I got a tattoo at Smoking Mirror in Columbus & made some friends for life in the process
Like so many of you, dear readers, I like tattoos.
If I had the time or the courage, I would be covered from head to toe in all the tattoos I could manage.
Some of the most special and transcendent experiences I’ve ever had were in a tattoo chair. Not to be hyperbolic, but it really is that special.
The artists at Smoking Mirror Tattoo seem to get this. As a female, native-owned shop that embraces and employs queer people, this shop is the most inviting place you can imagine and every inch of it is covered in beautiful and eclectic art, inspired mostly by owner Malia Sioux’s late father, Tony Machado.
It’s Malia’s vision that shapes Smoking Mirror Tattoo
Malia is owner and proprietor of the coolest little shop located on Delauney Ave. and the way in which she has memorialized the space as a tribute to her family is quite remarkable.
Malia’s father was a renowned visual artist, painter, muralist and sculptor. Machado and his famous collaborator, Michael Rios, are responsible for some of the most provocative and expressive murals in the San Francisco Mission district. In fact, the name of the shop came from one of his most honored paintings Tezcatlipoca (lord of the smoking mirror).
Each studio room is personalized by the artist in the space. Malia hopes to create, “a safe and sacred space within our community for our friends, clients and tattooers to be themselves while we get to do awesome tattoos! No tattitude” And I can testify to this. I loved every second of being there.
Meet Annabell and Van
Two other artists work at the shop, Annabell Sioux (Malia’s daughter) and Van Bixler.
Anabell has been around a tattoo shop since she was a little girl. She is a soft-spoken but powerful woman, and has a comforting vibe about her. Her biggest want is to ultimately make every client feel welcome and safe, and her wish is that everyone “just feel comfortable at the end of the day.”
Van grew up the child of missionaries and was born in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The Smoking Mirror artist was endlessly patient with me while they worked on me and I really admired their attention to detail. Their career started with more traditional artistic endeavors and they have a pre-job ritual in which they like to really acclimate themselves before they start a session. (This came in handy before my session, as I am fairly certain I talked their ear off).
The artists answer some questions about their craft
I sat down with all three artists to ask a few questions about the process, their artistic philosophy and what they think their vibe is as a tattooist.
What do you think your particular style is, as a tattooist?
Malia: I tattoo a lot of illustrative flowers and plants with a solid background in traditional tattooing. The gallery was put together with the intention to honor my father. Getting to work with my family and pass this down to my kiddos is my dream come true.
Annabell: I consider my tattoos to be whimsical traditional, with bold lines and a little pixie dust. I want to do tattoos that make people feel good, and I want to do tattoos in a space that people feel comfortable in. I want people to leave here with tattoos you can recognize and understand from across the room, and that felt truly comfortable to get.
Van: My brand uses fine line style and color realism as a baseline, branching out into neo-traditionalism and watercolor when the subject calls for it. My aesthetic is mostly stylized, it includes depictions of plants and animals and can focus on body parts like skulls. Bird skulls and bones are really fascinating to me.
Do you remember the first tattoo you ever gave?
Malia: The first tattoo I did was on my first mentor and it was a shark.
Van: My first tattoo was a fig I did on my left thigh.
What is tattooing, to you?
Malia: I really love tattooing illustrative faces. To me tattooing is very methodical and therapeutic. I am forever grateful for it, this shop and the people who work here.
Annabell: Tattooing is changing, and I think we’re starting to leave behind the “tattitude.” We’re doing away with the old school mentality, cramped spaces, grime, bigotry, misogyny, judgment, all of it. I think it’s safe to say that a majority of my clients come to me to try to feel safe and heard in a way that just has never happened.
Van: I’ve seen a gravitation towards less traditionally masculine tattoos.
I enlisted Smoking Mirror, and more specifically, Van, to do my latest tattoo, and by the time they were done, I’m fairly certain we were best friends. That’s me up there, you can see the whole experience over on the Ledger-Enquirer’s Instagram page.
The small snake on my back was a decision a long time in the making, and they were thoughtful in their suggestions and very, very patient with me as I nervously chatted.
I will continue to go back to see the folks at Smoking Mirror for every tattoo I get from now on, and I highly recommend you do as well.
For appointments you can DM them at:
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