Eva Buonaiuto is a third-year at SUNY New Paltz and is an independent tattoo artist right here in town. Just by looking at her Instagram, you can tell she has a unique style. She designs lots of animals, plants and insects.
Getting my first tattoo with Eva was the best experience that I could have asked for. Mazzy Star played in the background as I sat in her studio which is the cutest, most whimsical space ever. The walls are covered with different tattoo designs and pictures of Kate Bush.
Eva’s tattoo journey kicked off in quarantine when she and some friends started doing stick and poke tattoos on each other with sewing needles. Her concerned brother bought her a tattoo gun so her tattoos would be safer, and her hobby received more attention after she posted pictures of her work on her Instagram.
It was only this past March that her business took off. One of the best parts of tattooing is meeting new people. “I just always have such good conversations with people, and I remember that it’s just a fun experience overall,” she explains.
Besides tattoos, painting is her main medium but she also has some other artistic interests. “Right now, I’ve been on a printmaking kick,” she says. “I’ve really been enjoying that.”
Eva is planning to stay in New Paltz for a few years or move to a surrounding town after she graduates.
Although her bookings are currently closed, you can reach her through her Instagram, @smeavie.
