JOE LARRALDE
Joe Larralde is the preeminent blackwork tattoo artist in the Pacific Northwest. A widely-recognized fine line and blackwork expert, painter, public artist, and tattoo aftercare pioneer, he opened his private tattoo studio, Black & Bramble, in 2022, with the goal of reinventing the idea of what a tattoo shop can and should be.
Filled with bright, natural light in a quiet corner of Portland’s historic Ford Building, Black & Bramble is a modern tattoo experience — a direct response to the well-worn street shop model that often prioritizes low-customization and high-velocity pieces. At Black & Bramble, the tattoo experience is elevated. Clean air, natural light, music you love — why shouldn’t it be more relaxing to get tattooed? Why shouldn't customer comfort be the top priority?
Joe got his start tattooing as an apprentice on Maui in the early 2000s, working under Circle at Evolved Art in 2003. After establishing a reputation on the islands for his clean lines and perfect circles, Joe relocated to South Lake Tahoe, where he tattooed at Lake Monster Tattoo until 2008. In 2009, Joe joined Jason Kundell in opening Artwork Rebels (AWR) Tattoo on NW 23rd Street in Portland, Oregon, where he established himself as a sought after artist in the Pacific Northwest. In 2020, he joined Historic Tattoo before opening Black & Bramble in 2022.
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Today, his focus is solely on blackwork tattoos, including black line work, geometric pattern designs, mandalas, and blackout tattoos. He's passionate about evolving the tattoo industry and its culture to meet the demands of an evolving customer. Black & Bramble was created to be a welcoming, warm, and inclusive environment for every customer of every identity, where the priorities are creating beautiful tattoos and making sustainable choices that are good for the environment wherever it can. And it's also full of plants.
MARENA COPPOLA
Marena Coppola is a fine-line and blackwork tattoo artist at Black & Bramble, creating dark-ethereal tattoos that feel equal parts delicate and otherworldly. Her work blends organic shapes with gothic and Victorian influences — often pulling from nature, film, dark surrealism, and the kinds of stories that stick with you: fantasy worlds, mythology, and pop-culture nods made for book lovers and gamers.
Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, Marena completed a three-year tattoo apprenticeship before relocating to Portland in 2018, where she’s continued to refine her style, including time tattooing at New Rose Tattoo. Whether you’re coming in with a fully formed concept or a handful of reference points, her goal is the same: translate your idea into a clean, intentional piece with strong composition, thoughtful flow, and a little bit of magic.
Marena is as passionate about the tattoo experience as she is the finished piece. She’s committed to creating an inclusive, body-positive environment where clients feel comfortable, safe, and taken care of, whether it’s your first tattoo or your fiftieth. She’s transparent about pricing, welcomes questions without judgment, and is happy to collaborate so you leave feeling confident in both the process and the result.
Her books open in limited cycles (typically every few months), and booking is announced through her website and Instagram, with requests accepted during specified submission windows.
