Words: Kate Monahan
Photos provided by Anna Melo & Steve Gong
Anna Melo is a true artist. She is a talented painter and a progressive, prolific, phenomenal tattoo artist
working in one of the most upscale and high end tattoo shops, North Star Tattoo, located in the East Village,
founded by her now husband, Rodrigo Melo. Her story of becoming the great tattoo artist she is now did not
start out as a fairy tale. She didn’t just meet her husband and nail a key spot in his critically acclaimed shop.
She had to work for it.
Anna has always been an artist and began getting tattooed at 18. Before Rodrigo opened his own shop,
Anna was getting traditional Japanese work tattooed by him. Both of her sleeves, back piece, and other
work were also done by him. During their time in sessions they had a splendid rapport. They never dated
during their sessions. It wasn’t until after Rodrigo opened his own shop that after her appointments they
would go get dinner and talk. It was a slow and natural progression - they just clicked.
They’ve been together now for seven years and Anna apprenticed under Rodrigo, which she sees as a
great honor, being able to learn from such a great artist. She still learns from him, even now working in
the shop. They never fight; she asks for his advice and continues to learn. From beginning her apprenticeship and to this day, Anna still studies the culture and art of tattooing, that has been around for ages.
It’s a dedication to her, a lifestyle. To be tattooed and immersing herself into the tattoo culture is her way
of paying homage to the tattoo gods - to earn her keep. She believes that a tattooer, a true one should
be tattooed, unlike some artists that are not covered and do not see it as a lifestyle. There are these
types of shops around - the walk in places that charge $80 for a bang out flash piece where no real art
is being made.
She apprenticed at North Star for a year and a half, not only learning the art of tattooing, but taking
care of the shop, working the floor, cleaning tubes, learning how to put machines together, solder
needles and paint flash, as well as pouring over her tattoo history boo ks. Anna still believes that her
apprenticeship is not over, that she never stops learning more and more at becoming a better artist.
68
InkSpiredMagazine.com