Gigi tattooing in the studio
01

A Mazatlán soul, through and through

Hi, I'm Giovanna Giselle — known in the industry as Gigitats. I was born in Manzanillo, Colima, but I've lived my entire life in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. Around here, we call that being “pata salada” — a true local, salt-water in the blood. That's me.

Long before I ever picked up a tattoo machine, I was already an artist. Oil painting, crafts, creating things with my hands — for as long as I can remember, I've had something in progress: building, painting, imagining.

Gigi painting a family portrait in oils
Gigi painting at the easel
Close-up of Gigi painting
02

Art before skin

I'm a graphic designer by trade. During my last two years of university, at Universidad Autónoma de Durango, Mazatlán campus, I served as the official illustrator for “My First Grade Book.” I painted murals around my beautiful Mazatlán, explored oil painting, and filled notebook after notebook with ideas that hadn't yet found where they belonged.

Gigi tattooing a client
03

2018: the year everything changed

In 2018, I discovered this beautiful craft — tattooing — and I fell completely in love. Almost overnight, everything that used to live in my mind or on paper found a new canvas: skin. Nine years later, that first spark hasn't dimmed one bit.

Portrait of Gigi laughing
Portrait of Gigi
04

Art that has traveled far

I've had the privilege of tattooing artists from Televisa, stars of regional Mexican music, and influencers across Mexico. Every collaboration has been another chance to carry my work — and the name of Mazatlán — a little further.

Portrait of Gigi
05

Spreading the art, without borders

Today I have the honor of also working in the United States, after earning my tattoo artist visa in this beautiful country. It's a door that opened after years of discipline — one that now lets me share my art with more people, in more places.

Gigi painting, arm raised to the canvas
Gigi painting by the window
06

What's next

I'm still that same little girl who never put the paintbrush down — except now, my canvas breathes. My goal is simple, and it's big: to have my art recognized around the world. And honestly? I'm just getting started.