Meet Coen Mitchell
I grew up in Bulls, a small town in New Zealand, and tattooing has taken me further than I ever could have imagined. What started as a passion for drawing and creating has grown into a career that has allowed me to travel the world, meet incredible people, build a studio, start a family and create work that means something to the people who wear it.
I first established the Tattoo Gold name in 2013. In the early years of my career,
I apprenticed in Wellington, where I built a strong foundation in linework through Polynesian and Māori-inspired tattooing. That period shaped a lot of how I see the body, flow and placement. It was also where I began developing my own style, Mosaic Flow.
From there, I moved to Auckland and continued pushing myself technically, especially through realism, black and grey work and large-scale custom tattooing. But I always felt there was more out there for me to experience.
In 2017, I left New Zealand with a suitcase of tattoo equipment and no real plan other than to tattoo around the world. I spent the next three years travelling
full-time, working in respected studios, attending conventions and learning from every place, artist and client I crossed paths with. That time challenged me as an artist, but also shaped me as a person.
It taught me how much tattooing can connect people, no matter where they are from.
It was during those travels that I met my wife, Maxime, in Amsterdam. We later moved back to Auckland together, where we opened Tattoo Gold as a premium tattoo studio in Takapuna. Over six years, Tattoo Gold became much more than just a studio to me. It became a space for clients, artists, stories, growth and a lot of unforgettable times.
Now, after closing the physical Tattoo Gold studio in Auckland, my family and I are beginning a new chapter in the Netherlands. I am building the next Tattoo Gold studio in Zevenaar, while also developing a monthly tattoo residency in Amsterdam and travelling to selected conventions across Europe.
I will still be returning to New Zealand regularly to see my friends, family and make myself available for tattoo appointments and special projects, because New Zealand will always be home and a huge part of who I am.
Outside of tattooing, I’m a husband, a Papa, someone who loves staying busy, travelling, documenting the journey and sharing the real moments behind the work. I care deeply about the people I tattoo, the experience I give them and the legacy I am building through Tattoo Gold.
I’m proud of what Tattoo Gold has become, the name, and grateful for everyone who has been part of it.
I am genuinely excited to meet you if you choose to work with me.
