I became interested in the natural world at a very young age down in Austin, Texas; the home of bluebonnet fields and pecan trees. Some of my very best friends were small treasures found creek side. I sought refuge in the nook of a tree branch and in the sun setting behind the hill country. My young artist self began sketching those small friends: rocks, leaves, ants, cobwebs. There was a way in which I felt like drawing them would allow me to really see them, as well as keep them with me as I moved through the world.
As I drew, a curiosity began to develop with shape and form. After graduating high school I dove into intensive sculpture and drawing classes at the University of North Texas and the Rhode Island School of Design. Soon after, I moved to the Bay Area to study at SFAI, where I graduated in 2001 with a Bachelors of Fine Art in Sculpture. Around that time, I got my first tattoo of a large tree. I loved those friends so much as a kid, always wanting to pass them on my way somewhere, climb them, confide in them. Before we started, my tattoo artist and I went tree climbing so that I could explain my respect for them. It was during this first tattoo process that I decided I wanted to be a tattoo artist – able to recreate an image for someone that inspires them to love, to reconnect with the world, and to feel confident in their bodies. That was the kind of job I wanted to pursue, and so began my path of learning anything and everything about tattoos.
Nearly 30 years later I am still honored to be doing this work. Currently I work out of a private studio in Alameda, CA called Treehouse Tattoo. I also was one of the founding owners and artists at the now closed Diving Swallow Tattoo (opened in 2005 and closed in 2025) in Oakland, California.
Large scale botanicals and painting duplications, as well as creatures from land or sea, sweeping skies, murmurations, and food tattoos of any kind!
Look for more of my work on Instagram–@cedretattoos–and then either fill out this form or email me with your tattoo ideas and sign up for my mailing list–http://eepurl.com/cOp2hj. I email this list when a I have fun ideas to share for tattoos and also updates on events that I am participating in! Can’t wait to hear from you!
Photo by Molly Decoudreaux Photography