ARTISTS

Josh has always had a passion for art; from watching his mother’s own creativity and her fostering an environment of curiosity and self-expression. At a young age Josh naturally began to draw his favourite cartoons, which quickly became a regular hobby. Though Josh had stepped back from drawing in his teenage years, at the age of 19, he decided to quit his day job and made it his personal goal to find a tattoo apprenticeship.

He started his apprenticeship under Peter Norris at ‘Happy Dayze Tattoo’s’ in Lilydale, Melbourne. For two and a half years he learned the fundamentals of tattooing and gaining crucial knowledge of the medium, eventually moving on to work under Nick Dutt at ‘Tattoo’s R Us’ in Kilsyth, Melbourne for a further two years. Whilst working under Nick, Josh began to find his style and started developing a deeply rooted passion for the art form.

Often travelling between Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand, building a clientele in both countries and working guest spots in various studios, Josh eventually moved back to his home town of Ōtautahi Christchurch in late 2015. There he was asked to assist with setting up the studio, ‘Barbers Ink’. Josh went on to run the tattoo services at Barbers Ink for the next two years before forming a crew of like-minded creatives and opening ‘Laneways Tattoo Studio’ in May of 2017.

Growing up, Victor was often found with his head in a book, a sketchpad or the clouds.

With a lifelong passion for art, he describes himself as an artist first, who works in the medium of tattoos. His work is heavily influenced by his childhood: “I grew up learning to draw from Tin-Tin, Spawn Comics, and my mothers tattered Meat-Loaf covers. I love creating a mood or a sense of story behind my work, like my art is a snapshot of a bigger story going on behind it”.

Victor skilfully navigates Neo-Traditional, Art Nouveau, Illustrative and Fine-Line styles in order to create custom, one of a kind pieces of art for his clients. In his words: “As much as this is my art, I love being a part of someone else’s Tattoo Journey. Each person, each tattoo is unique and complex in reason or execution. I enjoy crafting something special for my clients, tattooing it, then letting it go. At that point I no longer have ownership over the piece, it’s theirs. That’s what I love about tattooing and what makes it a totally unique art form and experience for the client and certainly myself”.

Piri noticed his passion for art in his last years of high school when studying art & graphic design. After finishing high school he put his graphic design skills on hold and moved on to his next art form; Mahi Whakairo, Māori wood carving at Te Wananga O Aotearoa, a highly regarded Māori institution in Rotorua.

Studying the arts of Māori carving, he unknowingly developed his style for Tā Moko (Māori Tattoo) which would soon lead to a new pathway and lifestyle. After a year of studying Māori carving, Piri then moved back to his hometown of Ōtautahi Christchurch, where he started his tattoo career.

A few years later he had an apprenticeship under his belt and a foundation set for his style of Tā Moko along with an eclectic collection of styles such as anime, pointillism and mandala. After two years of professional tattooing with ‘Zealand Tattoo’, he decided to join the crew at ‘Laneways Tattoo Studio’ and pursue his passion for tattooing further. Piri has now been tattooing for eight years and enjoys collaborating with his clients to create pieces that are extensions of how and who they are.

Grace has always found creative ways of expressing herself, whether that be through drawing, singing or writing. Tattooing has enabled Grace to craft a space where she can create authentically and develop her skills and intuitions as an artist.

Over her four years at ‘Laneways Tattoo Studio’ Grace has developed a unique Illustrative style that incorporates and plays with the specificity of detail usually found in Fine-Line. She enjoys imbuing her pieces with a self-awareness that allows them to come alive.

Grace loves being able to share her work with others, clearly evident in the designs that she regularly draws for clients both old and new.

As anyone who has received a tattoo from Grace would tell you, she balances her skill in the medium with an intentional fostering of a calm and kind environment. An intersection at which the most meaningful art is created.

Katie was born in Scotland where her grandmother was a school art teacher and her grandad was an amateur watercolour painter. They both influenced and fostered her artistic skills from an early age, teaching her the values of different mediums, techniques, scales, proportions, colour palettes and most importantly, patience. This knowledge and skill found a home alongside Katie’s love of Scotland’s deep history of culture and art; from ancient Pictish artforms to the 19-20th century art nouveau and art deco movements.

When Katie moved to New Zealand at the age of 15 she quickly discovered that, unlike Scotland, she didn’t need to be 18 to be tattooed. She immediately booked a piece, one she knew her parents couldn’t disagree with, a portrait of them.

Katie balances her natural affinity for creative expression with a grounded appreciation and application of her skillset as a tattooist. Over her six years of tattooing Katie has developed an ease in a variety of styles and an expertise in Neo-Traditional, where her capacity for balancing, blending and applying vibrant colour is on full display.  

James has practiced his love for art since high school. When teachers said he couldn't draw in his books he went to a familiar canvas, his arms. Born and raised in Ōtautahi, James was exposed to, and developed an interest in, both fine art and mixed media. He took some time away from art-making when he stepped into technical drawing and building.

After sustaining an injury, and noticing not only his arms but the arms of his friends were looking a little empty, James found an old love in a new setting with tattooing. For the past four years James has slowly gravitated towards not only the style but the history of American Traditional tattoos. He's now interested in expanding the scope of his pieces and doing larger scale projects. James is an artist who is both kind and technically excellent. This means a session with James is a relaxed affair where great work gets done. Whether you're looking for a deepcut from his extensive collection of flash or want to collaborate on something bespoke, James has the goods (specifically on his instagram).