food stores, and co-ops, as opposed to large corporate operations. I am working on growing more of my own food, also, now that I have space and availability too! I would love to reach a point where I am eating food primarily grown by myself or my surrounding community. In terms of foods I love - I am always a sucker for strawberries, especially since a good ethical organic strawberry is so hard to come by these days - or at least, it was until I moved to the LA area. Avocados, spinach, sunflower seed butter, homemade ferments, arugula, sourdough, root vegetables, and local raw honey are all some of my deep loves in the food world, and although black pepper is more in the spice realm I cannot deny my love for it.
10. What’s next for Talia in 2016? Any new projects we should be looking for?
Well Talia just moved to Topanga in February - so that in itself feels like a massive project. Somehow in the heavenly alignments, my partner, Harrison, and I were able to move onto our friends property - we have a sweet little piece of land, a one bedroom house, and a studio, including a well-lit loft. Between coming off of 6 months of travel, setting up home, working with the land, and tattooing I have had my work cut out for me. So I’m sure as the dust begins to settle new projects will arise - for now I have a handful of small collaborations that are in process, one of which being teaming up with my dear friend Baelyn, who holds beautiful and deep tea ceremonies - we have very recently started to offer individualized tea & tattoo ceremonies for transformation and are planning to expand and extend that in some directions that I’m very excited about. Having a studio is also a huge opening for me, as I have not really had a studio for the last 3 years - I am going to dive back in to exploring imagination through ways in which I used to work, and through many different mediums.
Learn more about Talia by visiting her website TaliaMigliaccio.com, and connect with her on her Instagram and Facebook page.