Indigenous Ink Series: Kevin Powers

The reclamation of Indigenous tattoos is upon us, and a few of the forces behind this are Native tattoo artists Kevin Powers, Nathalie Standingcloud, and Kira Murillo. Kevin, Nathalie, and Kira are self-taught tattoo artists who started creating art of their own medium and taste. They honed their artistic techniques into their own signature styles of tattooing–Kevin with his ability to blend color like paintings, Nathalie’s talent of making any tattoo look like a masterpiece straight off the wall, and Kira’s skill of intricate geometry and impeccable linework. Not only are these Indigenous tattoo artists making names for themselves in a White-male dominated industry, but they’re decolonizing with their ink. They apply their creativity and cultural knowledge to every Indigenous tattoo with the utmost respect, a quality usually missing in the tattooing world. Kevin, Nathalie, and Kira are just a few at the forefront of growing the Indigenous ink movement while disrupting the standard tattoo industry and shutting down the taboo about tattoos in Native communities.