ARTIST ABOUT

Story

Mx. Lydia tried their best to conform to the desires of society, their rural town, and oppressive family, but continuously met failure outside of their one known skill: art. Special Ed, ABA, and harsh punishments intended to shape them into something specific instead only caused them to withdraw. Quiet, isolated, fearful of life. Something was fundamentally wrong. Was life suppose to be this miserable?

After curiously exploring artist forums to expand their knowledge, they realized they weren’t the only of their kind. Encounters with people a bit eccentric became a cherished lifeline. Talks of obsessive interests would flow into ideas previously unknown to them. Their limited world explained by those in charge of them came into question. Others had found joy not despite being autistic, queer, disabled- but because. If others could find joy, why couldn’t they?

The second the chance showed itself, Mx. Lydia fled into the arms of their community. Without the constant threat of violence, they were finally free to reclaim their life. Being left permanently disabled had, however, forced them to recognize their fight to exist had merely evolved with them. Now, after openly embracing their interests, journey, and joy through art they noticed their work attracting those still in negative situations. Their mission was clear:

If I can find joy- so can they.

Lydia Collins AKA Coyoteprince has been a full-time professional creative for a decade. From their home in Columbus, Georgia, they show their unapologetic existence with autism, disability, and queerness through art. Focused on monsters, mortality, and history as symbols for their truth, many have been captured by the vulnerable nature of their work.

In their spare time, Lydia travels to Colonial, Victorian, & Edwardian graveyards to study & document their design. They collect antiques, study death history, practices witchcraft, and constantly try new crafts. Favorite monsters of theirs are the black shuck and the headless horseman, while the favorite antique they own is an olive gentlemen's parlor chair. Coyotes and carnelians are dear to their heart.

✦

Contact:
lydia@coyoteprince.com

(always considering anthology/zine & tattoo design work)

    • Wayward Kindred Anthology, 2020 (illustrator)

    • Deadbeats 2: London Calling, 2021 (comic layout, lineart, & character design) on "One More Broken Thing", alongside Jeremy Lambert (writer), Jey Barnes (colors), & Micah Myers (letters)

    • Cheers!, 2022 (illustrator)

    • Backwards TTRPG by Backwater Games, 2023 (illustrator)

    • Love At First Fright, 2023 (illustrator for main anthology + nsfw booklet)

    • 13 Days Halloween Advent Calendar, 2023 (illustrator & merchandise)

ARTIST FAQ.

  • DIGITAL

    Tablet: Wacom Intuos Pro with Huion Keydial

    Program: Photoshop CC (working to switch to a different program as of 2025)

    TRADITIONAL

    Ink: Black Cat India Ink by Blick’s, M. Graham gouache

    Pen: A variety of antique dip styluses, an antique metal ink well, and a wide variety of drawing, mapping, and specialty nibs

    Paper: Strathmore bristol board

  • Lydia has been a professional full time artist for over a decade- a job born of survival.

    With being shown extreme harm in response to being diagnosed as autistic and living in a vitriolic home, Lydia had to create their own job that fit them in order to stay alive. After having their primary schooling cut short, barred from leaving their containment, and blocked from gaining basic life skills, Lydia had to learn everything on their own through the internet, the kindness of others, and their unbreakable determination.

    After escaping, art continued being their only option of survival due to the previous harm leaving them permanently disabled. Backed into a corner with no education past 8th grade, art was the only path forward.

    Through hard work and resilience, they've harnessed their unique experience with autism, abuse, and queer identity, alchemizing it into imagery depicting earnest subjects and healing. This has gained a notable following of fellow ostracized people, being praised for giving a sense of connection, authenticity, and hope. The neat historical-inspired references don't hurt, neither.

    With many years of expertise and dedicated rehabilitation now behind them, Lydia lives quite happily and calmly with their partner, cats, and friendly ghosts, inking away in their dedicated studio.

  • Lydia has had to face death early and regularly through their life, resulting in a ranged experience with mortality.

    They’ve nearly lost their life to serious illness and neglect due to being autistic, been unluckily first on scene to multiple accidental fatalities, have donated their time to cemetery preservation & restoration, have experience in osteology, pelt tanning, & taxidermy, and once offered pet memorial services to those who wanted a low cost alternative to burial and cremation. In the odder sense, they’ve had many paranormal experiences, often with the dead calling to them in some manner.

    Whether its been the importance of taxidermy as a conservation tool or the discussion of alternative methods of body disposal, the past two decades Lydia has been extremely vocal about death topics.


    Their dedication to death education, activism, and taking part in caring for the memory of the dead is a life calling which touches every aspect of their self and art. With such a wide variety of death related “jobs” they’ve had a hand in and their oath to be a psychopomp, they use the term “death worker” to quickly and easily describe their varied work.

    Lydia’s unique and continued action with death has led many people over the past 2 decades to change their opinion on previously held beliefs for the better, with more understanding to sensitive death topics and lessened anxiety over death.

  • Lydia identifies as a witch spiritually and puts a bit of their own energy and practice into everything they create. The fairies and shucks they draw are also heavily rooted in their own personal beliefs and often time contradicts universally accepted folklore.

    Despite practicing witchcraft and it influencing their art & merchandise, Lydia does not identify as a Pagan or Wiccan and follows their own path based on their intuition. Further, they try to consciously avoid taking from indigenous practices out of respect.

    Their folk God is depicted as a coyote, with the carnelian being a connected symbol of life & death. Ghosts and indescribable spirits ("fairies") in particular are important to them.

  • The black shuck plays an important part of Lydia’s spiritual practice, but the Headless Horseman is a close second.

  • If you are a tattoo artist, please don't offer Lydia's work as a flash to others.

    Otherwise, if you find connection with Lydia's art, tattoos are fine, but please consider throwing Lydia a tip of whatever you can afford as this is how they survive- and be sure to show us!

    You can email us at:
    lydia@coyoteprince.com

Affiliations:

Charity Work:

Lydia can't afford to be part of charities often, but will always at least consider participating in autism & death-positive focused charities if asked.

Lydia’s store is an official dedicated donor to The Order of the Good Death.