OUR
TEAM
Art + Body Creative Studio offers quality art and design services including custom professional body artistry.
Our artists have diverse professional training and offer a range of art creative specialties. They create art for sale, commissioned art, interior and exterior large projects as well as consultant services.
Our experienced artists offer tattoo specialties in traditional, ta moko, handtap and handpoke, colour, black and grey tattoo, neo-traditional, realism, traditional and sacred geometry.
We also offer professional body piercing.
JULES
RESIDENT ARTIST
Ta Moko Practitioner, Cultural Artist, Writer, Painter
Tattoo Styles: Ta Moko, Ta Tatau, Fineline, Custom Maori, Body Suits, Ornamental
Julie (Jules) has 30 years experience with ta moko and has been active as an artist for 40 years. Her post-graduate qualifications in third world development and maori visual arts uniquely positions her understanding of maori art as a cultural practice with the ability to heal trauma.
Jules has firm foundations within customary (traditional) maori techniques and design but as a progressive multimedia artist, is always challenging the development of ta moko.
“Moko to me is a process of connecting each of us through its practice, to the ancient wisdom of our ancestors, so that their mana and mauri may become centred within our personal spiritual self”
- Julie Paama-Pengelly
STABBY
RESIDENT ARTIST
Painter, Sculpturist, Print Maker, Tattoo Artist
Tattoo Styles: American Traditional, Blackwork, Illustrative
Shannon (Stabby) is a multi-talented artist and musician with a background in painting, sculpture and printmaking, and formal training from Southern Cross University, Australia.
Her quirky, satirical and sometimes macabre original twist on American Traditional style is matched by her humour and she has a dedicated client following.
SUNNY
RESIDENT ARTIST
Artist, Illustrator, Designer, Tattoo Artist, Piercer
Tattoo Styles: Neo Traditional, Black and Grey, Colour, Traditional
Continuing her journey from childhood to learning the arts professionally, in 2008 Sunny undertook part-time studies with art teacher Jianchun Li, in Lanzhou, Gansu, China. Her primary focus of study began with basic realistic style pencil drawing, sketch drawing and watercolor drawing.
Currently Sunny has a particular passion for coloured or black and grey neo-traditional styles. Humbly understating herself as ‘good’, Sunny achieves a large following of clients, and her focus of fine arts and attentions to detail leave her outstanding in illustration and custom tattoo design.
KATE
RESIDENT ARTIST
Visual Artist, Illustrator, Designer, Painter, Tattoo Artist, Professional Sportswoman
Tattoo Styles: Black and Grey, Realism, Fineline, Mandala, Dot Work
Kate Enoka is a full time artist and her career in the industry has developed enormously over the last three years.
With an interest in arts and design since 2007, Kate utilises her unique background to create non-gender specific, non-discriminating designs available for all walks of life.
HOLIE
RESIDENT ARTIST
Graffiti Street Artist, Graphic Designer, Painter, Tattoo Artist
Tattoo Styles: Realism, Colourist, Lettering, Graffiti
Italo Holie is from Porto Alegre, Brazil, and with recognition in his home city, has solely practiced as a creative over the last 16 years specializing in Street Art, Graphic Design and Tattoo.
Holie has been practising tattoo for 7 years, and has worked in several studios in Brazil. In Brazil, he became recognized for participating in tattoo conventions – and has received 6 awards in the categories Best Color and Best of the Event.
JULIOUS
RESIDENT ARTIST
Ta Moko Pracitioner, Tattoo Artist
Tattoo Styles: Ta Moko
Julious Mora, now resident ta moko artist at Art + Body Creative Studio.
Julious does not keep readily made designs as this is not part of the process of ta moko as each piece is and should be custom designed to the individual. Each design is designed for the client which represents their unique lineage and family, life experiences, triumphs and tribulations. They may also represent healing that has taken place or a beloved family member who has passed on.
If you are interested in undergoing the process for your own piece, please feel free to contact Julious directly.
LUCAS
RESIDENT ARTIST
Designer, Illustrator, Tattoo Artist
Tattoo Styles: Aquarell, New School, Blackwork
Lucas Vargas grew up in southern Brazil, and graduated in design at the Superior School of Publicity and Marketing (Brazil) in 2013. Lucas worked with art direction for six years and, in 2017, started his studies in tattoo art.
His tattoo style contemplates application of colors, blackwork and fineline.
SAMMY
EMERGING ARTIST
Glass Artist, Emerging Tattoo Artist
Tattoo Style Focus: New School
Since June 2019, Sammy has undertaken a intensive tattoo apprenticeship here at Art + Body Creative Studio, including undertaking training in professional piercing.
Sammy is currently developing his art skills and focusing particularly in New School tattoo style.
See more on Sammy's current $79 flash promotion at:
STORMY
GUEST ARTIST
Tattoo Artist, Designer, Illustrator
Tattoo Styles: Ta Tatau, Ta Moko
Stormy Kara is from the Cook Islands and is based out of Pacific Ink's Kareha Art Studio in Tumutevarovaro (or more commonly known as Rarotonga). Stormy is an internationally travelling artist in the revitalization of Pacific Ta Tatau, educating those around her about ta tatau, ta moko and history of the Cook Islands.
LIAM
APPRENTICE
Fashion Design Student, Textiles, Tattoo Apprentice
Tattoo Style Focus: Ta Moko
Liam Banbury AKA Half Hori, was born in New Zealand and is proud to be of Maori descent. His creative journey started as a young child, and has flourished over the past 6 years in the time he has resided in Tauranga.
AREENA
APPRENTICE
Visual Arts Graduate, Maori Arts, Painting, Tattoo Apprentice
Tattoo Style Focus: Ta Moko
Areena Smith is a local creative practitioner of Tauranga Moana. As a Bachelor of Creative Industries graduate, her passion is based around an expression of the holistic Maori world view - identifying the customary visual language and utilising contemporary forms of expression through various mediums and methodologies.
KAIWHETU
APPRENTICE
Creative Industries Student, Carving, Ta Moko, Tattoo Apprentice
Tattoo Style Focus: Ta Moko
Who knows how to write about themselves? Kaiwhetu will figure it out shortly, watch this space.
JOE
APPRENTICE
Visual Arts, Carving, Tattoo Apprentice
Tattoo Style Focus: Ta Moko Apprentice
Tauranga based artist, Joseph Houia, has been honing his skills in Ta Moko under the guidance of established Ta Moko artist Julie Paama-Pengelly for 3 months but his love and talent for art has been lifelong.
NATE
SENIOR BARBER
Senior Barber
As well as being highly recommended for his craft, hence the name Big Friendly Barber, Nate is all three – a holy trifecta in the Barbering industry.
Find more from Nate at
CHON
STUDIO MANAGER
Graphic Design Graduate, Project Management
Studio Manager
Born in Auckland and from the Far North, Chontelle Hohaia is a 2018 graduate who majored Graphic Design in the Bachelor of Creative Industries at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology – utilizing the influences of her culture and environment to make ordered sense of her creative practice.