Meet Nina Kauffman | Tattoo Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nina Kauffman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nina, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think the reason my business is successful is because I am kind. Not the typical answer you’d think from a tattoo artist, but i really feel like that is why I have a steady clientele and why I get recommended to people (especially for first time tattoos). Yes, I do think my art abilities are definitely worth something, but there are so many talented artists out there. Something about me that stands out from other artists is that I am patient, I am kind, and I listen to my clients. I listen to what they envision for a tattoo, I listen to what makes them comfortable, I listen to the critics they have for me. I don’t like the stereotypical scary tattoo artist vibes. I’m just a person, stabbing another person, so that they feel better about their body and decorate it how they want to.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What can I tell you about my art? Well it’s definitely evolved through out the years. I started drawing in elementary school after watching anime for the first time. Inuyasha and Naruto were my first animes and all i wanted to do was draw characters. From there I started middle school and I thought it was the funniest thing to draw p*n*s*s on everything. Just like Jonah Hill from the movie Superbad, I had notebooks filled with p*n*s comics because I liked making people laugh. Suddenly art wasn’t just a thing for myself, but something I felt good about to entertain other people with. Into high school I started doing more color realism and really studying the fundamentals of art. I liked realism because it seemed to impress people the most. So I realized what I enjoyed what making art that impressed people or made them feel a certain way. Becoming a tattoo artist was perfect for me before I even knew it. Now if I were to describe my style, I’d say black and grey fine line is my strong suit. But I do like challenging myself and taking on commissions from people to really push my limits and see what I’m capable of! My favorites are anime, funny silly tattoos, and large scale black work.

I’m so grateful I get to be an artist and have my dream job, but it certainly wasn’t easy! Getting into the tattoo industry can be very challenging and takes a lot of guts and commitment. It’s always a risk taking a chance to become an artist. I was a chemistry major at The University of North Texas when I decided to change my whole life plan and become an artist. It’s not the conventional route, but I’ve always felt that if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to make it a reality no matter what it takes. No matter how many low paying side jobs you have to take, debt you have to put yourself in, tears you cry, if something is your dream, you can’t let the world take that away from you.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh boy, little Denton Texas can be a fun place! There’s art and music everywhere if you look. So if I were to take someone out to Denton on a Saturday morning, first we would get a nice lavender coffee at Golden Boy Coffee. Then we would go to the Denton Community Market on Mulberry St. Buy some art, maybe some plants. Then out to brunch at one of my favorite spots 940’s Kitchen & Cocktails. Get a mimosa and some chicken biscuit sliders. Then we could go on the Square and maybe play some arcade games at Free Play. For dinner we could go to The Greenhouse for steaks or even Bagheri’s for pasta and entertainment. As it turns into the evening we could catch a show at Rubber Gloves and see local denton bands play. And then for a night cap, my favorite bar in Denton to hangout and play pool would be Tom’s Daiquiri. And that would be a perfect day in Denton.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wanna give a shout out to Golden Boy Coffee for giving me the opportunity to run Golden Girl Tattoo Parlor! They contacted little ol 23 year old me and asked me to run a tattoo shop behind their coffee shop and at first I was terrified, but I knew it could be the start of a fun and fulfilling shop. I also want to shout out and thank my 3 roommates who have supported me, lived with me, and laughed with me since the beginning of my tattoo journey. Roger Johnson, Ray Saucedo, and Colin Lush. These boys have seen me at my lowest points and I’m grateful to have them as my friends and support system.

Website: goldengirltattooparlor.com

Instagram: ninakauffman

Twitter: ninakauffman