Andrew Midtskau grew up in Fiji and spent his childhood there before moving to Canada as a young adult. He is now a business owner, a Burnaby resident, and a professional tattoo artist with more than 15 years of experience. For Andrew, Tabua Tattoo is more than a business or career, it is a nod to his connection to Fiji. Tattoos first caught his eye when he was in elementary school and saw somebody with one on their body. Taking his interest further, he and his friends started giving each other temporary tattoos. However, it wasn’t until he was an adolescent that he decided to think of being a tattoo artist as a career. Before becoming a full-time tattoo artist and business owner, Andrew used to be a graphic designer which has helped him to create his many fascinating tattoo designs today.
Tabua Tattoo
Tabua Tattoo first opened its doors for business on June 1, 2017. Being the only tattoo shop located in the Heights, we wondered what had motivated Andrew to open up here. He proudly replied that he “decided to create [his] own environment to work in and the Heights would be the perfect neighborhood.” While owning a business isn’t for everyone, Andrew mentioned to us that the best part about it is that he gets to be his own boss and decide his own worth. And we can’t argue: the shop boasts creativity, inspiration, and colour!
We asked Andrew what he enjoyed most about doing tattooing and his response was “Aside from the artwork itself and continuing to perfect my craft, it’s meeting many good people, some of whom have become great friends. Tattooing has shown me that the vast majority of people are good….or maybe they’re just nice to me so it doesn’t hurt them as much.” His favourite style of tattoos are Traditional Fijian tribal patterns called Kesakesa, script, and animals, to name a few. Though Andrew says that “They are all fun to do!
When Andrew isn’t tattooing or drawing designs, he can be found staying active through workouts, boxing, and kickboxing. Andrew has also held two successful fundraisers to support a charity and clinic in Port Au Prince, Haiti, called Hope to Walk. They help to build affordable prosthetic limbs for amputees. Furthermore, he can also be found supporting some of his local favourite restaurants and cafés on the Heights including Afghan Turkish Restaurant, The Gray Olive, Caffe Divano, and Hakkaku Ramen.
To make getting a tattoo less nerve-wracking, Andrew creates a fun, friendly, and welcoming environment for everyone.
Visit Andrew from Tabua Tattoo at 426 Willingdon Ave. Call 778-839-8129 or visit tabuatattoo.com for more information.
Address: 426 Willingdon Ave.
Phone: 778-839-8129
Website: www.tabuatatto.com
Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
