By 2017, I had my own private studio in Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast. That experience opened my eyes to the industry in ways I never expected. But what was meant to be a two-year adventure had stretched into seven, and the call of home was getting too loud to ignore. So, with my family, I finally made the move to New Zealand.
Less than 24 hours after stepping off the plane, I found a place to continue my craft. In the heart of Tauranga, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside incredible artists and great friends, constantly pushing my art further.
Here I am in a few words…
Born in Greece to a Belgian mother and a Kiwi father, I was pretty much destined to travel. I spent a big chunk of my life in Belgium, where I studied 3D animation and digital texturing, earning my bachelor's degree.
In 2012, feeling completely unfulfilled, I noticed an old tattoo on my back—one I’d forgotten I even had. I looked at it and thought, Huh… I bet I can do better. So, I packed up, sold my stuff, and headed to Australia with nothing but a backpack and the dream of becoming a tattoo artist.
It wasn’t easy. For a year, I bounced between staying in backpacker hostels when I had money and public restrooms when I didn’t. But eventually, I found a studio willing to take me in, and that’s where I learned the basics.
I specialize in realism—black and gray or color—but I also love playing with textures and letting instinct take the lead. Over the past few years, my style has shifted from super clean and methodical to something a bit looser and more natural. I’ve been developing my own mix of sketch and ink work, and it’s starting to feel like home.
Bedtime stories with my son reminded me of something I’d forgotten—how much I love storytelling. Then my wife left me a note that hit me right in the heart, and before I knew it, I was deep into writing a young adult fantasy novel and a series of illustrated kids' books.
That’s what sparked BigFish Studio—a place where I get to enjoy the craft of tattooing and the creative escape of writing and drawing.