Liv Novotny’s path from the Twin Cities to the crowded streets of New York is one of creativity and how it can transform a life. Liv was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she was exposed to artwork and supported her whole life. Her mother and aunts were artists, and they instilled an early interest in painting within her. When I was 9, my mom bought me a canvas, allowed me to use her good acrylic paints, and I painted a portrait of my dog,” Liv recalls. That painting went on to win a grand champion purple ribbon at the county fair—her first win that made her feel confident enough to continue making art.
Liv continued to learn about journalism and graphic design at the University of Minnesota, but she found her true calling in college. She was 18 years old when she painted her first mural for a Women’s Center on campus. “I loved it so much I knew it was my calling immediately,” she says. That experience led to other projects. She started working with community groups and local artists, and learned the polytab technique—a way of creating murals through painting on cloth and then applying it to walls in the form of wallpaper.
She traveled to locations such as California, Mexico City, and Philadelphia, where she became a part of public art programs that taught her how to grow as an artist. Later, she worked her way to New York, driven by other artists and encouraged to start her own business. In New York, she met her husband Ramon Madden, an ex-Hibachi chef who had also discovered his true vocation as a mural artist. Together, they started painting murals for restaurants, coffee houses, and smoke shops around the city, infusing monotonous spaces with bold colors and dynamism.
Liv’s career as both a tattoo artist and a muralist has one giant thing in common—confidence. “To be able to paint a wall or get a tattoo requires more than skill and effort. You need to have the willpower, the belief that you can do it and it will work,” she says. Her clients include school walls and community centers as well as corporate accounts such as Paramount and the Knicks. Regardless of venue, her objective is the same: to create art that comes alive in ways that are significant and memorable.
The polytab technique, which she acquired in Philadelphia, is an important part of Liv’s work. It allows individuals to work together in groups to create murals, thereby making it more inclusive and accessible. She has become one of the top artists in New York, where she works together with government programs to help bring art to the city streets.
With tattooing, Liv remains the same, with the same passion and care. She especially enjoys dealing with new clients, guiding them through the process, and making them feel comfortable. Her manner is friendly and makes her easy to deal with, and she enjoys the conversations and bonding that come with every tattoo session.
Liv Novotny’s journey as an artist stems from creativity, community, and narrative. Whether she is creating a massive mural or working on a personal tattoo design, Liv’s art is about connection—transforming empty walls and skin into bursts of color celebrating life and art.