Born & raised in rural Hawaii, I am lucky to have a foundation based in diverse culture, beautiful nature, the working class, and the aloha spirit. Growing up on an island in a rural community has given me a different perspective of life than most, specifically when handling the ups and downs of the tattoo industry and LA life. 

I have a Bachelor of Science in Apparel Merchandising and Design, and years of tattoo shop management under my belt. When it comes to the world of tattoos, I pride myself on having experience in pretty much all facets of the industry, from mopping floors, booking clients for other artists, piercing, event planning, scrubbing tubes, and working at a walk-in street shop, to an appointment only based studio.

I am completely self-taught in art: just practice, practice, practiced for many hours with a pencil and paper. When you come from humble roots, often you have to work your ass off for opportunities that come to others effortlessly. I use this mentality for my career in tattooing. I am always learning, always striving to create better. I approach every tattoo willing myself to do everything I can to make it the best I’ve ever done, in a fun environment for the client, with open communication. 

I prefer creating black and gray tattoos, with a neo-traditional influence. Tattoos with a strong outline and soft shading are my favorite; they will look amazing today but also twenty years from now. Bold will hold, always. With that said, I also push myself to create almost every type of tattoo and I am open to collaborating on custom tattoo ideas.

In 2023, I opened my appointment based studio Love and Lani Tattoo in Montrose, Los Angeles. I love and appreciate tattooing and working with clients more than can be properly shared with words. Coming from a tiny town in the middle of the ocean, to here in LA... Because of tattooing, I have my dream job, and I never forget that. Mahalo nui!