softprints

about the artist

grayson izekiel colbert

photo by landyn pan

bio

grayson izekiel colbert (they/them)  is a black, trans & nonbinary queer visual artist and tattoo artist currently living and working in new york city.  they are a recent BFA graduate of parsons school of design, with a major in fine arts and a minor in printmaking.

their work focuses on identity, trans bodies, queer relationships, and representation. their artistic practice has an emphasis on community-building and mutual aid for the marginalized.  their work is cross-disciplinary, and ranges from colorful digital art, to printmaking, to textile work, to tattoos. 

when they are not working or studying, you'll find them at the movie theater or binging a new TV show, cooking and baking, spending time with loved ones, sniffing out the latest vegan food spots, or engaging in local activism.

expertise

my work focuses on personal and community identity, and queer/trans life, love, and relationships.

i created my art business SOFTPRINTS in 2016, and i have been handpoke tattooing professionally since 2021.

i have many years of experience within handpoke tattooing, printmaking (screenprinting, relief, and cyanotype), mural painting, studio assisting, vending at markets, and more. 

i am always experimenting with new techniques, materials, and concepts to further establish my artistic voice. i'm always happy to work on new projects!

work with me!

have an upcoming project? i'd love to collaborate with you and create art for you! 

i'm available for personal comissions such as partners/family/pets portraits, or even tattoo deisgn commissions. i'm also happy to take on business commission work such as branding, logo design, or cover art. i also love vending and/or tattooing at markets, pop-ups and events, as well as mural work!

get in touch with me using my contact form or email softxprints@gmail.com to inquire.

artist statement

The complex intersections of marginalized identity heavily inspire my art-making process. My work functions in the same way that the melting pot of the communities that I place myself within do, separate entities living in unity. Most of my work deals with transness, the body, community, and relationships. My multimedia works employ a variety of materials and ways of working that come together into a cohesive whole for a shared common interest: forming my personal experiences, thoughts, joys, and struggles as a Black, trans, queer person into something very public. 

Some of the mediums I use include drawing, painting, sculpture, and textile work. My textile pieces incorporate drawing, text, hand-sewing, personal objects, and printmaking such as cyanotype and linocut. These pieces harp on the relationship of fabric and textile to the body through their shared vulnerability and ability to be cut and stitched, transformed, and molded into something new, much like the ways that I have changed through my physical transition. These same sentiments are brought up again in the literal permanent body alterations that I perform on members of my community as an act of love and connection. My 2D drawings and paintings exist in a world full of color, from rainbows to the trans pride flag colors. This world of color celebrates transness and queerness, embraces what makes us different, and puts marginalized bodies and experiences on a pedestal. Just as it is difficult for me to place myself within a box of specific identity labels, I choose not to confine myself to specific materials and processes. I find myself constantly exploring new ways of working and pouring newly found skills and interests into new projects. 

As a person on the margins, creating raw, honest, and open art is important for the sake of both myself as an individual, as well as my communities. With these works I aim to create a visual representation of singular moments and lapses of time within my body and lived experience.Although my work tends to be extremely personal, it is also in a way universal. Imagine showing the whole world your personal diary. Through text, imagery, and self-portraits, this is what my work is. Documenting and sharing these intimate parts of myself connects me to many other people with similar lived experiences, and allows them to see a true representation of a reflection of themselves, which is something that holds great value in a world that is built against us.


Using Format