Custom Ornamental Blackwork Tattoos in Portland, Oregon

I started tattooing in 2020 and have worked primarily in ornamental blackwork. My decade of working as a henna artist informs my tattoo style, while my background in holistic bodywork informs how I approach placement, pain tolerance, pacing, and long-term body awareness.
I have been fascinated by tattoos since the first time I saw my father’s faded military tattoo, probably an eagle, now just a blurred memory of a memory. As the child of two wild punk-hippie artists, I grew up surrounded by paint, canvas, instruments, and magic. I drew tattoos on myself with markers and tried to convince my mom to let me get one when I was twelve (that did not work, even in Florida!). As a young single mom, I put the idea aside for years and pursued art academically, earning a degree in digital art from ASU in 2008.
After moving to Portland, I was mentored as a henna artist by Melanie Ooi beginning in 2012, who taught me more than any art professor about precision, flow, and the sophistication of design, and about studying the history of the art forms you practice. In 2020 we spent nearly six weeks in India filming World of Henna, the first feature-length documentary exploring henna as a traditional art form. That journey reminded me of my early passion for a more permanent body art and inspired me to return home and pursue tattooing professionally. I was lucky enough to have the mentorship of another dear friend and incredible artist, Jeffrey Tarinelli, who’s technical skill and passion for design continues to be a guiding compass in my work.
Tattooing is my greatest creative love affair. It is an art form with depth, ritual, and a human connection unlike any other I have experienced. The pain, the permanence, the story each person carries through their tattoo leave me in awe. When we receive a tattoo, we are simultaneously letting go of and reclaiming the body, transforming and celebrating ourselves. It is an honor to be part of this lineage, and I continue to study, refine, and grow in both pattern work and the art of tattooing.