Tā moko, whakairo rākau and toi Māori practitioner. Professional and clean private tattoo studio surrounded by tranquil, native rainforest. Located in Te Uru, West Auckland. We'd love to hear from you. Nau mai!

Ko Tarakeha te maunga

Ko Moetangi te awa

Ko Tinana te waka

Ko Tūmoana te tangata

Ko Mātihetihe te marae

Ko Te Tao Mauī te hapū

Ko Te Rarawa te iwi

Ko Tristan Marler tōku ingoa

Tristan Marler (Manawa Tapu),Te Rarawa/Te Aupōuri hails from Te Tai Tokerau (the Far North) of Aotearoa New Zealand. Currently living in Titirangi, Tristan works from a private studio alongside his parter, Madison Redman (Kapowai). A multi-disciplinary artist with a career spanning 15 years, Tristan trained under master carvers Clive Fugill and James Rickard at the New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute in Rotorua, studying the ancient craft of Whakairo Rākau (traditional Māori wood carving). He then spent 7 years under the mentorship of his close friend Thomas McMillan aka Tomtom tattoo, where he completed his tattoo apprenticeship. Tristan specialises in Tā Moko (traditional Māori Tattooing), whakairo, toi Māori and graphic design; the culmination of these skills and mātauranga establishing him as one of the best ta moko artists in the country.

Tristan’s carving, painting and printmaking practice blend his knowledge and experience to create bold, visually striking works, drawing on his whakapapa Māori, seeking to honour the past and explore the future of Toi Māori; to preserve and perpetuate traditional Māori arts and crafts. Tristan has exhibited works at home and internationally, being commissioned by the NZIA to carve a whata-ā-rangi (raised storehouse) for the inaugural New Zealand podium at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2014. He has taken on many private painting and carving commissions and more recently has had the honour to return home to Mitimiti, in the Hokianga, working alongside his Hapū to lead a carving project for his Marae.

Over the past few years, Tristan has expanded his practice to include jewellery making, clothing design and commercial design; working alongside a digital agency to create campaigns for NZ companies such as Kiwibank. He has also collaborated with international clothing brands such as Roark and Desmond & Dempsey to create textile patterns as well as launching his own range of locally made merino jerseys and recycled swim shorts using traditional Māori kōwhaiwhai designs.

Toi Māori are visual languages and Tristan is passionate about learning, interpreting and sharing pūrākau, history, stories and experiences of the people he spends time with.

For artwork commission enquiries, design collaborations or ta moko bookings, please see the TONO MAI section and fill out the contact form.