About Benji

I’m Benji, an accomplished tattoo artist based on the Gold Coast, QLD, with over two decades of dedication and artistry. My journey began in 1998, but my fascination with tattoos started much earlier. I was first introduced to tattooing at the age of 13 when a school friend in my neighbourhood showed me a homemade setup made with a toothbrush, a Walkman motor, and a battery. That day, I made three small dots on my hand and hid them from my parents for years. I also did a small scribble on my friend’s ankle. From then on, I was captivated by the permanence of ink on skin.

I loved drawing and was inspired by the bikers and old “bad boys” around town, covered in tattoos and exuding a rebellious spirit. At 19, I got the chance to do my first real tattoos on some older boys with a reputation around town. We set up at a friend’s kitchen table and I tattooed three or four of them. This solidified my passion, and I kept drawing and doing the occasional tattoo on friends and coworkers.

At 24, after moving back to Mount Gambier, I met the local tattooists who had set up shop in town after relocating from Adelaide. A mate who was getting tattooed there mentioned my work, and one Friday night, they invited me to tattoo a friend. If it turned out well, they’d offer me a job. It was nerve-racking with half a dozen bikers watching over me, but I managed to pull through, and it led to my first job at True Blue Custom Tattoo. I worked there from 1998, learning everything I could for six years.

In 2004, I made a spontaneous decision to move to the Gold Coast after seeing an ad in a magazine. I landed a position at the renowned Skin FX Tattoos, working with Paul Braniff and his talented team. I spent nine amazing years there during a time when tattooing was still something special—before the rise of social media and Pinterest.

Since leaving Skin FX in 2013, I’ve worked in multiple reputable studios across the Gold Coast and around Australia, including regular guest spots in Canberra and visits to studios in Darwin, Cairns, Wagga, Sydney, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Emerald, and the Sunshine Coast. I enjoy tattooing in different places and meeting new people, which has helped me build a network that spans the country.

In 2022, I co-founded Made To Suit along side Dan Johnston, an art exhibition that brings together some of the finest tattoo artists across the country. This annual collaborative showcase highlights the unique artistic talents and individual styles of hundreds of tattoo artists, each creating a full body-suit on a life-size canvas. 

Beyond tattooing, I’m also a painter who creates and sells fine art prints. I bring the same passion and creativity to my artwork that I do to tattooing, making me a multifaceted artist dedicated to my craft and community.