Tattoo Love & Body Piercing Co. (Tattoo Love) was the first tattoo and piercing shop established in Eagle Rock, according to George Tavera, the company’s owner. He said that Tattoo Love, founded 15 years ago, is one of the last remaining American traditional tattoo shops in the US.
“[Tattoo Love] is more rock and roll, traditional, what you see is what you get, 500-square-foot shop, badass artists,” Tavera said.
Tavera said he grew up close to Occidental and has been involved with the local Eagle Rock community since childhood. He said he loved drawing and coloring books as a child, learning from his grandma and uncle who also loved drawing. Tavera said that for three years he juggled a corporate job and a tattooing apprenticeship before deciding to open his own studio and work full-time as an artist.
“I decided to take an early retirement, in a sense,” Tavera said. “I always feel like you should love what you’re doing.”
Diana Davidyan said she has been tattooing for three years, and joined Tattoo Love a few months ago as the studio’s newest member. Davidyan said she is originally from Russia and came to the United States 15 years ago to pursue higher education. She said she has obtained two associate degrees at a fine arts college and is currently working a degree in the medical field, because she believes healthcare workers are needed at the moment.
“I’m still doing art, I’m not going to stop doing that; it’s good to do both,” Davidyan said.
Davidyan said she has done art throughout her life, but that it was her husband — covered in tattoos when they first met — who encouraged her to go into tattooing. Davidyan said she was initially against the idea, as she hated shots and needles.
“I never imagined myself poking someone with a needle,” Davidyan said.
Davidyan said she realized she enjoyed tattooing more than painting or drawing after taking lessons and apprenticing under a tattoo instructor. Davidyan said tattooing feels special to her, because she is able to create art that is permanent on someone’s body. She said she is continuing to grow as a tattoo artist while at Tattoo Love.
“I learn from other artists right now, and it’s nice to [work with] artists who are more experienced than you, because you can always ask their advice and opinion,” Davidyan said.
Xavi Campbell ’22 said they went to Tattoo Love for the first time during their sophomore year for a touch-up and soon became a regular client, eventually getting their nose and ears pierced at the store.
“[Tattoo Love] became a place that I really enjoyed going to,” Campbell said.
Campbell said they appreciate the customer service at Tattoo Love.
“They are very good about working with you, trying to figure out what’s best for you and trying to tailor it to you,” Campbell said.
Campbell said they have built a trusting and loyal relationship with Poison Ivy, the artist who did their touch-up and their now go-to tattoo artist in LA.
“It’s something that can be very meaningful, and it’s a shared experience between you and your tattoo artist where it’s like, ‘I’m trusting you to have my best interest at heart when it comes to the tattoo on my body, what I’m comfortable with, pain tolerance, all of the above,’” Campbell said. “It is essentially a partnership.”
Tavera said he sees many Occidental students at Tattoo Love and that staff and faculty visit the studio often as well. He said that at Tattoo Love, they emphasize building strong client-artist relationships and that an Occidental professor once donated a pair of skulls to the studio.
Tavera said he likes interacting with the Occidental community and is always excited to see Occidental students at Tattoo Love.
“We are true Oxy fans, and we want you guys to be a part of us,” Tavera said.
Tattoo Love’s Halloween Flash deal will run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. Flashes are available to view in advance on Tattoo Love’s Instagram.
Contact Drey Chan at dchan2@oxy.edu
