Mat Moreno doesn’t lead with flash. He’s not big on titles or over-the-top introductions. He’s a tattooer—not a tattoo artist, not a rockstar—just someone who shows up, does the work, and lets the tattoos speak for themselves.
“I’m a tattooer. Not a tattoo artist—a tattooer. I provide a service. I try not to let my ego get in the way of that.”
Art entered his life early. He remembers being two and a half when he drew his first monster—a goat-like creature with horns and twenty legs. From there, he never stopped. Looney Tunes, X-Men, monsters—whatever he could put to paper.
“Probably poverty helped. Paper’s cheap.”
At the time, tattoos weren’t even on his radar. He had dreams of being a painter, a comic book artist, or working in digital art. It wasn’t until his late teens that he started drawing tattoo designs for people in his neighborhood. He liked the medium, but didn’t yet see a path into the world of tattooing.
That changed when he was working at Trader Joe’s, designing chalk signs and murals. A coworker told him he was getting one of his drawings tattooed—and that he was starting an apprenticeship. It clicked. Mat realized he could probably do this too. That was the start of his hunt for a foot in the door—one that included awkward cold calls to shops, lots of rejection, and eventually, a trade: help build a shop in exchange for some ink.
“The guy who gave me my apprenticeship shouldn’t have been teaching anybody. But it got me in. I learned a lot of things backwards, but it led to my first job—and I ran with it.”
The apprenticeship itself wasn’t glamorous. He was hazed hard, like many old-school apprentices were.
“I got shit on. But I think it gave me a thick skin. This job introduces you to every kind of person, and that taught me how to talk to anyone.”
That ability—to connect with whoever’s in the chair—became just as important as technical skill. Some clients want therapy. Some just want a laugh. Either way, Mat is there for it.
His tattoo style has evolved as much as he has. From early experiments in new school and color realism to a deeper appreciation for bold blackwork and traditional roots, Mat has never settled into a single lane.
“I like tough classic imagery with little innuendos. A blend of my personality, I guess. Funny and tough.”
Right now, his style blends heavy black, illustrative sensibility, and traditional structure—but he’s quick to say it’s always changing.
“I’ve never settled into one thing. I’m always looking for my voice. It changes because life changes.”
What matters most is the experience. Mat gets the most pride when a client says a tattoo turned out better than they ever imagined.
“That’s the one. Every time someone says, ‘This is better than I imagined’—that’s what makes me proud.”
These days, he’s found a home at Hart & Huntington in Nashville—something that wasn’t always easy to come by. After bouncing around town looking for consistency, a guest spot at H&H turned into something more permanent.
“Everything’s streamlined. The prep work’s done. I just get to draw, tattoo, and connect with the client. That’s what I love most.”
What keeps him going is the hunger to improve. He’s seen what complacency looks like, and he refuses to coast.
“If you’re not pushing yourself, you’re either standing still—or getting worse. I’ve been doing this 19 years, and I’m still trying to be better than I was yesterday.”
Mat doesn’t define himself by what he does. He doesn’t need to be famous. But he shows up, day after day, to do the work—and he’s proud of that.
“Here lies Mat Moreno. He did tattoos. And he showed up.”
