Makeba Ische

I am Makeba and I have been part of Cactus Tattoo since 2001. I started as a receptionist, then went on to become a piercer, and soon after began managing the shop. In 2005, I started tattooing and a year later I became the owner of Cactus. I have passed on my early roles to our highly trained, amazing staff and now focus my attentions on the roles of business owner and tattoo artist.

I have been making art most of my life. Being an artist was something I never really questioned; I simply saw it as my future. After studying art in college and earning a BFA, I was a bit unsure how I would make a career as an artist. As I spent my days working at Cactus, I became increasingly fascinated with tattooing. The clean lines and bold colors intrigued me. I was compelled by the possibilities. Many years later, I still love learning new techniques and seeing my work progress.

I have always loved outlining. The process requires focus and becomes almost meditative. I am happy to do lettering, fine line, and detailed tattoos. I truly enjoy any nature-themed concepts, the challenge of cover-ups, and large custom pieces. I love making my customers’ ideas become a reality.