Mike Kobo, a native of Los Angeles, his passion for art started with his first box of crayons at the age of 5. His interest in tattoos started at an early age hand poking crosses on the number “13” and the Zig Zag man on a friend’s back in Jr High School. From there he learned how to make a jail house machine out of a motor from an electric toy race car, mechanical pencil, a roll of black electrical tape, a spoon and an E string from a guitar, powered by a lantern battery along with a bottle of pelican India ink he borrowed from his Jr High art class. After a few years, he bought professional tattoo equipment from a small ad in the back of an Easy Rider magazine.

He eventually moved up from kitchen magician status to professional tattooer. Mike has worked for some of the best studios in Hollywood and Orange County, such as the original Sunset Strip Tattoo, Gill Monties Tattoo Mania, Purple Panther, and Black Wave Tattoo. He had the pleasure of working for notables such as Mark Mahoney, Greg James, and Kari Barba to name a few.

He has also tattooed a few celebrities in his time in Hollywood such as Tupac Shakur, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Gilby Clark, Flea, Peter Criss,

and Steven Adler just to name a few. In 1994, Mike moved to Hawaii where over time, he worked at Skin Deep Tattoo. In Waikiki and in Maui. As well as Aloha Tattoo in Waikiki and in Kailua. Then in 2000, he packed his bags and tattoo gear along with $200. in his pocket then flew to Paris where he eventually made his way to the Belgian city of Gent, where he lived and tattooed in this magical place for over 2 years. It was difficult finding work tattooing, being an illegal alien without proper documentation. He was approached by the world famous conceptual artist “Wim Delvoye” to work on a few of his projects tattooing live pigs under anesthesia and newly deceased cow skins- it was an interesting time. Eventually Mike met Serge of Ace and Dice Tattoo where they developed a great friendship.

After a few years, Mike moved to the German City of Koln where he lived and tattooed for the next 6 years. From there he moved to Berlin where he continued to tattoo for the next 4 years before moving to Los Angeles. Mike has been painting in oils for over 25 years and has recently taken a break from tattooing to focus on his true passion, painting and is currently living behind the Orange curtain in the big O.C.