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Meet Bernard Buenaventura of One life Tattoo Studio in Culver city

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bernard Buenaventura.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Bernard. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started tattooing in 2009. Worked in Venice beach at Tattoo Asylum and then Modern ink in Inglewood. During those times I worked a few conventions and did a couple of guest spots at Guru Tattoo in San Diego. I opened up one life tattoo studio in Jan. 2015 specializing in large Japanese body suit tattoos (irezumi). Dedicating my passion and time on creating Japanese art for like the minded.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like all lifelong commitments, there are struggles. Mine aren’t any different from anyone trying to achieve a goal. Learning the craft of tattooing is enough to make anyone reconsider their career let alone opening a business. There are hundreds of bumps along the road that vie experienced that I can go into but the only thing I can say is that with the right attitude and passion behind what I want to accomplish, anything is possible. You just have to be willing to put in the hours.

One life tattoo studio – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
One life tattoo studio is an appointment only studio dedicated to Japanese tattoos (irezumi). This is where my passion becomes a reality for my clients. There are hundreds of styles of tattooing today. However I was drawn to the history, culture, beauty, tradition, commitment, and meanings of Japanese style tattoos. My studio is different in I only do custom tattoos for my clients. I put in time with each client’s piece so that I can come up with the best possible design that will age well in time. I’m proud of my clients that sit for hours to complete each session day in and day out for years. Without them the studio won’t exist.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Learning the craft of Japanese tattoos takes decades to learn with the goal of mastering it. Unfortunately my career is only nearing the first decade so I don’t have my proudest moment yet. I’m still very much in the learning phase for now and probably till I can’t tattoo anymore physically. So you can see ones dedication and commitment for this trade. Ask me in 2037 and I will have an answer for you!

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