Today, we’re excited to introduce Atisha Rainey, a passionate rising tattoo artist working at Unity Tattoo in Vancouver (Canada).
In this interview, we get an intimate look at Atisha’s beginnings, her evolving artistic style, the challenges of navigating the modern tattoo industry, and the personal victories that make it all worthwhile. Whether you’re a fellow artist, an aspiring apprentice, or someone who simply loves tattoos, Atisha’s story offers inspiration, insight, and a reminder of the transformative power of this timeless art form.
For the readers who are not familiar with you, how would you introduce yourself?
Hello! My name is Atisha Rainey, I’m a tattoo artist currently working out of Unity Tattoo in Vancouver Canada. I started my apprenticeship in 2018 in small town Canada at Black Swan Tattoo, Gibsons B.C. I very recently moved to the city to expand into the broader industry.
How did your journey in tattooing get started?
Tattoos have always been very normal to me, my father has been heavily tattooed since before I was born, my uncle, my aunt, most people I was around in my early childhood had tattoos. My fascination didn’t start until I looked beyond what I had seen on my family. My dad, being an old school punk from back in the day had patchwork sleeves, which was the general look among my family members, so that was what I was most accustomed too.
So, when I got the opportunity to be an apprentice, I started looking at the expansive variety of artists in the industry, I started seeing tattoo art that I didn’t even know was possible. The limitations were far broader than I ever knew, once I realized that, I was hooked.
At what point in your life you became a tattoo artist?
Tattooing came into my life when I was twenty years old, I had just moved out of my parents house and had recently lost my job. I was feeling very disillusioned and unsure about what direction my life was going in. Being a high school dropout… I felt like my options in life were limited, I had always dreamt of being a professional artist of some sort, since childhood, and without my high school diploma I felt like that was something that was going to be very difficult to attain, especially being the sort of person who always struggled in a classroom setting.
While looking for a new job, I was lucky enough to run into Michelle Warawa, the owner of Black Swan Tattoo, who I had already known for many years. She had tattooed me and most of my family, so I had spent a fair amount of time around her studio already because of that. She said she was in need of a receptionist, and it was a no brainer, I thought it would be super wicked to be working in a space where art was being created every day! I had no idea how much this decision would change my life.
Two months later, Michelle asked me if I wanted to apprentice under her… and that was that, I jumped head first into this craft and fell absolutely in love with everything about it. Now I can say I’m living my childhood dream!
How would you define your current tattoo style and how did you end up focusing on it?
I believe my style is constantly evolving. In its current form, my work features a blend of various styles. I really enjoy the flow and elegance of Art Nouveau, you’ll find a lot of that referenced in my work, while I also enjoy much darker and gothic imagery. I’m a big fan of very high contrast values, it makes the design really grab your attention.
I’ve always loved Ma, the Japanese concept of emptiness. How it’s the space or the gap between that creates the whole, this is something I try to remember during my design process. I like to be versatile and malleable, at this point in my career I think it’s important to try a lot of different styles and techniques, I believe approaching tattooing this way earlier in your career is very beneficial, you can build yourself from all these different styles you’re learning, and over time, collage together something truly unique.
My current approach with my designs is inspired by all the artists I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside, and artists I admire from decades before me. I spend a lot of time looking through art books and soaking up everything I see. I grew up in a very lush and beautiful small seaside town in Canada, so I’ve spent a lot of my life in the forest or at the beach, my love of nature is also very apparent in my style and subject matter because of that inspiration.
What’s the most challenging aspect of being a tattoo artist in 2025?
I would personally say promoting myself has its challenging moments, sometimes it feels like shouting into the void a little bit. But you just gotta keep sharpening your skillset, get out into the community, and stick to it!
Moving from tattooing in a small town to tattooing in Vancouver has had its difficulties because of that, I went from being pretty well known and established in my community, to now having to figure out ways to stand out from the over saturation.
What’s your experience at tattoo conventions so far?
I went to my first convention in August of 2018 I believe? Just fresh into my apprenticeship, it was the Victoria Tattoo Expo, I was there to work the booth and make sure my mentor had the support she needed, basically a tattoo roadie. It was such an amazing experience. Coming from small town Canada and being very artistic and eclectic, I always felt like a bit of an alien.
Stepping foot into that convention centre was such an eye opening and exciting experience to have, seeing so many people who were just as (if not more) artistic and eclectic as me, all in one space, being celebrated and successful? Powerful.
I still feel that energizing excitement when I go to conventions, I hope that feeling never goes away. I’ve worked booth at two conventions, visited a couple, and now finally tattooing at the Vancouver Tattoo Show this year!
What’s your primary reason to attend a convention?
Conventions are a great way to get yourself out into the industry and make connections that can become helpful building blocks for your career, or just make some good friends in the industry!
What advice would you offer to someone considering a career as a tattoo artist?
Tattooing is a lifestyle. Don’t see it as a hobby, or a side gig. Throw yourself into it, give this craft the respect it deserves… and don’t forget to ENJOY it, don’t get lost in the grind. Draw every day, find your heroes and obsess over their work, watch documentaries, read about it, really focus on understanding the lineage of tattooing.
Find an artist in your town or city who you feel could be a good mentor for you, and get tattooed by them. Ask them questions and really show your interest and dedication. If tattooing is meant for you, you’ll find your way.
Who are the people you admire the most within the tattoo community?
There’s an endless list of people in this community that I admire. To name a few off the top of my head; Hannah Flowers, Filouino, Zach Black, and Hany are astounding artists who I really look up to. Ultimately, it’s the people keeping things fresh, doing it their way and straying away from trends, while staying authentic and true to themselves. Those are the people who are moving this industry forward, those are the people who inspire me to keep growing.
What’s your biggest accomplishment as a tattoo artist?
Being here. Building myself up every day and pushing forward into a successful life as an artist. I started my career from the ground up, with a strong foundation of well established female tattooers guiding me through it all. I can be proud of who I am now, tattooing has given me more than just a career, it’s given me a purpose. Being able to move away from my comfortable nest, stand my ground, and hold onto this gift I’ve been given, has been the greatest accomplishment of my life, and I believe it’s just going to keep giving me more and more to be proud of!
What’s the most meaningful feedback you’ve ever received from a client?
I always love when clients tell me they’re wearing shorts, or a bikini etc. for the first time in their life because of the tattoo I gave them. They put trust in me to adorn a piece of their body that they had insecure feelings about, with that trust I was able to help transform their relationship with that piece of themselves. Having a hand in giving them that freedom is astounding, it brings me so much fulfillment!! What a magical thing to have the opportunity to do for them.
What are your goals or dreams for the near future?
Lately my goal is to become a part of the broader industry. I want to attend more conventions, enter competitions, and hopefully bring home some awards. I would also like to travel with this career more, working international guest spots and tattoo shows is definitely a big dream of mine.
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