VANAE RIVERA

Born in Salt Lake City in 1978, Vanae Mary Rivera began her artistic journey with pencil and pen. She has been based in Santa Barbara since 2004. In 2012, she embarked on her tattoo apprenticeship, marking the start of her professional career in tattoo artistry.

Her work is deeply influenced by street art, vintage dolls, pin-ups, Chicano art, graphic design, American traditional tattoo styles, and typography, with a touch of botanical themes inspired by her prior career as a floral designer.

Currently, her artistic repertoire includes acrylic paintings on wood, assemblages of vintage finds, and linoleum block printing. Rivera operates out of her studio, Mary Tattoo, established in downtown Santa Barbara in 2020, as well as her home art studio nestled in the Los Padres National Forest.