How did you get started tattooing?
It all started the day I brought my drawing book with me to my tattoo appointment back in 2008. The artist liked my work and offered me an apprenticeship. I always loved art but I never had an opportunity to make it a career until that moment. My apprenticeship started in 2009 under Kevin Mokuahi at South Pacifc Tattoos in Waikiki. I apprenticed for a year and then became an artist at Hale Nui Tattoos in Waikiki. I worked at Hale Nui Tattoos for four years and am now an artist at Kevin Read’s World Famous Sacred Art Tattoos in Waikiki.
What is your favorite thing about the business?
Tattoos are not just a painting or a drawing. Every time I tattoo someone, I get to leave a piece of my art work with them. Its like giving them a little Aloha to take home and share with their family and friends.
“I love the connection that I get to build with the people I tattoo.”
—Little Chris
Do you have a favorite style?
Working in Waikiki has allowed me to meet people from all over the world. With the vast clientele, I was fortunate enough to be able to tattoo a wide variety of styles. I am comfortable with all areas but I enjoy black and gray realism. When I was a kid growing up, the only things I had were scratch paper and a pencil. Black and gray is home for me.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
When I am not tattooing, you can find me surfing the south shore breaks on Oahu, diving to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to catch a nice fish for dinner or hiking the beautiful mountain ranges of the island where I was born and raised. At this stage of my career, I enjoy the balance of my work, spending time with my family and being active outdoors.
Who is your favorite tattoo artist?
I will never be as cool as Mark Mahoney or a bigger bad ass than Rick Walters. Nuff said
What has been your best career moment so far?
Tattooing has allowed me to travel and see the world. There is a list of places that I want to surf and one on them was Australia. I was able to surf the awesome break at Bondi Beach in Sydney because of my career as a tattoo artist.