Every artist has gone on a journey to get to this moment in time. Can you briefly walk us through yours?

I was an apprentice at a shop in LA under the Japanese tattooer name “HIRO” back in 2010. I apprenticed there for awhile and then eventually came back to San Diego and found an opportunity at Funhouse Tattoo. I apprenticed here for awhile and am stoked to have my chair now. Everything fell into place and call SD my home. 

What tattoo styles are you specialized in? What attracted to them in the first place?

Read moreJapans Rich Imagery and Meanings of Tattoos

I specialize in Japanese Tattoo. Plain and simple. Growing up in Japan I was exposed to all types of Japanese designs, styles, cultural ideals, and concepts. This was the driving force for my specialization in this culturally rich and iconic style.

What anime or manga series has had the biggest influence on your work? 

‘Fist of the North Star’ and ‘Golgo13’.

How do you think social media platforms such as Pinterest and Reddit have affected the direction of the tattoo industry? Do you think people use them too much or could use them more? 

Read moreSan Diego's Tattoos of the Month - May

We see Pinterest as the new flash sheets of the 2010’s. People bring their favorite design on their phones and we use it as a basis for a design. With Pinterest and other platforms on their phones, people can have a better idea of the tattoo they are looking for.

Growing from an apprentice at Funhouse Tattoo to a coveted resident artist, what do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of working in this community opposed to other shops you have worked at?

I feel accomplished of course! This is what I had been wanting to do when I was an apprentice for awhile. And now I am doing it as my career at an awesome shop. Sometimes I look back and feel proud and happy about what I have been through and achieved. Funhouse Tattoo is where I started, so everything has come full circle for me. Other shops I worked at do things slightly different, which is not right or wrong, but I feel more comfortable being back here to sick pieces.

Having a fusion of Japanese and American cultural influences in your life, how would you say you use them to your advantage to make meaningful tattoos for your clients?

Most of Japanese tattoos have specific cultural themes, meaning, and message behind it. The majority of people don’t know about them. So I explain to my clients what each tattoo means and try to fit it to their needs. People like when they find out the symbolism and meaning about their tattoo designs. I make sure to consult with my clients on the unique iconography of Japanese tattoos to make sure my clients and I ended up with an awesome tattoo with a story behind it.

What is your favorite spot to get food at in San Diego and what do you get?

Depends on what kinda food you are talking about. I have too many to list.

What is your favorite about working with new clients and collaborating with them?

That I can do something new with clients and challenge myself a bit to the next level. Each client is an opportunity to create something new and better than I ever have before.

Being a professional artist comes with a fair amount of challenges. How do you balance your career as a tattoo artist and all the other aspects of your life?

I’m trying to stay healthy. I eat good food, sleep a healthy amount, and try to exercise frequently. I go to the gym about 3 times per week and Jiu Jitsu 3 times per week as well. Exercising is refreshing and clears my mind. I do that, so I can keep working and keep challenging myself.

Where can people learn more about your artwork and what is the best way to get in touch with you?

Instagram has my up-dated tattoo work as well as my portfolio page on the Fun. @ei_horimiyatattoo and https://www.funhousetattoosd.com/artists/ei-omiya/

Every artist has gone on a journey to get to this moment in time. Can you briefly walk us through yours?

The early memories I have of tattoos are of my uncle. I remember that he had a very poorly done heart with an arrow through it done with a sewing needle and ink from a ballpoint pen. It was terribly executed, but as a kid it was awesome and something about it stuck with me. Since then I always wanted to have a tattoo. It was not until many years later when I became friends with a tattoo artist and I got my first tattoo. Coincidentally, he was the one who taught me how to tattoo. This was while I was still living in Brazil, which was twenty years ago. I moved to the US in 1998 and started tattooing at Funhouse in 2002 after meeting the Owner, Seth who became my best friend. And the rest is history.

How did you first discover Japanese tattoos and what has the journey been like for you to become a master of the style?

Read moreJapans Rich Imagery and Meanings of Tattoos

I came in contact with Japanese style tattooing in 1998 when I met a Hungarian artist named Ivan Sazi. He had just moved to Sao Paulo and his Japanese designs and tattoos are amazing. We became friends and I learned a lot from him and I had the chance to get a few pieces from him. He was a big influence on my style.

A lot of artists use certain tattoo styles to categorize their work. Do you find that your able to do the same thing or that you work between the definitions of the styles?

I certainly don’t let the definition of a certain style of tattoo, and in my case is Japanese tattoos, define what I do artistically. I like to bring influences from other styles into my own style of Japanese tattoos, which comes natural to me and it allows me to create my own unique brand of tattooing.

Besides tattooing, is there another medium you use as a creative outlet?

Read moreSan Diego's Tattoos of the Month - May

Lately ive been using digital painting in my daily work, it has helped in cutting creation time down and it is a lot of fun. Then that oil and watercolor painting are my other mediums.

What is your favorite spot to eat at in San Diego and what do you get?

That’s a tough one, there are so many great places to eat in San Diego! There is an Italian little gem in Pacific Beach named Mama Mia. It’s an authentic Italian restaurant that I would definitely recommend. If you decide to give it a shot, try the gnocchi gratinati.

As a veteran artist at Funhouse Tattoo San Diego, what do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of working in this community opposed to other places you have worked with in the past?

Certainly the clients. They have a better understanding of what makes a good tattoo and they give me the freedom to be artistic and in return, I give them my best work.

When a new client approaches you about their tattoo idea, what are some of the first things you do to get to the core of their concept?

The main thing for me is to understand what are they trying to express through the image in the tattoo. I ask myself things like, “what is the history behind it?” or “what kind of emotions and memories it will bring to them when they look at the tattoo ten years from now?” To me, that’s what really matters.

Being a professional artist comes with a fair amount of challenges. How do you balance your career as a tattoo artist and all the other aspects of your life?

The best I can! (laughs) I am an extremely busy and I have a lot going on in my life outside the studio, and to be honest it can be chaotic. But I do my best to put my clients first and deliver my best to them on time.

Where can people learn more about your artwork and what is the best way to get in touch with you?

The best and fastest way is through our website on my artist page, which has all my latest work, and some old ones too. There you can find all of my contact information as well.