Check Out Derya Misirli’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Derya Misirli.

Hi Derya, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

I was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, and my journey began with traditional art. I studied painting at Trakya University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, where I developed a strong foundation in composition, color, anatomy, and visual storytelling. Art has always been the clearest way for me to express myself, but over time, I became interested in creating work that could live with someone and become part of their personal story. That is what eventually led me to tattooing.

After moving to the United States, my journey in tattooing became incredibly intense and fast-paced. Starting over and building a career in a new country came with many challenges, but every client, collaboration, convention, and new experience helped me grow both artistically and personally. During this demanding period, participating in the 2025 San Diego Tattoo Convention and receiving two awards including Best of Day and one more additional awards, one of them in the anime category was an incredibly proud and meaningful moment for me.

Eventually, I opened Surrender Tattoo. Our first location was on Melrose, and we later moved the studio to Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Opening and growing a tattoo studio taught me that being a shop owner is about much more than creating good tattoos. It also means building a strong team, managing the business, creating opportunities for other artists, and making sure every client feels comfortable, respected, and understood.

I wanted Surrender Tattoo to feel welcoming rather than intimidating a space where people can openly share their ideas, collaborate with their artist, and enjoy the experience of getting tattooed. We offer free design consultations and create custom designs for our clients because I believe the process should feel personal from the very beginning.

Today, I continue to grow both as an artist and as a studio owner. Running a shop comes with constant challenges and responsibilities, but seeing our artists develop, welcoming new clients, and building a creative community in Santa Monica makes the journey incredibly meaningful. I’m proud of how far I’ve come from studying painting in Turkey to creating a life, a business, and a community around tattoo art in Los Angeles.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course, there have been difficult parts along the way especially the paperwork! Building a system, creating a real sense of teamwork, and finding people who share your values and understand your vision all take time. At the same time, you still have to make space for your personal life, your own clients, and your growth as an artist. Balancing all of those responsibilities requires a lot of energy and effort.

I’ve never raised a child, but I imagine building a studio feels a little like it! Some stages can be difficult, and meaningful progress often requires time, patience, and care. But at the end of the day, the sense of accomplishment makes everything worthwhile. Watching the studio develop, seeing the people around you grow, and being able to witness and support their individual journeys is incredibly rewarding. That feeling of growing together is what makes all the challenges worthwhile and makes this work so meaningful to me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At the center of my work is the ability to understand what is in someone’s mind, even when they may not yet know how to express it. People often feel what they want internally, but translating that feeling into words or a visual image can be difficult. One of my favorite parts of the process is guiding them through that uncertainty asking the right questions, helping them recognize what truly resonates with them, and gradually revealing the idea that was already somewhere inside them.

Rather than limiting myself to one visual style, I work across fine line, realism, micro-realism, illustrative, and color techniques. I try to find the artistic language that best serves each person and each story. My background in painting also shapes how I approach composition, movement, anatomy, and the relationship between a design and the body. I consider not only how a tattoo looks when it is first completed, but also how it flows, remains readable, and ages over time.

There are many things I’m proud of because this journey did not begin in Los Angeles. I’m proud of the path I have traveled since Turkey, the different forms of art I explored along the way, the person I gradually became, and the artistic language I developed through those experiences. Being able to create a space where people who connect with my vision can find me is deeply meaningful. The fact that I was able to build that space in a place like Los Angeles specifically in Santa Monica and continue sustaining and growing it is a source of pride in itself.

I’m also proud that the experience I offer extends beyond the tattoo. The studio reflects my own atmosphere and sensibility, and I want people to feel comfortable there as if they are visiting a familiar place rather than entering an intimidating environment. Seeing clients return again and again is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. Over time, some of them become friends, and I have the privilege of witnessing important moments in their lives and creating tattoos that become part of those memories. Those relationships are incredibly valuable to me.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe in luck, but I also believe that hard work is one of the most important keys to success. During the early stages of my career, I rarely took time off and spent very long hours tattooing. That period gave me the opportunity to meet many different people, hear countless life stories, and gain invaluable experience. Despite the long hours, I rarely focused on the exhaustion because the work itself was so fulfilling.

I believe you have to put in the work beforehand so that you are prepared when an opportunity appears. Meeting the right people and finding the right location in Santa Monica may have involved some luck, but turning those opportunities into something meaningful and sustainable required hard work, courage, and consistency.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://surrendertattoostudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninartatts/