We recently connected with Annie (Poppy) Magdesyan and have shared our conversation below.

Annie (Poppy), thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business

Friday 13ᵗʰ, 2023
I just want to start by saying LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE. The week leading up to this event had been wild. Let’s start with a few days before… Things at home had been chaotic, I ended up leaving and I decided to go car camping for a few days. It was honestly beautiful, even though it was a little rough I actually liked how free I felt. I stayed near Angeles Crest since it was close to my job at the time. The tattoo shop I was working at was having a Friday the 13th event that extended to Sunday. Friday went really well, everything came out great and I had a lot of fun. Sunday came around and at this point I had like 9 hours of sleep in the last 3 nights, been camping in my car for 4 days, and have a whole day of tattooing ahead of me. I went to set up my station and my machine was nowhere to be found!
Internally I am DYING, SCREAMING, CRYING. But, I kept my cool and everyone was super nice and helpful and luckily my coworker Sadie let me borrow her spare machine. Halfway through the day I took a 15 min break because I was still stressed and I thought my work wasn’t meeting my standards. Anyway, I went to the liquor store to take a moment to relax. I got my coffee and a cigarette and as I’m taking a seat a homeless man passed by and we exchanged smiles and hellos.
I went back to work and killed it. I finally got through the day but I still felt so sad that my machine was gone. I felt like I worked all weekend for nothing. As I was taking out the trash at the end of the night I’m screaming in the parking lot, “SHIT” “AHHHHH.” I walked over to the dumpster and the same homeless man was standing there and he asked, “what’s wrong?” and I responded with, “I think I threw something away that I shouldn’t have.” So then I decided to start digging and he joined me. He started pulling out bag after bag, we got about halfway through the dumpster and he pulled out a bag and I just knew that it was in there. Sure enough I opened it up and my machine was at the top neatly wrapped up and perfectly fine! I started jumping up and down screaming and running around with tears of joy. I couldn’t believe it, I was so grateful for all the kind people I encountered that day and helped me get through it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc:

I really loved the idea of tattoos, I thought it was so cool to be able to love a piece of art so much you’d be able to see it on yourself every day. I knew I wanted to be a tattoo artist since I was about 12 years old but I never thought it would be possible. In 2020 I was studying at CSULA to get a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Arts but when COVID happened I felt that my education was disrupted and the results were not beneficial. So, I decided to take a leave of absence to move to Vegas and pursue my passion.
At that point I had quite a few people who encouraged me to start tattooing and let me learn by practicing on them. I spent a lot of my time out there trying to learn everything I would need to do to become a tattoo artist. I bought a machine and spent countless hours reading articles, watching videos, and talking to tattoo artists in the area. Eventually I had enough knowledge and work to show what I am capable of and ended up finding a tattoo shop that gave me a chance to learn how to do things professionally.
After learning for about a year I decided it was time to go back to school to finish getting my Bachelor’s degree in Studio Arts since I only had one year left. As soon as I graduated, I got my tattoo license and started working at Junebug Tattoo Studio. I was there for about a year and decided to branch off and start doing pop-ups and traveling for guest spots. In January, I did a guest spot revisiting Junebug and I left my equipment at the shop, planning to come back later that week. The morning I was supposed to head back, I woke up to the news of the Eton fires reaching Altadena and the shop was gone. I couldn’t believe it, It was surreal, everything changed overnight.
I’m incredibly grateful for my friends and everyone who was able to help or donate to rebuild. Without that support, I don’t think I would’ve been able to get back on my feet as quickly as I did. It definitely wasn’t easy but little by little I was able to restore everything I needed. Now I’m back to tattooing more consistently and continuing to do my pop-ups and guest spots. I’m excited for everything that’s unfolding and all the great things still to come.

what type of products/services/creative works you provide:

I focus on tattoos but I also work with various mediums such as sculpture, painting, screen printing, and collage. For tattoos I love doing custom pieces, being able to use my artistic touch to bring my clients ideas to life. I also offer tattoo pop-ups and do guest spots in different cities. I typically do flash tattoos at my pop-up markets and sell hand printed merch as well as prints of my artwork.
My work consists of mixed media often inspired by Armenian motifs, spiritual elements, politics, nature and expressive color. These elements often appear subtly, through imagery, symbols, or even just the energy behind the piece. I’m also really drawn to colors, mainly the combination of blues and oranges. Blue reminds me of depth, memory, mourning, or protection, while orange brings in warmth, resilience, and a sense of fire or survival. These aren’t just aesthetic choices, they’re emotional ones. I create with what I feel in the moment and that shows up across my work as a way of connecting the past with the present.

what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others:

I see tattooing as a delicate, collaborative practice. You’re often spending hours with someone sharing stories or silence so, I try to create a space where my clients feel safe, seen, and comfortable. I listen to what they want and work with them if they’re not sure, even if I have to reapply the stencil 5 times. Hospitality comes naturally to me, and I bring that into every session to make it a positive, intentional experience.

What are you most proud of:

I’m proud of where I come from, being first generation here and my parents for giving me the chance to be whoever I wanted. Being Armenian is something I carry with me in everything I do. It’s in the symbols I’m drawn to, the stories I tell through my work, the way I understand resilience, survival, and beauty. There’s a deep strength in Armenian culture, and I feel honored to be part of that lineage and to keep it alive in my own way, through art.
I’m also proud that I never gave up on this path. Becoming a tattoo artist wasn’t easy, but I knew in my gut it was what I was meant to do. I kept going, even when I lost everything in the Eton fires. That shop was more than a workplace, it was a beginning and a community. Losing it was heartbreaking. But I didn’t stop. I slowly rebuilt and kept moving. I am proud of myself for not giving up.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with my clients by reaching out when I send them the photos I took during the session, and I like to follow up to make sure everything’s healing properly. When I post photos of their tattoos on social media, I’ll often ask them what their favorite song is or what they’re vibing to at the moment—it’s a fun way to add a personal touch. Building that kind of connection helps foster trust and loyalty. Clients feel cared for and seen, and that makes them more likely to come back or recommend me to someone else.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been a mix of media promotion and in-person connections. I mainly use Instagram to showcase my work, but before any event or pop up, I run ads for a few days to make sure a lot of people see it. I also put up flyers, stickers, and business cards around town to reach people offline. Whenever I do pop ups, even ones where I’m just selling my art, I usually display a portfolio and QR codes so people can easily check out my work and book with me. Combining online ads with real world connections has really helped me build a steady and engaged client base.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cal.com/poppy-tattoos
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppy_tattoos
• Other: https://g.co/kgs/k3YcZ8B