Keitaro Cloward introduces us to an inspiring series featuring JAZ, Billy, Madison, and Lo, four artists united by their shared passion for tattooing and creative expression. Makeup was done by Abigail Hernandez, hair was styled by Melissa Elaine, styling was curated by Ishmael Townsend Jr. Music was composed by Miles Ananda.

Interview by Keitaro Cloward

 

Keitaro: What drew you into tattooing as your art form?

Lo: I think, personally I was obsessed with getting tattoos, I was just so fascinated by it. I think it’s a really unique form of art in the way that the composition has to like, go with your body kind of, or it doesn’t have to, but it’s fun the way it goes with your body and adorns your body. I don’t know, it’s like a form of decoration, but also its own form of like art with just like flash and stuff. So I feel like there’s a lot of freedom in it. Yeah.

Madison: I wanna say the same. Just getting tattooed for the first time and like the environment of tattoo shops really drew me to like, the idea of becoming a tattoo artist. And then the idea of having, your art on someone’s body for the rest of your lives is pretty cool.

Billy: So for me, I’ve done art all my life. Literally, like, I would paint on my parents’ walls and they had to get me like canvases. Um, and I knew that I always wanted to tattoo and have one of my mediums be people’s bodies. ‘Cause that’s just like insane. Like it lives on until obviously the person dies. It’s just crazy. Like, it’s just like a walking piece of art. And I’ve always been drawn to that.

Jaz: I think I’ve been into tattooing since I was really young and I’ve always been really broke. I’ve always wanted tattoos, so I thought tattooing myself would be fun and then really liked it. And then, I don’t know, tattooed friends, family and so forth.

Keitaro: How would you describe your style or what are some of the things that you like about your approach to tattooing?

Billy: That’s a hard one. That’s a heavy question. Yeah. Um, I like having fun when I draw. So like, sometimes I’ll just find things that I like, like cats and tutus and things like that. I’m just like, “that’s so fun. I love cats and tuts”. So anything that, makes me smile. I like to like draw down or at least try to draw down even if though it doesn’t become the final draft. ‘Cause you kind of have to alter designs to kind of like be tattooed on skin. I just like to have fun whenever I’m making art. Yeah.

 

 “I knew that I always wanted to tattoo and have one of my mediums be people’s bodies. ‘Cause that’s just like insane. Like it lives on until obviously the person dies. It’s just like a walking piece of art.” Billy

 

Lo: Yeah. I feel like, I’ll do the same thing where I’ll start with drawing to get the inspiration going and the juices flowing. And then I think it’s fun to kind of imagine it on the body and think like, oh, how could that like, fit on the body in a cool way? And like, what motifs are cool? What words are cool? Like, um, I think it’s also like fun to think of what tattoos I would want. ‘Cause like chances are there’s someone out there that’s probably like me and would want the same thing. And I think in terms of like my style and stuff, like I think hand poke is really fun ’cause it weirdly feels like just like drawing, even though it’s like stippling. But, um, I don’t know, it’s very forgiving and like slow, which I feel like is how I draw, very slow and like, getting into it and losing myself in it I guess. So yeah, that’s why I love hand poke.

Madison: I’ll piggyback off of that. Yeah, like hand poking is very, I don’t know, very peaceful and relaxing. For me at least, not for the people I’m tattooing. But, I just love how like my drawings translate into hand poking. It’s very forgiving and I love just experimenting with different, like skin tones and color and like, I dunno, yeah, I dunno where I was going. (laughs)

Jaz: Like what Lo said is like, I don’t know. I do stuff that I would want on myself and pray somebody out there likes it too. Most of the time someone will like something, you know? Um, so I don’t know. I just do stuff that I think is cute and fun and cool and hope someone gets it and it’s fun.

Keitaro: What’s your favorite body section as a canvas to tattoo your art on and why?

Jaz: Um, I love a good forearm.

Lo: Yes. Forearm. I agree. Especially like where it’s flat right here, cute. You just sit them down like this and it’s like you’re drawing on paper ’cause it’s flat. It’s so nice.

Jaz: A good forearm.

Billy: I agree. Yes’s all around.

 

“Art is like your heart. I feel like whenever somebody makes something like that’s where you can really see who they are.” Lo

 

Keitaro: Okay. So a section you’d like to try but haven’t yet.

Jaz: Oh, I want to tattoo the back of someone’s head.

Billy: I was about to say that.

Madison: I saw that happening.

Lo: Everyone raves about it. Really? I heard it’s like, ’cause the skin’s tight there, so it’s like supposed to be easier, but I can’t imagine like fucking doing that. But it’d be so cool. That would be sick as well. That’d be cool. Yeah.

Billy: I feel like you could feel the machine like vibrating once from the skull.

Lo: Yeah.

Madison: I can’t imagine hand poking someone’s like…

Jaz: Or like palms nice. I feel like what would be cool? Like hand poke I think would be really cool.

Lo: I do wanna do palms. Yeah. That’d be sick. That’d maybe myself.

Jaz: True.

Billy: So you can gauge easier.

Jaz: Yeah.

Lo: Yeah.

Keitaro: Painting on a living canvas of the body. How would you describe the collaboration process? If there is any? Do you ever find the canvas dictating the art and find yourself creating something that without you would’ve never created otherwise? Do you find that sometimes, depending on the part, you start shifting your design to it? Or it’s always like, known beforehand, strict?

Billy: I don’t like to be too strict. I wish, you know, like in a perfect world it could be how I wanted it to be. Yeah. But I feel like even with my tattoos, like say I went into a shop and like got something that I thought was gonna come out one way. I like to be really receptive to what somebody wants. Whether it be like, there was this one piece I did, it was a huge body piece and she wanted the stars to be pink. And I was like, why not black? You know? But it was special to her that I did that. And I feel like that’s what’s special to me if it’s special to her, special to me. So yeah.

Jaz: I feel like at the end of the day it’s like the artwork is like on that person’s body forever. So whatever they think, you know, whatever they want. I don’t mind. I want them to like it and not hate it, you know?

Lo: It’s also fun when they have little ideas and like, I think a lot of times when I draw flash I don’t like to get too crazy because I wanna appeal to as many people as possible. So it’s fun when they wanna do something really fun ’cause I’m like, “oh, this is an opportunity to like go crazy”. And then you get to do fun like experimental stuff and then it’s like, yeah. It’s like a cool collaboration. ‘Cause then they’re psyched on it and I’m like, yeah, I probably wouldn’t have even come up with this. It wasn’t for that, yeah.

Billy: Yeah. Baby was born.

Lo: Exactly.

Madison: Yeah. I had a star tattoo and like the original design, it was just a star. But they wanted to add little legs to extend it. And like I wouldn’t even have thought about that. And it was like the cutest little thing at the end and it was, it was shocking.

Jaz: Or when like people put like two flash pieces together and they like make their own world with those like flash pieces. It’s like, I would’ve never even thought of that. And you’re so smart and genius.

 

“My grandma is a very prevalent inspiration in my art. Like just growing up with her and like anything in your house.” Madison

 

Keitaro: Are there new tools or things that you’ve been playing with that have made you fall even deeper in love with your art?

Lo: I just started using color, which has been really, really fun. So fun. And it helped me kind of get out of a rut. ‘Cause I can go crazy with it and it’s like a whole new world. I could do a million new designs now. ‘Cause I was like, yo, I’m running now.

Madison: That’s fun. Been wanting to do color.

Jaz: Yeah. I want to do color too because it really does open up so much stuff. And it looks so fun and cute.

Madison: I’ve been practicing with different needle sizes. And that’s always fun to see. Like what needle size gives you like different effects and stuff. On the skin and like, yeah, I’m going bigger right now, so like doing a nine round one.

Lo: Oh shit, I don’t even touch that.

Madison: Just to see what it does and it’s so fun. Um, yeah.

Lo: That is fun.

Madison: Only on myself. I won’t use a subject for practice. Yeah.

Keitaro: If you could tell the future and see tattooing as an art 10 years from now, what do you think would feel like everyday norms? What do you think will be part of your toolkit?

Billy: In terms of designs or like, what do you mean?

Keitaro: Or just like tools. Do you think the tools are gonna change or be the same? Do you think the ways you create your flash, your gang sheets, or anything else will change or you think it’s gonna be pretty similar and straight to the point?

Billy: What I’ve noticed, and I’ve been talking about it with my clients a lot, is that the language of tattooing has changed so much. Like, I feel our parents are like “Only gangsters get tattooed”. Yeah. And like now I meet like the girlies with SpongeBob tattoos. And it’s like, it’s no longer the, I don’t know, like conversation. It’s just like I got it because I thought it was cute and fun. And so I think that’s just gonna progress. I think we’re gonna see less non-tattooed people and I think that’s just like self-expression is just booming and it’s gonna continue to boom.

Lo: Piggybacking off of that, like people have gotten so much more creative with tattoos because so many more people are open to getting tattoos. So it’s like opened up this whole new demographic. I feel like there’s so many like different pockets of different styles and I find something new and crazy, I feel like everyday. And so like, I feel like people are gonna have full like plaid body suits, or something. Maybe we’ll get to that point.

Keitaro: So stick and poke, coil, rotary machine, pen types, etc. Does technology and access to high performing or mobile tools make some of the things revered in the past not as desirous? Or are there some golden rules that would never be challenged or changed? This mainly came to mind, when thinking about how when phones started having good cameras and shook up the photography industry. Because access to the tools was no longer a point and just because you had an expensive tool like a DSLR, it didn’t make you a photographer. You had to actually be an artist. With tech and tools, tools options, the lines between drawing and tattooing, and the relationship, becoming ever closer and more blurred. Do you feel that’s one of the reasons that we’re seeing more art driven tattoos and less design driven tattoos or not?

Lo: I feel, if I’m understanding the question correctly, I feel like, kind of the new age of tattooing is very, very artist focused. Or at least in like, kind of our world of tattooing, I feel like, because the amount of saturation that there is in the tattoo industry. So I think what makes a tattoo special and unique sometimes is like, oh, like I want it from this artist because, their shit is so cool and I can’t get it from anyone else. So, I feel that’s what’s kind of driving, I guess the artist based tattoo industry versus the design based tattoo industry where you can just like walk in and get like whatever. Which is really fun, ’cause I think it gives a lot of creative freedom.

Billy: So that’s what I think it’s interesting ’cause we had a conversation about how like different places have like different things going on in the tattoo world and where I’m from in Texas, it’s like you’re getting an American traditional tattoo with the coil machine and it’s very much like to the roots. Even before that they would have like the lawn stick and hand poke with the hammer, which is something that I’m drawn to getting just because it’s like…

Lo: It’s fire.

Jaz: Yeah

Billy: It’s fire. It is like the original way and I feel like it’s always gonna have its special place. But I mean with the fact that pen machines are very prevalent now and like are so, I don’t wanna say easier, but they’re more accessible. And I think that like, because it’s just a bunch of artists getting, I guess like, good machines and able to make our art good eventually, ’cause you have to learn. But I don’t know, it definitely has changed. I think we can pay homage to the roots, I don’t feel like we’re like a traditional shop anymore and I don’t know if like Los Angeles will ever be that way. And I feel like other places may get to the point that we are at now and some places might stay the same. I don’t know.

Jaz: Yeah. Piggybacking off of that. I feel like it’s like a new age of people teaching themselves how to tattoo. Like it’s not as traditional anymore even though. Yeah, like traditional shit will always be like the roots and will always have a really special place in tattooing. But I feel like a lot of people are teaching themselves how to tattoo now. There’s a lot of DIY tattooers that’s like how I started. I feel like that’s how so many people started. Um, I don’t know. I feel like it definitely will keep changing as we evolve, but yeah.

Madison: Piggybacking off of everyone, I think that the way that, I guess Los Angeles specifically, there’s just a lot of tattoo shops that everyone that I’ve talked to, they always say don’t go the traditional route and apprenticing and like that and to do your own thing. That’s what I started doing is doing my own thing. Which has led me to become more like artistry based tattoos instead of like designs. Like I want people to get what my style, instead of just like, not basic designs but like, generic, oh that’s the same word. Basic. Which I think is really cool ’cause like the more I get into it and develop my style like, and people want to come to me for that.

Lo: It’s gratifying.

Madison: Yeah. It’s a very like grateful, like experience to be a part of that. Like artistry and tattooing.

 

“I feel like a lot of people are teaching themselves how to tattoo now. There’s a lot of DIY tattooers that’s like how I started. I feel like that’s how so many people started.” Jaz

 

Keitaro: Yeah. And on that note, they can’t get it from anywhere else then, because it’s your style and everything else. As an artist by following the things that make you feel, that you love. Do you, do you find any reoccurring motifs, items, styles or shapes that keep finding their ways into your art?

Madison: Yes. Yeah, for me, my grandma is a very like, prevalent inspiration in my art. Like just growing up with her and like anything in your house. Like my most recent flash is literally dedicated to my grandma. Like just things around her house and all that I love. Very family oriented and I don’t need it to be, but, that’s like a reoccurring theme that I’ve been putting out.

Lo: That’s so sweet.

Jaz: I don’t know. I think a lot of religious imagery, like Catholic, I don’t know. Lots of rosaries. I don’t know. Horses. Yeah. Lots of fucking horses. A good horse. I love a good horse. Yeah. Love a good rosary. I don’t know. Love a good angel. Yeah. Or like reaper. I don’t know. It’s fun.

Lo: Goth.

Jaz: It’s giving goth. It’s giving like Catholic goth. Yeah.

Lo: Got the cathedral.

Jaz: Well yes.

Lo: Um, I feel like I always am drawn to like, wrought iron. So like gates and the gates that are on windows and anything like that, I think it’s just like the prettiest thing ever. And I can’t stop.

Jaz: It’s true.

Lo: Taking pictures of ’em and saving ’em in my flash album.

Jaz: It’s true.

Lo: Um, and yeah, lots of lambs and bunnies and cute little animals because who doesn’t love a cute little animal?

Jaz: It’s true. They’re just so cute.

Billy: It’s funny ’cause mine is basically animals. I’ve always been an animal lover. So animals is one. And then you pivot to the other thing I do, which is body pieces and it’s just like abstract. Abstract slay.

Keitaro: Do you ever think about your art being out there in the world/the wild? Do you ever think about someone walking around and it being out there?

Billy: I’ve literally saw somebody at the Goodwill bins and they were like, oh my God, Billy. I was like, oh my god, miss “your name”. Bae like, um, no, it is kind of special. Whenever I get text messages from my friend and they’re like, look what I saw today. And it’s a healed piece. Oh it’s crazy. I’m like, they’re walking around. That’s insane. And existing. Like, there’s no way. Yeah. It’s crazy.

Lo: It trips me.

Madison: Yeah. It could be halfway around the world.

Jaz: It’s true.

Lo: Yeah. It’s crazy. And yeah, I’ve also ran into like “healed people” in the wild and they’re like, “Lo!” And I’m like, oh my God, lemme see how it looks.” I’m like, “Sorry, wait, how are you?” But yeah. And that’s so fun and so cute. ‘Cause like it’s also fun to just know people that way. You know, like you’re just out and you’re like, like I ran into you at Camp Flog Gnaw and I recognized…

Billy: Kiara! Yeah.

Lo: Yeah. Kiara

Jaz: So cute.

Lo: And I was like, oh wait, we were looking.

Billy: Like, wait, “Hi, like you wanna take a picture and send it to Kiara?”

Jaz: It’s so cute.

Lo: It’s so, it’s so cute. It’s a cute time. Yeah. Aw. Yeah, definitely. It’s definitely very much like such an honor that, it will always be in every picture that’s taken of ’em and like in every outfit and like, so true for the rest of their life. It’s like, wow.

Billy: Yeah, I’ll follow some of them. And like, I’m always like zooming in and screenshotting post, sorry, show me.

Lo: Like, did you have other B-rolls of this?

Keitaro: Art as expression. And you creating your art, expressing your mood or lack of one. Like with traditional arts; paintings, sculpture and photography, collectors will collect to express something or just to create an aesthetic in a room. Do you feel that it comes from the same place when people are collecting your art? And what are your thoughts? Do you feel that people are, like collecting an aesthetic or trying to express themselves and their mood by the individual or collection of tattoos that they choose from you?

Jaz: Yeah. I feel like it’s both. There’s definitely like some people who come in and they get cute bunny tattoo because it reminds ’em of like their friend or they had a bunny. Um, or like dogs. I don’t know. A lot of like Catholic like imagery that I do is most of the time people reclaiming it because they like grew up in a really toxic Catholic or religious household. And they still find the imagery really pretty, but I don’t know, reclaiming it. I feel like it’s both.

Lo: Yeah. I feel like some people they’re just like, oh, it’s just like vibes. It’s cute or like silly. They’ll ask for just like the silliest thing ever and I’m like, let’s go. And then some people it’ll be like, really beautiful, I do the word lucky a lot and ’cause a lot of the people that get it are like “I want to feel lucky and I want to be reminded every time I look at it”. And they’re like, “I hope this blesses me with luckiness”. And I’m like, and it will! And I’m doing right now! So that’s cute.

Jaz: For me I’ve had both, some people they see my flash, like “oh, this shit is hard”, “I’m getting it on me”. This one girl came to me and she saw like a seashell flash. She’s like “I literally had a dream about this. I saw it and like it was meant to be.” And I was like, oh my god. That’s beautiful.

Billy: Yeah. I mean it’s so different for people. I feel like there are people who have like a whole aesthetic going on. Yeah. I fucking wish I was like that. But I mean, and then there’s like the other people who literally can choose from a page day of and they’re like, I like this one, I like that one. And that’s what I’m getting. And they don’t make sense together. Yeah. So it just really depends on the person and what they’re going for. Because also like placement, sometimes, they’ve thought it out and they’re like, this flows with this because this means this. And it just really depends. Everybody has their own language for it. It’s just really cool. I love that.

 

“Without the tattoo community in LA I would literally have no friends here.” Lo

 

Keitaro: What feeling or sentiment do you feel most of your art comes from? Happiness, nostalgia, love, loss, interest, desires, cuteness, questioning, experiences, etc?

Madison: That’s a good question. Going back on my inspiration, being from my grandma and stuff, a lot of it is like nostalgia. Especially her having a Catholic background and stuff. I’m really into the Catholicism aspect, like crosses and, um, the Virgin Mary and stuff like that. Mm-Hmm. Um, and just always being like fed with new artists. That’s all on my Instagram and TikTok is just like a bunch of new artists. Like there’s always inspiration there too. So yeah. Nostalgia and interest.

Lo: I feel like I would say mine is whimsy, fantasy and cuteness. I feel like I get most inspired when I watch a really good fantasy movie. Um, “the Last Unicorn” is the best movie. Every single time I watch it I’m like, I have to drop a flash right now. Because I think for me, like I get a lot of tattoos like that and it makes me feel very magical and whimsical, which is very fun. Um, so yeah, I think that’s mainly, yeah, my inspiration.

Billy: I feel like mine is nostalgia. Like I feel like even though it’s cute, it’s stuff that I’ve always liked in my life, maybe when I was a kid. Like, I like love the bunnies running. Like, I don’t know, like I feel like everything ties into who I was as a kid. So yeah. Nostalgia for like, all of it, probably.

Jaz: Same, same. Nostalgia and cuteness stuff I think is cute. I don’t know. And stuff that reminds me of my childhood or my family or I don’t know, stuff like that. I feel like a lot of people can relate. A lot of people have had very similar childhoods and had the same experiences, so I don’t know.

Keitaro: When you’re dreaming up a sheet, are you thinking more of like a period of time? Are you thinking more of a feeling?

Billy: I have ADHD, so whenever I’m making a sheet I really like to zone in. But like, I still have ADHD at the end of the day. So like, I feel like I find a bunch of things randomly in my head that I think would be make sense. I feel like it never makes sense, but it’s all fun. Um, it’s like mess. Like I feel like I, I never dream anything. I’m just like mess impulsive, word vomit and here it is. In picture form. Yeah. Or anything that I mostly draw things that like I think are fun and cool, but it’s all mess. Like my flash sheets are just like too much stuff. It’s almost overwhelming how much stuff is on my flash sheet, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Madison: For me, usually when I’m listening to music it sparks a memory from when I was like a kid or like I was listening to Yves Tumor and I was like, oh shit. Like this is, I don’t know, I don’t know. It created images in my head and I was like, I did a rotten apple core, I did like a rotten flashy with like rotten fruit and stuff. ‘Cause I was listening to Yves and I was like, oh, this makes sense in my head. Yeah. Like music really does spark memories and I can just go on from that.

Lo: Yeah, music helps a lot because then I get in like a vibe and then I also I feel like there is like a “fruit bat pokes” world that I imagine that’s true.

Jaz: It’s true.

Lo: There’s only one, it’s like fantasy and there’s keys. It’s like unicorns and bunnies and, and hearts. Everything’s hearts. And everyone’s lucky. There’s like a definite world that I kind of stick to ’cause I like it. And so I just kind of like transport myself there and I’m like, what do we got today, what characters today.

Jaz: That’s so cute. I think like, usually I’ll get one good idea, one good idea that’s like, oh, I need to do this right book now. And then I will base everything else off of that one idea and like that world that it lives in. So it’ll be like a little, I don’t know, angel statue and it’s like, oh, what matches an angel statue. Like maybe a reaper, maybe like, um, a cross, a grave. Yeah. Or it’s like maybe a torn up doll. I don’t know. Like a raggedy ass doll. Boom. Now we’re in my backyard. It’s like, yeah. I don’t know. I just try and stick to one world. It must be like the Virgo in me where it’s like I can’t do so many things that are different ’cause my brain just doesn’t work like that. And I don’t know. I like designing things based off of one certain thing and then adding on to it more and more.

 

“I like to be really receptive to what somebody wants. Whether it be like, there was this one piece I did, it was a huge body piece and she wanted the stars to be pink. And I was like, why not black? You know? But it was special to her that I did that.” Billy

 

Keitaro: Identity and exploration of identity and art. Which would be a better way for me to get to know you by looking at photos of you or by looking at the art on your art page? Are you leaving more clues in the photos of you or are you leaving more clues in your art? What makes you you, to you?

Jaz: I think definitely the art. I think, I don’t know, like even at ProudLA we have like our own little stations that we get to decorate and make cute and put our flash up. And there’s been so many times where like people will be like, oh, like this makes so much sense. Like of course your flash and you go hand in hand together. Whereas in photos I feel like, I don’t know, it’s so different. Um, I feel like art, you can definitely tell who I am through the tattoos that I make or the flash that I make. Um, yeah.

Lo: Or like, um, when I’m tattooing someone and then you come up and then they’re like “Are you bittenlamb”, well duh?

Jaz: Like same, you can like instantly tell. Yeah. I don’t know. I mean, dude, your like tattoos are so you.

Lo: It is true.

Jaz: So you.

Lo: Same with you.

Jaz: Thank you.

Madison: I agree. Yeah, I can definitely tell, um, from my art, more so than pictures. Because I don’t know, like I, I have a Filipino flash, like it’s like that screams me. But, yeah. But I express myself more through my art than like taking pictures and like other forms of like Yeah.

Billy: I mean same. I feel like “Art is like your heart”. I feel like whenever somebody makes something like that’s where you can really see who they are. Like photos are a slay and everything. But like, I feel like you don’t know the person until you see what’s inside of their brain or inside of their heart. Yeah.

Keitaro: Some people think that saturation in the marketplace is a bad thing. Personally I agree. Saturation for the sake of saturation is a horrible thing. Especially if everyone’s using the same inspo or style. But when it’s a different artist bringing their own personal art to the table, I always think the more the better. Because with new styles, the artists, the audience also expands and the people who were never interested or really thought about it are now interested. And what do you think?

Jaz: I agree. I think a lot of saturation of the same thing. Like copy and paste can be bad, but I think saturation in different forms, I don’t know, can be really cool. ‘Cause you just keep expanding and making new things that you would’ve never even thought about. It’s almost like, I don’t know, like a lot of DIY people who start tattooing themselves, at home with like Amazon kits, sometimes those people like create complete new styles that like would’ve never been created if this person didn’t buy that kit on Amazon. So I feel like it’s good. I think it’s always nice to be inclusive and push people to be interested in it. Or if you already really like art and kind of have a little thing for wanting to tattoo, I’m always like, yeah, do it. Like do it, do it because that person could like create some crazy ass fucking shit that you wouldn’t even know of.

Madison: Agree.

Billy: I agree. I think that saturation makes more people do it and like the more people do it, the more new things. Come because like, even collaboration, you create something new. I feel like without people deciding to do their own designs, we would still be getting American traditional.

Jaz: Yeah, that’s so true.

Billy: I feel like we all are self-taught and like we might have saturated the market and like the best way possible.

Lo: I feel like also, when I was like 18 and really wanting a tattoo, I was like, I can’t find any tattoo artist that I really like. And so I was thinking, not thinking I was like gonna actually do it, but I was like, “I should become a tattoo artist and become the tattoo artist I want”. Even though it’s like saturating the market, it’s in a way that’s filling all these niches so then so many more people are like, oh, I do actually want to get a tattoo because like there’s like all so many different styles. Yeah. So that’s nice.

Keitaro: Is there anything else you would like the world to know about the community here or what you feel the tattoo community in LA is or anything?

Lo: Honestly, without the tattoo community in LA I would literally have no friends here.

Jaz: It’s true. Same.

Lo: And like, it’s been so amazing to like one, be able to learn from like all of these amazing artists that I’ve looked up to over the years. And then also just like have a community where we all relate, you know, we just have the same experiences and lifestyles and everything. I don’t know, it’s cute that like I can run into you and be like, oh my God. You know, because it’s like

Billy: At a music festival. Yeah.

Lo: Yeah. And it’s like, wow, we’re connected through this art, it’s so cute. Or like you can be connected to people in New York or Berlin because true Instagram tattoo community is like, so like, you know.

Madison: Adding on to that, the LA art or tattoo community, like without them I wouldn’t have the push or drive to start on my own because there’s a lot of taboo about picking up a like Amazon machine starting, but without the artist here, I wouldn’t have. They’re all like, do it, pick it up, do it yourself. And it’s amazing the support in the tattoo community here.

Lo: I agree. Also, it’s cool to see people like you, like, you know, girls around the same age, like doing it. I think that’s also what inspired me.

Jaz: So True.

Madison: There’s a lot of men in tattoo.

Jaz: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It’s so true.

Lo: Like when I got a tattoo from a girl that was like the same age as me, I was like, oh my God.

Billy: Like bestie.

Lo: Yeah. I was like, wait, can I do this?

Madison: Representation.

Lo: Yeah.

Madison: Is what we need.

Jaz: No, that matters.

Lo: Yeah.

Madison: It has. Yeah.

Directed by – Keitaro Cloward @keitarocloward
MUA: Abigail Hernandez – @abysbeauty
Hair: Melissa Elaine – @staysassycuts
Stylist: Ishmael Townsend Jr. – @thank.you.ishmael
Talents: JAZ – @letsplaybunnyrabbits (JAZ tattoo account – @bittenlamb)
BILLY – @bi11ybadass
MADISON – @madzdogg (MADISON tattoo account – @piiiinkslip)
LO – @kewp_e (LO tattoo account – @fruitbatpokes)
Music by – Miles Ananda – @miles199x