Gracie May      Tattoo Artist based in Hilo, Moku o Keawe

I began hand-poking tattoos the summer I was 13,  in the haze of a rowdy sleepover. Of course, this was preceded by countless pleas from teachers to quit doodling on my work, arms, jeans, friends. Not desks, though, I don't vandalize willy nilly.

There may be nothing which calms my mind the way composing illustrations does. There's serenity in the way elements fall into place, how ink seems to flow right where your mind had wordlessly asked. When I "practice" my art, it never feels like practice. It feels like doing what I always have. 

         Over the past 8 years, I've cultivated a confidence in my art style and non-electric technique which, for me, dispels the many misconceptions surrounding hand-poked tattoos. With a finely honed technique, hand-poked tattoos heal easier than machine tattoos, and are just as time-efficient and long-lasting!