What began as a late-night whim in George — fueled by a teenage crush and no formal training — has since evolved into one of Johannesburg’s most vibrant boutique tattoo studios, True Love, owned by the ever-charismatic Taryn Nissen.
Now 30, Nissen is a respected tattoo artist known for her traditional flash-style ink, her eclectic collection of porcelain cats, and the magnetic vibe that defines her Linden-based studio.
But her journey into the tattoo world was anything but conventional.
A Whim That Became a Way
The first tattoo she ever did was a haphazard fix-up of a home-job — on a boy she liked. She had never seen a tattoo applied in real life. With zero experience and a machine in hand, she etched his foot with untrained, uncertain hands.
“I never want to see that tattoo again,” she says, laughing. “It must be horrendous.”
Yet that chaotic night marked a turning point. “It made me think maybe I could actually do this,” she recalls. And she did.
Art in the Blood
Raised between Benoni and Boksburg, Nissen grew up in a household soaked in creativity. Her father was a musician, her mother a visual artist, and art, she says, was always part of the fabric of her world.
After school, she left home for Knysna, working as an au pair. The family she worked for noticed her oil paintings and invited her to design for their marine nonprofit. It was her first professional commission — and it stuck. “It was pin-ups and marine life. It’s what I still specialise in now.”
The Rise of True Love
In 2018, Nissen opened True Love, a name that speaks not just to romantic sentiment but to the authenticity she pours into her art.
Her studio is a living gallery — every inch of wall space is a canvas, adorned with bold flash art, quirky prints, and her signature feline ceramics. “We treat the walls like skin,” she says. “If there’s space, we fill it.”
It’s curated chaos, a style that perfectly matches her energy: fierce, funny, and unapologetically creative.
Not Just Any Tattoo
Though she’s worked with a wide range of clients — from bankers to bikers — Nissen holds strong boundaries. Some requests are just too far out, even for her.
One woman asked for a design that included the phrase “nasty bitch” around her rear, drawn by the client herself. Nissen politely declined. “There’s no judgment,” she says. “It’s just not our thing.”
That self-awareness is part of what defines True Love. “Tattooing is intimate,” she says. “People talk when they’re in pain. It’s like truth serum. So the energy has to be right.”
Porcelain Cats & Classic Ink
If you visit the studio, you’ll likely be greeted by the sight of dozens of ceramic tigers and cheetahs, mostly vintage 1950s pieces.
“They have the same energy as classic tattoo tigers and panthers,” Nissen explains. “They’re kitsch, they’re bold, and when I find one, it’s a moment.”
Much like the art she wears and the art she creates, these porcelain guardians are part of her expression — playful, punchy, and deeply personal.
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