Meet Erin Kanae | Cosmetic Tattoo Artist

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

Hi Erin, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
If someone had asked me 5 years ago if I considered myself creative, I would have said no. I always believed that being creative meant that you should be able to create “art” from nothing but a vision in your mind. But then that begs the question of, what is art? Who’s to say that the crappy acrylic painting that looks like nothing isn’t a work of art? Can’t creativity be defined as simply the desire to create? Practically everything I do on my free time is something creative – woodwork, small DIY home renovation projects, learning macrame, designing chalkboards, dying my hair, the list goes on. So, yeah, I’m definitely creative, and I eventually realized that I’m the kind of creative that needs to create as her primary activity, not something she does for a few hours on the weekends.

My day job(s) never satisfied any creative itch for me. I fell into sales and data analytics (for great companies in the entertainment space), but I had zero clue where I was going to go with that, and also knew I didn’t want to climb the corporate ladder. I thought about the next 30 years working a desk job, collecting a paycheck, working for someone else, and that future made me sick. I wanted to feel like the thing I spent most of my waking hours doing was something that filled up my soul, something that I not only genuinely enjoyed, but something that would brighten someone’s day, something that made a difference.

To be honest, Covid really forced my hand. I had to move, and then I lost my corporate job because I moved, and I was at this big turning point in my life (that felt like pure chaos at the time). I had previously toyed with the idea of getting into the cosmetic tattooing world a few times on and off, but never acted on it because, well, I didn’t really need to. But this time, I took a chance on myself and signed up for 2 permanent cosmetics trainings, got licensed as a cosmetic tattoo artist, and took the ultimate plunge by renting out my own solo studio. Ballsy, I know. I knew that as scary as failure was, it was scarier to think about what my life would be like if I didn’t at least try.

A year later, I can tell you this has been the hardest job I’ve ever had. It has also been the most fun and the most rewarding. Every client I have is an opportunity to genuinely connect with someone and make them feel amazing. Which in turn obviously makes me feel amazing. And the opportunities I now have to expand my services and impact people in other ways is even better than I had initially thought. Pursuing this non-traditional, creative career path is really the biggest blessing for me. 10/10 recommend.

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.
A little backstory about me – I grew up in a pretty strict household. I was pushed to do my best in school, which meant I was pushed to get straight A’s because my parents KNEW I was smart enough to get straight A’s, even if I didn’t want to agree. Once I got to UCLA (GO BRUINS), I pushed myself to graduate with college honors, I worked and interned while at school, and when I turned my internship into my first corporate job, I was quickly promoted twice within one year. Safe to say, I crushed it because I was taught the power of discipline from an early age. This discipline is a key component to my continued growth and success in my own entrepreneurial efforts, but that’s not to say that the journey hasn’t been CHALLENGING. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to give up multiple times this past year. The hardest part has been my own fear of failure, because I am a (recovering) perfectionist and hate doing anything without feeling like I’ll be able to do it “perfectly” right out the gate. Unfortunately, starting a business requires a certain amount of failures, or rather learning experiences, in order to grow, and those experiences have been tough on me. But I’ve stuck with it because I know that if I’m disciplined enough, I can be the artist I want to be.

While most of my clients get cosmetic tattooing to save time and effort in their daily beauty routines, some clients come to get cosmetic tattooing to overcome insecurities about their appearance, and it’s a big responsibility to be trusted with providing them a transformative and empowering experience. I make sure that I create a safe and supportive environment for them, always listening to their needs and concerns. Each of my clients get to actively participate in the design and decision-making process, which gives them a sense of agency and ownership over their appearance. I’m the artist that isn’t just about the end results. I really want my clients to feel like I am nurturing them throughout this entire holistic self-care journey, from their consultation to after their follow-up appointment. I think my passion for making my clients feel supported and aligned with their values is what sets me apart from other artists.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Being born and raised in LA, I feel like I have different definitions of what’s awesome about LA. Of course we’ll do the obligatory Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills trips, sure. But I’d also love to take them to Six Flags, go on a beautiful hike or two in Malibu, go kayaking in Newport Bay, play a few games at Highland Park Bow, and hopefully catch a show at the Fonda or the Roxy.

The food tour could literally go on for days, but some must hits are – Hae Jang Chon, Mama Lu’s, El Dorado, Bestia, Bon Shabu, and that one taco truck by my parent’s house!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband and my best friend have been my biggest supporters on this wild ride. I can’t tell you how helpful it has been to have two people who know me so intimately be with me every step of the way. I need someone to call me out, to tell me when I’m sabotaging myself, or to give me a little boost of confidence when I’m feeling down. I am so incredibly blessed to have a strong support system that genuinely wants to see me succeed, and knows how to support me when I’m in need.

I also need to give a shoutout to my trainer, Hoi, who poured her heart into her training. She’s not only an incredibly talented artist, but she’s intelligent, supportive, and genuine. I’m big on energies and she completely matched the energy I wanted in a trainer. So grateful to have found her.

And I can’t forget to mention the profound impact that Kathrin Zenkina and Wayne Dyer have had on my mindset, as well as the book “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” by Elizabeth Gilbert. They help me daily to let go of fear and step into my power. When I’m feeling uninspired or stuck, I can turn to any of their resources and I always find a message that pushes me to the next step of my journey.

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