Joleen's Happy Time Craftcast

Tattoos, Creativity, and Wellness Redefined with Fronkie L'Heureux - Joleen's Happy Time Craftcast 32

• Joleen Emery

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Craftonians! Meet our special guest in this epsiode of Joleen's Happy Time Craftcast—the incredible Fronkie L’Heureux—the brilliant artist behind Big Raven Yoga’s beloved "Beloved" and "Persephone Descends" yoga mats. Talk about talent, right?!

🌟Guest Bio: Fronkie's a phenomenal tattoo artist in Richmond, VA, with a unique "Nouveau School" style—a dreamy blend of art nouveau elegance and vibrant, bold colors. Her work is not only gorgeous but deeply meaningful, helping people connect with their own strength and beauty.

🌟Follow Fronkie on social


🌟Episode Chapters:
[0:00] Introduction
[1:35] Frankie's Background as an Artist
[5:02] Challenges in the Tattoo Industry
[8:21] Frankie's Art and Personal Projects
[14:38] The Tattoo Design Process
[24:38] Special Offer and Personal Tattoo Stories
[36:49] Family Tattoos and Creative Ideas
[47:45] Favorite Words and Sandwiches
[52:57] The Privilege of Being an Artist
[59:13] Happiness and Family Time
[1:01:30] Closing Remarks

🌟Quotes from the Episode:

  • "I have to think about what is always going to mean something to someone." - Frankie LaRue
  • "The ability to create is a unique privilege." - Fronkie L’Heureux


🌟Links & Resources: 

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Joleen:

Joe. Well, hello everyone. Welcome to Jolene. that I am, once again, in a new location. It's just too cold few echoes, or if you can hear the dishwasher running or where it's nice and toasty. But thank you so much for joining us with these amazing artists, and today is absolutely no company big Raven yoga since almost the beginning. Frankie available at Big Raven yoga, and they're absolutely beautiful eye for Design and her attention to detail and just her exquisite happy time craft, cast. Frankie LaRue, here she is. Hi, Frankie, Thank you so much for being here. I am absolutely, like, so thank you for taking some time out of your day to be here.

Fronkie:

Thanks for having me. Jolene.

Joleen:

Oh, you are so welcome. So tell us just a little bit

Fronkie:

Yeah, so my mom would say that I've been an artist constantly sketching. Like, if I saw a stack of blank paper, it it. And so I was, you know, like, like, a lot of creative the other. You either get, oh, you're going to be famous. Can I famous, or you get, you know, oh well, you'll never make money as

Joleen:

right, your backup plan, right?

Fronkie:

Yeah, and I all, I always imagined that if I try to alone, just creating. And that kind of scared me, because I'm a was like, 1718, it just sort of seemed like the perfect excuse

Unknown:

me, but

Fronkie:

also like, you know, I don't have to be alone to create me their stories. And

Joleen:

you've been doing it now 18 years, so I would imagine

Fronkie:

Yes, that's true. That's true. I started tattooing tattooer in town that entire time, it was hard for me to find actually, now that I'm older and I've heard more women's stories done, right, right? There are a lot of abuses, probably still take advantage of a young woman who wants to become part of the of. Yeah, let me be my thing. Yeah.

Joleen:

Sounds like, let you shine and light your space. You don't like calling her my former sister in law, but she's no here in Minnesota, and her name is Megan Hoogland. And I portraits of my parents on his arms, and they look just like way, hasn't it in like in what it represents to people any different identifier than any other person, if that makes

Fronkie:

I'm not sure, because it would, it would depend

Joleen:

I do. I don't think there's a stigma with having

Fronkie:

I think it depends on the social circles that you're held. Kind of the same way, like, you know, racism and people are trying not to judge people by how they look now, people all the time like, oh, women shouldn't get have texts. with large scale pieces. I'm like, that's a person who shows another human being, doesn't mind being close to them for,

Joleen:

amazing way to look at it. For sure, I happen, so I it to folks? Because if you're listening, I will describe it. at yoga, and it's called Beloved. And here goes, isn't love it so much. Yeah, I

Fronkie:

keep it. I keep it at my shop with me. I wonder if because it goes with the color palette that I'm going to use to that long ago, um, but, yeah, it's so vibrant, and it's a

Joleen:

It's worth I'll be sure to link it in our show notes. remember the name of, but I think it's called brilliance or tattoos, and she's amazing. I love that. I think it's so than like, I know that you are busy working on people, but do

Fronkie:

Oh, yeah, sure. Um, maybe not all the time. Um, that I'm working on right now. I've got a bunch of the craft

Joleen:

okay, kind of like a Masonite.

Fronkie:

It's like foam, sort of, and they're like, about an

Joleen:

little, not a lot.

Unknown:

There's, it's when you're in here, it's like,

Fronkie:

that's an empty room. There's a lot of echoing. So I parents, um, out to the park one day it was the weather was everybody paint one of the boards, and I started mine, but

Joleen:

that be like a sound barrier in your studio then?

Fronkie:

Yeah, so it's going to serve the function of of both

Joleen:

I know that you also, you also crochet, and you've

Fronkie:

well, crochet is one of those things that, like you and and then I think I did it for a little while, while I was crocheted was, um, I've had this dress for years, and it's one of and I crocheted some straps with

Joleen:

nice little FIX IT project, yeah.

Fronkie:

So I have, like, cute the I did the cute little a chain after the scallops, like, once it crosses over my So ties up this really cute this last thing I crocheted, why

Joleen:

but you DIY the solution. And, like, artists and course, of course, I can figure out my way through this, or I

Fronkie:

result tends to be better than something you just nothing really suited me. And I also have, like, a lot of like, say I'm going to be done with the day a lot earlier. You know,

Joleen:

of a tag person myself, like I don't like to feel a tag thread to attach the tag. And I know it's there, and it makes me Like, I just, I couldn't rise above, you know, I am forever,

Fronkie:

collar is, like, really wide, but like, I have to cut

Joleen:

I have no judgment there, like, other than having art pieces all day long. So do you ever get tired of producing

Fronkie:

wouldn't say so much tired I like, I said, like, it's We're say, this is the matrix, and we're all like characters

Unknown:

I mean, what do you mean stay? It's the matrix.

Fronkie:

yeah. It's almost like, when I picked this character, it that I like stop, I actually did. I spent two years without babies, so I

Joleen:

was still we were doodling in other ways, right?

Fronkie:

But I will say that I certainly do need a fair amount way. And when I do that, I'm still kind of being creative and reading the Percy Tom, the Percy person. No Mercy. Thompson, oh, and she's was raised by werewolves, and there's Faye and

Joleen:

all the good stuff, right?

Fronkie:

Good stuff, yeah, and it's all killer, no filler, like

Joleen:

right? So I would imagine, though, like in your people, and that's a lot of people in, I would imagine, and pieces that were commissioned for others that I needed to get procrastinated, and it's not like they were not difficult for procrastinating because I wanted to do my own, like, creative before, but I just got them done. And I know, thank you, see them go, but I actually the opposite has happened, like I'm home, and so, like all the things I thought were going to tomorrow is delivery and probably their installation, and thought process for me as an artist, and I was just creating only imagine what that's like for you when your artwork walks

Fronkie:

Yeah, I mean, that's so interesting. A lot of the things you procrastinated and how different you feel compared to experience a lot, and that's that growth is uncomfortable, different. And then, of course, at the end of it, you felt before you started this. Everything that we do that makes older version of ourselves has to go away, has to die, But as far as like watching my art walk, I love that part, differently, and I want to do it all over again. So but and right, appreciate it for for that, that part of our lives, that's like, the best part of my job is when people keep coming And I don't know if you can see back there, but I have all these ing, so, yeah, in a private studio is really great for me. genuinely being an introvert. Obviously, from like, drawing is being in a private studio is awesome, but I'd love to have every time I water one of my plants that's named after one of love and some Lynne, yeah,

Joleen:

So would you say, Frankie, do you have, like, a part of my process is coming up with the new idea. You know, almost never do. Do, because I'm more excited about what I'm tools. And so my favorite part is the climb, like figuring out

Fronkie:

Um, I'd say it's hard for me to pick a favorite, of I slow the approach to the tattoo way, way down. It's not

Joleen:

the book Yeah,

Unknown:

or pointing at something, at the sunset over

Fronkie:

that right on my lower back. Really did want to tattoo tattooing. So you come in, first we talk a little bit about what up to an hour about, like, what what this tattoo means to you, piece of glad wrap and put it on your body, because the body glad wrap and I put it on your body, and I draw, like, kind of look better naked. I don't want it to look like a sticker that I I take the glad wrap off, I flatten it out, and then I have,

Joleen:

It's like dimensional, right? Yes, yes, exactly.

Fronkie:

So then, then we book a design review, and so we have at it, and I'll have, like, a picture of you with your tattoo, this tattoo on your body. And we can nitpick, we can get into the absolutely perfect, and only then do we book the tattoo.

Joleen:

And is that you, is that the part that you love, like

Fronkie:

would say like the design review is my favorite, tattoo. I just like, that's great. Yeah, you're an awesome to feel, like, to have a chance a like, they don't have the but because I'm scheduled to be in the chair right now, I don't way. So the moment that somebody sees their tattoo design and to, like, watch their face as they're like, right, imagining

Joleen:

I can tell that kind of that lights you up as, like, a just hit the door. That was really intrusive. I'm sorry,

Fronkie:

that would have been right.

Joleen:

That would have been a better so I do know too that you was it? Yes. Can you remind me what that is? And we'll share it

Fronkie:

for new clients, it's 20% off of the whole tattoo as can't just say like I will come get tattooed before december 24 by December 24 I will discount your entire tattoo 20%

Joleen:

that sounds extremely generous and very, very kind. I really very nice. We do have, you know, folks here, you know, mine for probably 2020, years. I think I've had Minecraft. And book, picked it out of the book, deriving, like, when you go a play date with a bunch of moms. And, gosh, maybe it was now 27 or is he 26 He's 27 and she was talking about getting a that. I would never, you know, deface my body, or whatever in front of her. And so then she turned to me, and she was like, thought about it, like, not even once, but because this was embarrassment and the judgment. I was like, hell, yeah, get a later. Oh, wait, this story is better. I'm forgetting a really infertility, and I had had a couple of miscarriages, and I so she says, you know, if you need me to surrogate for you, I of this, and I'm just like, oh my god, you know, like you are got further in that discussion, because I got pregnant. But in could not say no, because she just offered care my baby.

Fronkie:

Yeah, yeah, pretty

Joleen:

much. Okay. No, no, you go ahead and for nine months. was still thinking back to when, you know, people were was thinking, like, the size of a quarter, you know, just a it.

Fronkie:

Please tell me she got a bun and you got an oven, or

Joleen:

Wish, I wish so much we would have thought of that, but and it is as you described, on my lower back. And I've never actually, I have forgotten that I have it. It's such a but it's beautiful, selfless friend and what she said, and like, and much that I was just like, I'm going to turn this off and set

Fronkie:

Yeah, you really do have to kind of do that.

Joleen:

I did. I did, but, you know, every now and again, I the story behind it, but the color is getting a little, you I have a tattoos. Are just like, Of course you do, so do i right? for my sister in law. He he wanted to incorporate some of my ashes like wiped away. But I didn't even know that was a

Fronkie:

Um, that is a thing that some people do. I think ink just gets wiped off. Yeah, at least more than half Yeah. I personally have never done it, but really beautiful. Thought it

Joleen:

was, I mean, I stayed out of that conversation, as I'm brother was desiring and wanted, um, and also respected what my

Fronkie:

distance. Yeah, I want to go back to something you, you would never deface my body like that, um, that that tends to kind of depends on your religious upbringing too, historically, more often than not, a church is pretty well Catholic Church, there's always, always the sculptures of the that I opened was called cysteine skin, because it was a very heavily decorated. So why not? You know, right? Yeah,

Joleen:

and I think too in this, in this story, like, I don't very driven and productive, and so I didn't really do much to, always, too, tried to, like, like, even if I felt rebellious, right, I'll get a tattoo, you know, yeah, I finally felt that I was upset about their opinions. I was upset about was like, you say no, I say yes,

Fronkie:

yes, yeah, absolutely, I feel like I am the youngest, I am the youngest, but I was up until I was 18. I was very, very parents, I wasn't allowed to wear makeup. Like my parents wouldn't allow to wear certain clothes, wasn't allowed to go to I was just tired of being so obedient, and tattoos were like, it's like, you know, and for a long time, I like associated have long hair for a long time. But now I am growing my hair out

Joleen:

me, because

Fronkie:

it's pretty. And so, you know, I'm 39 now, and like, especially if it's a place where you can see it all the time, so now it's like, the more tattoos I get, the more I notice

Unknown:

Canvas available? Yeah, exactly.

Fronkie:

It's like that nice stack of blank papers when I was

Joleen:

right? Well, my other sister in law, and so my other on the other side of the family, and they recently designed a mother in law used to collect. And that jar represents my want to call it, were four flowers, representing her four sweetest, sweet so now, like over the holidays, I'll be then where are we going to do it? And, you know? And then with put them in the same place, but they have the same one. And I love the whole idea. I love what it represents together. And, I just seems like profound and I love that idea.

Fronkie:

I love that idea too. That's really beautiful. I wish represents them, because I love that. That's one of my

Joleen:

will report back on what everyone what everyone wants. represents all of them. But like with my crew, I mean, it's like, know? Yeah,

Fronkie:

I've done, like, family tattoos like that, where It's, you know, little more work for the artist, but sure, it's body, your your decision, what you put on it. So yeah,

Joleen:

well, I will report back. We'll see. I was also hearts. They don't like

Fronkie:

your son, 2726

Joleen:

26 but he doesn't, I mean, they don't really thinking you just have to see it to believe it, like their actual ever have reason to sign their name, you know, it's not like of have, like, little printing, you know,

Fronkie:

yeah, interesting. That might be cool. I

Joleen:

don't know. I will report back, though on what they

Fronkie:

I'll tell you I have a ton of tattoos, but I don't have the most important thing in my life, and I think that because going to they're so young, though, also they're so young, that represents them, because there's so whatever I would pick validity to that as well. You know, like we call our oldest actually, but and then I could get a pickle for our youngest there'll be something else. And you know, like, maybe I can have

Joleen:

you were talking, I just had this idea. So yeah, what if and then I have, like, the lines of, I love you, mom. Wouldn't

Fronkie:

I can just imagine how happy that would make you feel,

Joleen:

the time, right? I'm getting a little overwhelmed, know how it involves me and how they all match, but maybe that's I was so inspired by my sister in law, because I just, I love have to get to what has become our listeners kind of favorite chance to get to know you even better. And you can elaborate. what is your favorite word?

Fronkie:

Wow, it's my favorite word. There's a lot of words coming to mind, but yeah, probably

Joleen:

Oh, that's excellent. I say that I love that word. I you get, what you're saying by that. So do you have a least

Fronkie:

yeah, really creepy word,

Joleen:

I agree with you, I've never not pretty not

Fronkie:

doesn't feel good in the mouth to say.

Joleen:

So true. That's so true. Yeah, I seen people get kind of isn't so much a word as it is an expression, okay? And you know, the expression. It is what it is. And I don't know why. I in so many parts of our life, it's true, like I, you know, you

Fronkie:

yeah, I think the intention behind it is what it

Joleen:

right? But

Fronkie:

it is also redundant, and, yeah, like, hideously, it

Joleen:

So it's so it's like a throwaway, right? Like a teeth on edge, kind of like panties for you. I'm just like, out. Why do you have a favorite kind of sandwich?

Fronkie:

Oh, um, okay, so I'm vegetarian, but I do eat meat

Joleen:

Oh, that's an excellent choice, yeah. Oh my gosh. Darren in the whole

Unknown:

Yeah,

Joleen:

I could see that being a favorite. Um, mine, mine I'm kind of in there was so my favorite coffee shop used to then, like a sour dough, toast. Oh, that sounds amazing, right? happening and like, you take a bite and it was just an absolute

Fronkie:

love that vampire imagery, right? I also you have a favorite sandwich of all time that is way less basic than Benny, yeah, they had, oh, I

Joleen:

think I know what you're gonna say. I

Fronkie:

think I know what you're gonna say. Go ahead,

Joleen:

I love that sandwich, and I knew you're gonna say that

Fronkie:

to remember that

Joleen:

is such a great sandwich. So good, obviously,

Fronkie:

into a sauce. Um, I guess dipping sandwiches is my

Joleen:

so, but what was it? Was it like? Was it like ham and

Fronkie:

it was ham, turkey and cheese and some kind of, some fried sandwich, yeah?

Joleen:

Like with French it tasted like french toast on the

Fronkie:

they would do the powdered sugar on the outside,

Joleen:

I knew you were going to say that when you said beneath. ordering this. It's a deep fried sandwich. Yeah, oh, my God, it

Fronkie:

yeah. Now, more often than not, sandwich that I will

Joleen:

Oh, that's a good choice. You can't go wrong. You like, such great insight into human beings.

Fronkie:

Yeah, there's

Joleen:

so many lovely options.

Fronkie:

If the Monte Cristo is your favorite sandwich, like, I really, because that's a really indulgent sandwich.

Joleen:

Oh, god, that was so good. We also used to get full of broccoli. Did you ever get that? It was like a broccoli

Fronkie:

I think back when bennegans was open, I was not

Joleen:

I don't know that I would put this in the vegetable talking about? Was like a broccoli it was like a broccoli was. That

Fronkie:

sounds amazing. I love broccoli cheese soup and

Joleen:

Why I do this show at lunchtime, but like, I'm clearly

Fronkie:

I ate a really big bowl of tofu and vegetables right

Joleen:

right? I know. I know. Okay. I have another question about art. What does that mean to you, that you get to connect

Fronkie:

Well, it certainly feels like a tremendous being an artist made me somehow unrelatable, um, like to this wild, you know, like there are no jobs like my job, the closest amount of time and focus and precision that's required, like, surgery. So I'm like an art surgeon, and for a long time it helping to rewire my brain, and I have been noticing that I feel part of that is because I'm an artist, so like, I'm no longer people because my life is so different. But underneath the There are a lot of mundane aspects to this. I have to spend that stuff. But, like, the overarching theme is, is meant right? And, you know, like a quote, you may not agree with quote, for example, you know, thing of beauty is a joy Changes the meaning of what you're looking at, changes

Joleen:

I love that I love the word privilege as it is, related even if your artistry hobby, crafting, making isn't your full like for me, Maslow is covered, right? My Maslow being hierarchy worry about those things. And so that, then, because of all of earlier, when you said that in the matrix, you were handed something, and even if it's just making a little bit of progress, think I've been that way most of my life. I'm happiest and most calling, like I am called in a way that I can't really control.

Fronkie:

it's like a compulsion, yeah, another part of that out of them by, whether that's by, you know, school or parents creative sometimes I feel like I don't have any inspiration until that creative spark, and I do feel like, you know, a channel universe, that that is a privilege, just the access to like, you know, creating art with with my blood on a piece of unique privilege. Yeah,

Joleen:

I totally agree with you. Is there a sound or a noise

Fronkie:

yeah. Actually, I'm, I'm about to make a reel about very deeply, deeply settling sound. When I get tattooed, I'll harmonizing like, like Corsican, penta, penta, far polyphonic.

Joleen:

love how specific that is. Yeah.

Fronkie:

So and then and that, and that's like, just chill keep it, you gotta sustain this energy. Yes, it is a marathon, band called Gojira, their metal band, but they have, especially vocals, even though they're like a pair of harmonizing so I just harmonizing. I,

Joleen:

you know, so kind of adjacent to what you're saying headphones. I am deliberately choosing more like a Metallica dentist office, and I love the barrier of and I hate to like anyone else's machines. Like, I don't want to know what's anything. I don't want to Yes,

Fronkie:

yes, I completely agree. Well, next time you go to did some performance on the opening of the Olympics this seen. They were like, in a like a castle or something, I don't hand, her head in her hand, um, they're all like singing, and standing on platforms outside a window, Like just, I know

Joleen:

that part. I remember that that's yojira, and there's, okay, I have one more question. And since we are the happy time

Fronkie:

Oh, man, and

Joleen:

that could be today, right? It doesn't have to be

Fronkie:

Yeah, sure, it changes all the time, but the first in nature, if the weather is really nasty, then I can anything, but just having them close to me, yeah, brings me the

Joleen:

I I'm gonna say, I agree with you, and just add, since my know, closer to them, physically, mentally and the happiest I ever AM. And then adjacent to that, this past just the fact that she was like, show me more, mom. And how do I natural. I love that kind of, like, creative, lovely time with

Fronkie:

When my kids are like, they're upset or something like, especially like like, Mom. Was like, bedtime. She was in bed. I was in bed, reading, like, getting ready to go to sleep.

Unknown:

like, Mom. And I was like, What's the matter? You

Fronkie:

she's like, I just I can't sleep. I keep thinking talked to her for a little bit, and then I'm like, do you want

Unknown:

until you feel sleepy. And she was like, yeah.

Fronkie:

I wish we were snuggling. And then like, do

Unknown:

you want me to sing to you like I did when you were a

Fronkie:

I could have died in that moment.

Joleen:

I bet yeah, I'm happy for you in that story. Like that

Unknown:

I'm like, Oh, you're not too old for me to snuggle

Joleen:

Right, right? You know, I've told this story a lot, and son was a senior in high school, he was at a wrestling tournament stands, and he blew me a kiss. And I it's embedded in my DNA, 18, and in front of all of his peers and like, and there it all the time, and every one of my kids has done something so precious, and I definitely cling to them. And I talk about

Unknown:

Yeah,

Joleen:

well, Frankie, oh my gosh. From the bottom of my in each other's world for five years, maybe six, I can't link in the show notes where folks can find you, how they can make sure, if you are interested in seeing Frankie's artwork at And it will be a decision. It would be a great decision, for being here, and for those of you listening and joining us in an otherwise known as happy Kim art. She is a mixed media artist happy time practice. Frankie, thank you so much and everyone,

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