About
Matt
Nice to meet you.
I’m Matt.
Since I started tattooing in 2011, my goals have been to work with my clients to manifest their ideas into a tattoo that flows with their body. My tattooing is informed by a wide array of sources: Japanese art and sculpture, Godzilla and monster movies, skateboard graphics, and music (punk, metal, hip hop and goth-synth).
I love western traditional tattooing with its bold images, bright colors, and easy readability. I also love the smooth black and grey of the West Coast Chicano style of tattooing.
Getting tattooed by Horiyoshi III.
Studio Ghibli Museum
Catacombs in Paris, France.
During my career, I have learned from many Japanese artists and studied in Japan. I was lucky enough to meet and become friends with Horimasa and Horishin, travelling the world with them and learning about Japanese art and culture. The concept of horimono — a full body suit — applies to my tattooing, and not just Japanese work. This idea allows me to look at the body as a whole and design the tattoo so it can flow into other tattoos if you decide later on to expand your collection.
It is essential for me to collaborate with you to get the best tattoo possible. Reach out and start discussing your ideas so we can create the tattoo you have always wanted.
Wood block printing in Japan.
Traveling with Horishin & Horimasa.
Part of a festival in Japan.
With Horimasa in Colorado.
Tsunami Tattoo
Tsunami Tattoo is a welcoming, professional studio where artistry and client experience come first. Located in Portland, Maine the shop has built a reputation for clean, high-quality work and a friendly, laid-back atmosphere.
Matt is proud to call Tsunami Tattoo his home base. Working alongside a talented team of artists, he’s able to bring his passion for traditional, Japanese, and black & grey styles to life in a professional yet relaxed environment. At Tsunami, Matt collaborates closely with clients to create tattoos that are bold, meaningful, and built to last—whether it’s a single-session piece or a large-scale project.
FAQs
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Matt does walk-ins whenever he can (he works Wednesdays - Sundays). Please email him directly at TsunamiMatt13@gmail.com (or call the shop and see if he picks up the phone).
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Tsunami is mask friendly, and some of their tattooers are masking during the tattoo appointment (it's our chance to pretend we're dentists!). Please check in with your tattooer about what their masking preference is for your appointment.
On the day of your appointment, please be free of symptoms (no fever or cough). If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms prior to your appointment or are COVID positive, please reschedule. We promise, we won’t be mad.
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Not necessarily! Matt does walk-ins when he can (see the first FAQ).
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In 99% of cases, yes we can! Figure out who should do your tattoo (see that FAQ above) and drop us a line.
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Maybe. For scars, it depends on how old, how raised, and where they are. For birthmarks, it also depends on where they are, and whether they are purple and hairy or petite and mauve.
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Everyone heals at a different rate, but the great consensus is that a tattoo is done peeling, flaking and itching in about two weeks. It may take another two weeks for your skin to return to its normal consistency. DO NOT PICK AT YOUR TATTOO OR ITS SCABS
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Your healthy body is a healing machine, and the less you do to get in its way, the better. The most important thing that you can do for your new tattoo is to keep it clean. This does not, however, mean washing it every five minutes because that would dry it out. Just keep it clean, as a referee would say. Leave the bandage on for a few hours or until you are ready to go to bed (whichever comes first.) Wash your hands. Run water over the bandage either in the sink or in the shower. Peel the bandage off slowly in the shower/sink. Gently soap and rinse your tattoo. Pat your tattoo dry with a clean towel. Put a pea-sized amount of unscented lotion on your tattoo. Do this once or twice a day for two weeks. MAKE SURE YOUR HANDS ARE CLEAN! The lotion will keep your tattoo from drying out. DO NOT PICK AT YOUR TATTOO OR ITS SCABS. Once your tattoo is healed, the only thing that will destroy it is the sun, so put on sun-block it when you go to the sun. And if you’re going to Mars, put on Matt Damon. He can do anything.
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You should get a good night's sleep before you get tattooed. We've gotten tattooed when we were tired, and it was no fun.
You also shouldn't get totally wasted the night before you get tattooed. We’ve seen people get tattooed when they were hung over, and it did not look fun.
You should eat breakfast, lunch, or something in the hours leading up to your tattoo. Your blood sugar can drop right before (or while) you get tattooed, and if your blood sugar is already low, you might pass out. That’s no fun.
If you have a severe cold or the flu, you should consider rescheduling your appointment. We won't be mad. We promise. We’ve gotten tattooed when we were sick, and it was no fun. And let’s face it: we’re all about fun at the shop.
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Yes. No. Maybe. It depends. Tattooing is by no means comfortable, but the discomfort is bearable. I have always likened it to a hot-pinch, but hey, that's me. How many people have been hot-pinched anyway? The bottom line is that if you feel somehow incomplete and feel like you're not "you" without a tattoo, you ought to get it where you want it, pain be damned. The pain will soon pass, and then you'll have a great tattoo right where you wanted it, right?
The late, great Felix Leu said that the best anesthesia for getting a tattoo is wanting a tattoo. Ne'er were truer words spoken.
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According to Maine State law, you must be 18-years-old with a government-issued ID that says so. No college ID, no parents co-signing, no friends vouching for you, no sawing off your leg and counting the rings. Government-issued ID means: valid driver's license, passport, military ID, or Bill Clinton (or any ex-president) vouching for you.