Meet the Artist: Stabbylx

Artist: Stabbylx - Charlotte, North Carolina

Before Alex—better known as Stabbylx—became a tattoo artist, she thought her creative path might lead her into an art classroom.

She had spent years working with kids and considered becoming an art teacher, but eventually started thinking about something much more personal: how getting tattooed had always made her feel better and more confident in her own body.

That idea led to experimenting with designs, practicing on fake skin, and eventually landing an apprenticeship.

She fell in love with tattooing almost immediately.

Today, Alex creates anime, video game, and pop-culture tattoos in Charlotte while continuing to explore new ways to make her work feel unmistakably her own.

What brought you to tattooing?

I've always wanted to work in some kind of creative field.

At the time, I'd been working with kids for about six years and was considering becoming an art teacher. After talking it through with my old high school art teacher, I started rethinking what I really wanted my future to look like.

I kept coming back to how getting tattooed made me feel.

Every time I got a new piece, I felt better about myself physically. That made me curious about whether I could give someone else that same feeling.

I started playing around with designs and practicing on fake skin, eventually got an apprenticeship, and completely fell in love with tattooing.

When did you know it was right?

A friend of mine came in to get tattooed by me, and after she left, she sent me a message saying, "Thank you for helping me love my body more."

That was it for me.

Knowing that something I created could actually change the way someone felt about themselves made me realize I was on the right path.

That's still one of the biggest reasons tattooing means so much to me.

What are your favorite anime?

Cyberpunk and Kotaro Lives Alone are two of my favorites.

I've always loved being able to work with characters people genuinely connect with—not just because they look cool, but because sometimes you see part of yourself in them.

That's one of my favorite things about creating anime and pop-culture tattoos.

Why did you move to Charlotte?

Moving from Miami to Charlotte for Ghost Studios was probably the biggest leap I've taken in my career.

It was my first time moving away from home, and I didn't personally know anyone in Charlotte.

Everything was new.

Luckily, my husband made the move with me and was an incredible source of support through the whole experience.

Looking back, moving for Ghost was one of the best things I could have done for my career, and I'll always be grateful for the opportunity the team gave me.

What matters most in a tattoo?

Every tattoo deserves respect and care.

Someone is trusting you with a piece of themselves, both physically and emotionally, and I don't think that should ever be taken lightly.

Whether it's a huge emotional piece or simply a character someone loves, that trust is still there.

I want every person I tattoo to feel like their idea matters.

What was your first big moment?

Early in my career, I spent a few months doing free pop-culture tattoos so I could learn and build my work.

Then someone reached out and told me they actually wanted to pay me to create an anime tattoo for them.

That was a huge moment.

It was the first time I really felt like someone wasn't just giving me an opportunity to practice—they genuinely wanted my work.

How is your style changing?

More recently, I've been experimenting with a new doodle style.

When a client reached out specifically asking me to create a custom piece in that style, I got really emotional.

It felt different.

I had been drawing these ideas and exploring this new direction, but having someone connect with it enough to want it permanently tattooed made something click for me.

I felt it in my gut that this was something I needed to keep exploring.

Since then, I've been diving headfirst into it and creating a ton of new drawings.

Did you ever want to quit?

Never.

There have definitely been hard, scary, and uncertain moments, but I've never been able to picture myself giving tattooing up.

The trust people give us to do this is unlike anything else.

No matter what gets difficult, I still love what I do.

Who has supported you?

My parents have always supported me, and that has meant the world.

When I first told my family I wanted to pursue tattooing, they were excited for me—as long as I wasn't immediately quitting my job!

Now they're incredibly proud of what I've built.

Having that kind of support behind me has made a huge difference.

Meet Alex in the Chair

For Alex, tattooing has always been about more than putting a cool character on someone's skin.

It's about giving people art they connect with, helping them feel a little more confident in themselves, and continuing to find new ways to make every piece feel personal.

Want to Get Tattooed by Alex?

If you haven't booked with Alex yet and her work feels like the right fit for your next tattoo, we'd love to hear your idea.