Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiko Kawai.
Hi Kiko, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Pursuing a passion in any field is scary. There’s no guarantee that things will work out, and for many people—unless you’re incredibly lucky—there are substantial risks that you have to take in order to even try.
I’ve always been called toward creativity though, so I knew I wouldn’t ever be satisfied resigning to the opportunities that I had without really going for a plunge into a new world, away from mundane, corporate, or typical work and into an environment where I could be myself, explore my imaginative side, and feel like I had more of an impact in the people around me.
One of my biggest obstacles, both technically and psychologically, was that I had no formal education in either art or business. That meant that I had to begin self-teaching and I spent every night practicing and learning, watching youtube videos, and often becoming pretty frustrated with my progress.
Eventually, my late nights and weekends of pen and paper and how-to-draw textbooks helped me put together a working portfolio of art and tattoo designs that I could use to prove my authentic and earnest drive to take myself seriously as a tattoo artist. I’ve enjoyed trying to prove that determination and hard work can give anybody the chance to develop new skills and become whatever they dream of being.
I was able to take this portfolio out to local tattoo artists for feedback and continued to work on my approach to forming shapes and concepts that I felt passionate about. I ended up getting a couple of offers from studios in the area, and I connected with one in particular. Raven Studio accepted me into their program that teaches mindful tattooing and a respectful approach to the art of tattoo that I resonated with.
I had always appreciated the therapeutic and spiritual aspect of tattooing in the designs that I’d gotten for myself. Taking experiences that are deeply important, vulnerable—even painful—and turning that story into a reminder that can be appreciated or celebrated on the body is an aspect of tattoos that have always felt important to me. Raven Studio has been perfect in their mentorship with that in mind.
I quickly learned that the skills I was once forced to learn through the jobs from which I wanted to escape, were now popping up in my everyday use as a tattoo artist. Business skills and clerical skills from corporate life, organizational skills and attention to cleanliness, and even the way that I became used to communicating professionally with the people around me—all became bedrock skills required to run my own business as a tattoo artist.
I think there’s some irony, or maybe serendipity in knowing that the places I worked so hard to get away from also gave me the skills I needed to do just that. I’m now transitioning my role into a mentor at Raven Studio, myself. I love being able to share experiences with my clients, help them tell their own stories, and create memories that are meaningful and lasting.
I love getting to know my clients and work very hard to be mindful of my approach to their visions for their tattoos. My very first question for all of my clients is, “Why do you want to get this tattoo? What makes this important to you?” I’m very proud to provide a service that gives people from all backgrounds and walks of life a safe place to express themselves through my art.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Finding a balance between working multiple jobs, prioritizing my dream, and choosing to believe in myself, my skills, and my abilities, despite my lack of formal education in my field, have all been new obstacles that I have had to tackle. The hardest one though is learning how to fail over and over at something and keep picking myself back up.
When I first started dedicating my free time to draw, I pinned all of my “drawing fails” onto my whiteboard when I wanted to throw them in the garbage. Above these, I wrote a quote that I read somewhere, “Failure defeats losers, but inspires winners.” This attitude has made me a stronger artist. I anticipate many more obstacles down the road, but learning to push through them is a welcome challenge. I’m so proud of how far I’ve already come.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a tattoo artist. I enjoy drawing in a street art-inspired style and would love to design more Trash Polka pieces or Banksy-inspired pieces. I am known for my linework and graffiti-style tattoos. I am also known for my ability to create a comfortable and positive environment for my clients. Because of the experience, I work hard to provide, I am also approached for a lot of cover-ups and touch-up work.
I find so much joy in refreshing tattoos or turning a negative, permanent tattoo into something beautiful for my clients. I am proud of the relationships that I have built in my profession, and most of my current business is repeat customers who enjoyed their experience getting tattooed by me so much that they’ve become regulars.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
It has taken extremely hard work and dedication to hone my skills in the art of tattoo. Tattooing feels completely different to me than drawing with pen and paper. I like how planned, meticulous, and clean the process is. I am proud of every tattoo that I have created, and love that I am still learning every day.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @kiko.kawai.tattoo
