Shaun Kama was born in Heidelberg, Germany to two parents that served during the Vietnam War. After moving to Albany, NY in his youth, Shaun’s family spent summers in Great Berrington, MA, where his passion for painting began while studying the works of Norman Rockwell at his original gallery. He later moved to Southern California, attending high school in Huntington Beach, where he was commissioned by friends and students for his talents at logo and skateboard design. At age 16, Shaun started playing in his first band, beginning a lifelong love of music and performing. After finishing school, Shaun moved to Los Angeles in the wake of the glam scene, and joined “Hello Disaster”, an up-and-coming punk band. With his musical career launched, Shaun set off on a new adventure, beginning his apprenticeship with the ‘World Famous’ Mark Mahoney at the Original Shamrock Studios. His journey into the arts had just begun…

Tattooing for over 10 years, Shaun has found his niche in the tattoo world. His personal tastes as a tattoo artist lead him to the dark and macabre, which led to his reputation as the king of Halloween Tattoos. Shaun’s work is dark and edgy, with incredible detail and vibrant color. He is also skilled in single needle black and grey work, through working alongside Mark Mahoney and Bob Vessels. His artistic influences include Normal Rockwell, Salvador Dali, Boris Vallejo, Bernie Wrightson, Ralph Steadman and Frank Frazetta. He describes himself as a ‘Jack of All Trades with personalization to the tastes of his clients’. Shaun also regularly paints, working in acrylics, oils and watercolors. He can often be found doing a variety of commissioned artworks for his clients, and his paintings can be seen at a variety of art events throughout the year.

Throughout his career, Shaun’s love for music has continued, with Shaun serving as the frontman for “Living End”¸ “Damnation”, and his current project “Shaun Kama and the Kings of the Wild Frontier”. While tattooing, Shaun is almost always found with a set of headphones on, listening to his trusty iPod. His musical tastes are vast, ranging from Boingo to Slayer, Otis Redding and Nick Cave to The Highwaymen and Lords of the New Church.

As a regular in the tattoo convention circuit, Shaun has dedicated himself to bringing his art around the country. He regularly tours the country with Vintage Tattoo, working with tattoo legends Baba, Rick Walters, and Tennessee Dave. In addition to permanent tattoos, Shaun has become one of the leading temporary tattoo artists in the industry, working as a primary artist on commercials, print campaigns and music videos. His celebrity clientele list continues to grow as Shaun establishes himself as a tattoo artist to the stars.

While calling Vintage Tattoo of Los Angeles, CA his home studio, Shaun also delivers his world class tattoo skills through a network of shops around California and Nevada. Shaun’s second home can be found at Pussycat Tattoo in Las Vegas, NV, where he has been tattooing since it opened in 2001. In the Los Angeles area, Shaun also sits in at Mark Mahoney’s Shamrock Studios, El Classico Tattoo, and All Hallows Ink. He can also be found tattooing at Big City Tattoo in San Diego, CA, Mom’s in San Francisco, CA, and Electric Soul in Lancaster, CA.