Lets talk tattoos. Tattoos have been apart of many cultures dating back to ancient times. There are many reason why you may want to get tattoos, and here on Maui tattoo culture is a part of the lifestyle. I recently got tatted up and was inspired by multiple things. I felt an urge to honor my ancestors and heritage, commemorate my life thus far, further individualize myself in a way that felt raw and natural, and cover up old tattoos that I wasn’t proud of. I found myself at Paia Tattoo Parlor and was so satisfied with my tattoos I kept going back for more! Now, for the entire month of February, the artists at Paia Tattoo Parlor are offering a Valentines flash sale starting at $50 and up! Read on to find out more about my experience and the flash sale!
Paia Tattoo Parlor is located at 120 Hana Hwy, upstairs just off the street. Its large inside with hip music bumping and colorful artwork all over the walls, which sets a tone of pulsing creativity. The first day I went in, I initially got a tattoo from partial-owner and tattoo artist James Cole. I wanted more but when I went back the next day he wasn’t in, so I went with Katelyn. Katelyn is a newer artist, but still she impressed me with her knack for creating unique art based off of my wants and ideas. I decided that I wanted Katelyn to do a bunch more work on me and we embarked on my tattoo mission. She made the process so easy and I felt comfortable and trusted her completed. She exudes an encouraging and uplifting mana, and I felt so content in her presence. During a session, Katelyn gave me some insight on being a tattoo artist in Paia Town.
“For some cultures, we see people marking the earning of a right of passage. People wanna decorate their bodies as their temples. It gives people confidence and can be a powerful experience. But sometimes people just get drunk and wanna get a tattoo as well. I just see it as getting more badass!”
So far I’ve had a total of four sessions with Katelyn and I definitely feel more badass with my new tattoos. We did one cover up, one large back piece, one Hawaiian tribal piece, and a couple of add-ons with cover ups. Katelyn’s corner is situated just to the right of the entry door. It was a cool experience getting tattoo’d because you get to see other people getting tattoos as well. Katelyns area is right next to another artist Miranda. Miranda is an amazing artist who after 8 years as an artist has developed her own signature style. Her artwork style captures nature through clean, minimal, fine lines. Miranda tends to get booked out way in advance from people all around the world who are after her unique signature style. Because of this, Miranda will not be available for the flash sale.
I’m not quite finished getting tatted up. I have a few more pieces to get done, but its definitely a process. I feel more empowered with my new tattoos. I feel adorned by my spirit, like a unique piece of moving artwork that tells the tale of my journey through the art on my body. I feel more connected to my ethnic roots and even to my ancestors. I might even get more tribal tattoos to solidify this even more.
If you’re a college kid thinking about getting your first tattoo, now would be a great time to head over to Paia Tattoo Parlor. You might just find the perfect beginners tattoo while browsing through the artists flash sale offers. The flash sale is starting at $50 and up, so it could be great if you just wanna dip your toe in and start off with a small, cute tat. Of course this would also be the perfect chance to get a matching tattoo with your sweetheart for a super affordable price. The Valentines flash sale will go on through the month of February, so don’t miss out. Find the links to Paia Tattoo Parlor and the available artists social media below to scope out there tattoo style and offerings for the flash sale.
