All about May Cat

Hey, it’s Michelle here!
I’m a tattoo artist working at Neon Pineapple studio in Adelaide South Australia.

I’m in my 5th year of tattooing now and absolutely love what I do! Art is my driving force in life and from the moment I picked up a tattoo machine in my early apprentice days, I’ve never looked back!

Here’s a few quick things about me:

♥ I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky kinda person, a little shy, a little goofy but always keen to welcome you into the studio and make sure your time in the chair is a good one :)

♥ In my spare time I love exploring outdoors with my film cameras, patting neighbourhood cats, opshopping, reading books and discovering new dessert places…yummmm!

♥ Occasionally I sell my prints and goodies at local markets around Adelaide and enjoy meeting local artists in the community, it’s good to support local creators and small business.

♥ I aim to get out of my comfort zone and participate in more interstate Tattoo conventions as well as guest at other studios in future! I can’t wait to see what adventures the future brings!

Illustrative .

Ethereal .

Whimsical .

Illustrative . Ethereal . Whimsical .

A black and white line drawing of a fairy with wings, long hair, and a serene expression, on a large sheet of paper on a wooden table. Nearby are two gray markers, a ceramic cup, a decorative keychain with a gold crescent moon and trees, a pair of earrings, a ceramic lucky cat figurine, and a washi tape dispenser. In the background, there is a window with sheer curtains and foliage outside.
A woman wearing sunglasses, a white 'Dragon Quest Island' t-shirt, shorts, and black tights is standing outdoors next to a dragon-shaped sign with big eyes, wings, and an open mouth, in a garden area with trees and a wooden building in the background.
A watercolor painting on paper featuring two hands, one holding a stick with pink petals and the other reaching for yellow flowers, surrounded by vines and butterflies. The painting is on a wooden table with watercolor paints, brushes, a pink mug, and an eraser nearby.
Sketch of a lion with a long flowing mane, holding a geometric star in its paws,, with a circle and sunray shading in the background and decorative leaves and pearls around its neck. The sketch is on white paper, with an eraser, drawing pen, and colored pencil nearby, and a watermark that reads 'May Cat Tatts'.

Tattoos and artwork that are handmade with love

My art practice and tattooing career both share the same ethos: Human made, on paper, drawn by hand.

I started my tattoo journey learning how to work and illustrate digitally on an ipad, but I could never quite capture how gestural and expressive my lines flow the way they do on paper. In early 2025 I made the switch to drawing 90% of all my tattoo designs by hand on paper the old school way and have been loving every moment of it.

Prior to tattooing, I’d been working hard on developing my style through mix media techniques with a strong focus on watercolour illustration. Working in an Art supplies store in my 20’s has given me a strong knowledge base in colour theory, working with and identifying pigments and a strong appreciation for Adelaide’s local arts community.

My art leans towards the ethereal and fantastical; I enjoy creating art that’s magical, whimsical and has a narrative underpinning the concept;I hope you can see these qualities shine through in my tattoos.

Some of my biggest sources of inspiration come from RPG games (video game character artists), manga/comics, fantasy novels/movies, visual kei music, classical and popsurrealism painters/artists.

I’m a self taught artist and believe in working hard towards my goals, always pushing myself to learn more technical skills and enjoy working with people to create tattoos that are truely beautiful and unique.

You can find my available prints listed for sale under PRINT SHOP, in the studio and at local art markets in Adelaide.