Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mari Nickl. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mari, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?

My hero is my mom, Wendy. Through her example, watching her in life and her direct teachings as a mom, I am who I am today. My mom taught me the two things I believe I now carry most in my career every day: hustle and humility. She told me and showed me how to be the hardest, most valuable worker in the room, while also remaining kind and respectful. How working with others may not always be easy… but that’s life, and regardless we need to be compassion and understanding.

Mari, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am hapa (mixed race: Japanese/German) born & raised in a tiny town on the Big Island of Hawaii. When I was little I knew I wanted a career that was “different.” It’s just who I was (and am), a little unique. I have always loved art and I am completely self-taught in art. My parents would draw here and there, and I just copied them and started doodling as a creative outlet.

I wanted to go to college for art, but was persuaded to pick something else. I was told by many that the life of an artist is “really hard and you’d be struggling and starving forever”. So I decided to study fashion. I have a Bachelor of Science in Apparel Merchandising and Design from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

After graduating college, I worked retail, diligently saved my money for a year and decided to move to Los Angeles… kind of out of nowhere. I had never been to California before in my life. I had no car, no apartment, no family, and no job in LA. My first few years in LA were so fun, but also rough. I learned a lot. I think most LA transplants can relate.

Tattooing found me in LA. I have always loved tattoos, the history, culture, and the art. I started working at tattoo shops as a shop helper for extra money on the weekends. I initially did NOT want to learn how to tattoo, I just wanted to be around the art and the energy of a shop. After a year or so, I realized I loved the tattoo industry much, much more than the fashion industry. It was where I felt I belonged. I spent many years gaining experience in pretty much all facets of running a shop, from mopping floors, booking clients for artists, piercing, event planning, scrubbing tubes, and working at walk-in street shops to appointment only based studios.

Eventually I was asked if I wanted to become an apprentice and learn how to actually make tattoos. A few artists saw me drawing at the shop after work and honestly really bugged me to learn. Looking back, I am grateful to them for making me try and to myself for finally taking the plunge. 4 years later, I am now a full time tattoo artist, own my own business, and work at a private studio. And I truly can’t see myself doing anything else.

When you come from humble roots, you often have to work really hard for opportunities that may come to others effortlessly. I use this mentality for my career in tattooing. I am always learning, always striving to create better. I approach every tattoo willing myself to do everything I can to make it the best I’ve ever done, in a fun, kind, safe environment for the client, with open communication.

I prefer creating black and gray illustrative linework tattoos. Tattoos with a strong outline and soft shading are my favorite; they will look amazing today but also twenty years from now. Bold will hold, always. With that said, I also push myself to create almost every type of tattoo and I am open to collaborating on custom tattoo ideas.

I love and appreciate tattooing and working with clients more than can be properly shared with words. I was told art could not be a job, and yet here I am, from a tiny town in the middle of the ocean, to here in LA… Because of tattooing, I have my dream job, and I never forget that.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I have had a lot of success through connecting with client’s via word of mouth. It almost sounds silly because with visual art like tattoos, social media (ie Instagram, TikTok) are usually what keep us artist’s afloat nowdays. I think what sets me apart is the actual person to person experience of getting a tattoo. I try to give my client’s the best tattoo and overall visit I can possibly share, in a kind genuine manner. I believe that then causes them to want to share my information with their friend’s and family. It might seem old fashioned to some, but it truly works for me.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I’ve worked or spent time in a decent amount of tattoo shops and studios throughout Southern California. I believe what has helped me coming into these spaces (whether it be to work, or to get a tattoo myself) is to enter with good intentions and a willingness to be communicative and kind. I know I have gained respect from other artists by simply respecting them. It’s easy.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @mari.x.art

Image Credits
Dez Cardona, Matthew Hendrix