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My Journey

Born in Portugal and raised in France. Books, in particular Manga and American comics helped me discover the world of drawing which allowed me to express my emotions and feelings. Always on the side road of the real world, head high in the sky, books were my escape where everything became possible, each emotion had its story and each book its own magic. The nineties were a great source of inspiration for me, bringing me dreams that my life was not allowing. In my bed, under my duvet with a torchlight, I have read hundreds of books and impregnate myself with both, Japanese and American culture.

Upon becoming adult, in a professional world still very closed to women, I had to learn how to tattoo by myself in multiple studios. None of them which I felt the client could express himself in total trust. Therefore, I have decided to open my own studio where I could share my universe and offering a place where people can come without any fear of judgment. This studio gradually became a place of meeting and exchange during two amazing years and help me develop my artistic skill on fine line blackwork. Despite a great success, I felt the need to get away in order to grow.

So, I sell my studio and decide to discover Asia: Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Nepal, Vietnam, … (too many to tell them all). During this journey, I have met artist from each country, discover many cultures, done different convention and guest, all enriching and sometimes improbable. A trip by foot, moto, bus, train in before reaching Oceania to discover more about the Māori and Samoa culture. After almost a year and a half far from Europe, I came back to Paris for the birth of my first daughter. But started to get restless and after 3 months, we initiate a new travel to discover North America.

Taking the time after the birth and the temporary break from my work, I’ve dived again into books, in particular manga. I study them deeply, expression, pose, feelings, I was insatiable. This is when I decided to focus on manga tattoo. At that time nobody was doing it, and most shop’s owner were sceptical on this style supposedly “not serious enough”. But not everyone, exchanging with many tattoos’ artist from the USA and Canada, they were interested by the concept and much more open-minded. Seeing that tattoo’s culture is much more prominent in USA convinced me that someday I will also have the opportunity to express myself in this gigantic and creative territory.

In the meantime, a chance to work in Tokyo for a year arise and move there with my family to learn more about the Japanese culture. I have been working in one of the best studios where my boss, Ichi Hatano, Japanese tattoo specialist, pushed me over my limit to develop my own style. Thanks to him and hard work, I have developed a unique style which combine manga and mandala, entitled mangala. Nobody in the world is doing it. The finesse of the line, the details of the dots must be pushed to the extreme to really bring out the charm and authenticity of this style.

After that, I found myself moving to Canada where I spent the 2 years affected by Covid, taking this opportunity to deepen my style and knowledge of popular Japanese culture. Once border opened again, I fly straight to the US, reaching San Francisco, destination the most famous studio in town: Black Serum. Black Serum receive artist worldwide and offer me the chance to learn and dream even further.

All of that led to my current obsession trying to tie together in my art both the traditional and modern parts of Japanese inspiration tattoo.