CREATIVE TATTOO SERVICE
Established in 2017 in East Durham, NC, offering a distinctive tattoo experience in a clean and friendly environment. We focus on kindness, professionalism, and artistic flair. We honor tattooing as a service; emphasizing the comfort of our clients and by taking a collaborative approach to the tattoo process.
​
Get to know our talented team by exploring their profiles below!
Tatiana Martinez-Riviere
Tattoo Artist
Tati has been drawing everything and anything since they could hold a pencil. They grew up in Puerto Rico, so they especially love tattooing other brown people in the area. Their career in tattooing started almost three years ago, and they enjoy working with bold lines, and creating illustrative creatures and plants!
​
"During sessions, I like to make sure that my clients are fully comfortable, whether it's your first tattoo or your 100th. No matter what your identity is, I want you to feel comfortable doing this tattoo with me."
Marina Carmena
Tattoo Artist
Since the beginning, Marina’s life has been engulfed in the arts; taking part in performing and visual arts from a young age. She began her tattoo career in 2022 after leaving the world of pre professional ballet. She dove into tattooing after relocating to Hillsborough, NC and subsequently fell in love with it. Marina has a focus in black and grey, illustrative realism, and fine line, but is always open to any style and direction.
“I strive to provide all my clients with art that strengthens their confidence and appreciation for themselves and their bodies. My clients are incredibly important to me and I love curating an involved experience for everyone. Tattooing is a sacred practice that I am honored to be a part of.”
Monica Lee
Tattoo Artist
Monica's background is in animation and mixed media arts. Her tattooing career started in 2022 with a
style that is characterized by its explorative, illustrative, and adorning qualities, which draw inspiration from nature and ornamental design.
“Tattooing has helped me grow both personally and creatively in a way that no other art form has. My goal is to create a comfortable environment for my clients, allowing them to experience the sense of self-expression and autonomy that tattoos provide."
Ariel Kopelove
Tattoo Artist
Ariel started her tattoo journey in 2018. Her style draws inspirations from art nouveau, botanical illustration, neo-traditional, horror, and abstract art. She loves tattooing critters of all sorts.
“My goal for every client is to help them feel comfortable in their bodies and to have fun creating a piece they can be proud to wear.”
Samantha Castrovinci
Tattoo Artist/Owner
Samantha's tattoo career started in 2007. She specializes in illustrative tattooing that flows and fits the client's anatomy with art nouveau and biomechanical influences. Flora, fauna, faces, and figures often appear as the subject matter in her works. She is inspired by the modern human experience within ancient nature.
​
At her 10 year mark of tattooing, she opened The Studio. She is now elated to share space and success with other creative tattooists.
"Tattooing has been the most consistent part of my life through all of its fluctuations of self discovery. It is most satisfying to serve others through tattooing as a medium."
Spencer Graham
Studio Manager
Born and raised in Durham, Spencer began working in tattoo shops while enrolled in college in 2019. Having admired tattoos since a young age, he enjoyed applying customer service skills and learning aspects of business management inside an industry he'd always appreciated and taken a strong interest in.
Joining The Studio in 2022, Spencer was thrilled to find a team of talented artists and incredibly friendly and positive people to continue building his management skills with. He enjoys the opportunity to help people have a great experience from the start, keep everything running smoothly, and meeting everyone who walks in the door! When he's not working, he enjoys playing video games, collecting tattoos, going for motorcycle rides, and spending time with friends and family.
"Going to get a tattoo is an innately personal endeavor. Nobody wants to be excited to reach out to a shop and have their first point of contact be with some cool guy who couldn't care less. If I can make someone's tattoo experience even 5% more enjoyable or comfortable,
that's a win for me."
Rori Tijerina
Studio Assistant
Hi, I’m Rori (they/them pronouns, please). I’m a 3rd generation Mexican/American, Texas born ‘n’ raised.
​
I’ve been doing hair in Durham for about 6 or 7 years now and as I transition to different types of work, I feel so blessed and honored to have found The Studio as a place to share my care, skills, and attention with others!
I believe that the ways we adorn ourselves has been central to who we are and how we engage with one another in the entirety of human history. As a person less inclined toward societal/conventional beauty standards, I found from an early age that getting tattoos was something that made me feel the most at home in my body.
As well, being in the queer and trans community has made it even more clear to me how much a haircut/or a tattoo can change how someone perceives their self, how others perceive them, and help other folks feel more embodied. I recognize the vulnerability in walking into a tattoo shop or studio and I want to make that experience feel as welcoming, comfortable, and enjoyable as possible.