Aaron Sangenitto

I was fascinated by tattoos long before I was old enough to get one. As a kid, I was drawn to the idea that artwork could become a permanent part of someone's story. Shortly after turning 18, I got my first job in a tattoo shop and began teaching myself the craft. I have been tattooing professionally since 1997.

I was born and raised in Redding and was the first artist to join Tattooz Ink when the studio opened in 2004. Having spent nearly three decades tattooing in the same community that raised me, I have had the privilege of watching ideas, clients and even entire families return through different chapters of their lives.

My earliest artistic influences came from the worlds created in the Alien and Predator movies. H.R. Giger's work, fantasy alien landscapes and the merging of organic life with machinery opened a door in my imagination that never really closed. When I began tattooing, I found further inspiration in the work of Aaron Cain and Guy Aitchison. Over the years, Guy Aitchison, Aaron Cain, Ron Earhart and Paul Booth have continued to influence the way I think about movement, texture, depth and the possibilities of tattooing.

Freehand biomechanical tattooing is where many of those influences come together for me. I enjoy drawing directly on the body and allowing the person's natural anatomy to help shape the design, creating something that belongs to that specific body rather than simply placing an image on top of it.

I also enjoy underwater realism, custom floral work, cover-ups and just about any other fully custom tattoo project. Sometimes a client arrives with a complete vision, while other times they only know that they want something meaningful but cannot quite see it yet. Those projects can be some of the most rewarding. I enjoy sitting down with someone, learning about their interests, memories and the imagery they are naturally drawn toward, then helping them uncover the tattoo that was somewhere inside those ideas all along.

When a client already has a clear vision, I take the time to listen for the heart of the idea: what matters most to them and what they want the tattoo to communicate. From there, I use my experience and artistic judgment to develop original artwork that works with the body, fits the placement and remains readable over time.

People frequently compliment the lengths I go to in making sure their tattoo becomes what they hoped it would be. I take pride in my freehand abilities and fine detail, but experience has also taught me the importance of honesty. If an idea, placement or amount of detail is unlikely to translate well or age properly, I will explain why and help find a stronger solution.

My roots in Redding run deep. My own journey through recovery has also given me a profound appreciation for the life I get to live today and for the people who helped me rebuild it.