Naike Saralegi (Azkoitia, 1984) has been working as a tattoo artist for eleven years. She started by tattooing herself, then friends, and eventually opened her first studio in Azpeitia. Recently, however, she has moved to Orio with her husband and child, and has just opened a second studio in the town.
Saralegi has always enjoyed drawing. Although she wanted to study Fine Arts, she decided to pursue business studies. Later, while working with her husband in an electrical business, she came across an online course for tattoo artists. After enrolling and completing it, she enjoyed it so much that she began tattooing herself. Gradually, she started doing small tattoos for friends and family, attracting more and more people.
Although she initially considered it a hobby, after closing the business she shared with her husband, she decided to pursue tattooing professionally. Thanks to word-of-mouth recommendations, she opened her first studio in the back of their former electrical shop in Azpeitia. Currently, in addition to being a tattoo artist, she is also a spinning instructor in Azpeitia.
What she likes most about this profession is the interaction with people. She has met many individuals through her work and has formed close relationships with some of them. When clients are satisfied, they usually return to the same studio, which creates a sense of intimacy, especially when they share the meanings or reasons behind their tattoos. "I've had the opportunity to do very beautiful work, and that fulfills me greatly, as does seeing clients happy," she states.
Among the most unusual tattoos she has done, she mentions a QR code and images that have appeared in people's dreams. She manages two studios, one in Orio and another in Azpeitia, splitting her time between them. "I prefer to continue doing about ten tattoos a day on my own, rather than building a team and reaching twenty tattoos a day," she explains, emphasizing her desire to maintain the personal nature of her project.
She recently moved to Orio with her husband and their seven-year-old child. "I fell in love with the town as soon as we arrived," she admits. She describes it as small, with very pleasant people, and an ideal place to raise her child. She advises any Orio resident who is hesitant about getting a tattoo to seek inspiration on social media and to visit the studio without fear, as she serves people of all ages.
