TATTOOLYA - JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

Tattoo TV contributor Teresa Gortz writes a piece about a studio and artist from her homeland of South Africa, so if your ever down that way, pop into what sounds like a 'good place to be'. "Located in sunny and green Johannesburg,South Africa, this studio is well worth the visit. Upon arrival, the first thing you notice is how spacious and well ventilated it is, with doors leading to a balcony, where you will most often find the two tattooists Marisa and Ronald sitting in the warm,African sunshine, designing their next clients tattoos". Back inside you feel at ease and relaxed, this studio is well kept and sterile.There is plenty reference material from books and magazines to flash and photos of the artists work to help you with your choice of design. Tattoolya opened in  2005 by Marisa Noodergraaf who was joined by Ronald Jacobs. The studio offers both custom design as well as offer a range of body piercings and body suspensions(for those curious minds!). As for Marisa as an artist, although it is all too common nowadays for people to lack direction in life, this is certainly not the case for here, at the tender age of 15 she was already seeking employment  in the industry and looking to sport some ink! Legal requirements were the only thing preventing Marisa from getting more actively involved so it came as no surprise that shortly after her 18th birthday she took up an apprenticeship at Quite Bizarre Tattoo under Roysten’s watchful eye. Marisa honed her skills and begun her career, which now spans over a decade. A conversation with Marisa reveals that she is friendly, kind and passionate about what she does, not to mention the easy disposition, that comes with someone who is very well travelled, (having  worked in Europe at studios like Jack the Hat in London and Abstract in Spain). Having gained a wealth of experience, Marisa opened Tattoolya where she tapers her skills to meet her clients needs. She is a highly sought after Greyscale artist but also specialises in intricate florals, portrait work and Tahitan styles. Her inspirations come from all things nature orientated. Everything from plants, trees, flowers to the sky, the ocean, rivers and lakes. She also has a keen eye for detail and admires views, mountain writing and even macro lenses!  One of her favourite artists is Jondix from Barcelona whom she was fortunate enough to get tattooed by last year. Marisa is a strong force to be reckoned with, and is highly recommended to visit if you happpen to be visiting  South Africa.