Our Story

We’re the Liu’s and this is Dead Lotus Collective!

After about 10 years (and counting) of figuring out life and creating together, we decided it was finally time to build something of our own.

We’ve both always been drawn to art in all of its weird, wonderful forms.

Carey has been creating for as long as we can remember. Music, drawing, painting, tattooing - if there’s a way to make something, he’s probably tried it. His work pulls inspiration from his Asian and Jamaican heritage, mixed with an appreciation for a wide range of artistic styles and his own funky perspective. He’s adaptable by design, equally drawn to bold color, heavy blackwork, delicate details and everything in between. Tattooing became a way for him to bring all of those pieces together, and eventually, the dream of having a studio of his own started to take shape.

Taniya is your typical Gemini who has absolutely no interest in choosing just one creative outlet. One day she’s drawing up flash ideas, the next she’s making jewelry, upcycling clothes, starting a new project, or enthusiastically yapping about the next 37 ideas she has to anyone who will listen. She may not be the one holding the tattoo machine, but she’s usually somewhere behind the scenes making things happen.

Somewhere along the way, we looked at each other and thought, “Well… I guess we’re doing this.”

And that’s how Dead Lotus came to life.

The name is a little bit of a reflection of us. We’ve always had an appreciation for things that are darker and unconventional, but we’re also softies at heart. The lotus felt like the perfect symbol for that contrast - something beautiful growing through the mess.

But Dead Lotus was never meant to be just a tattoo shop. We wanted to create the kind of space we wished existed - somewhere you can walk through the door without feeling intimidated or like you’re inconveniencing someone by being there.

A place where your artist is genuinely excited to meet you. Where you can ask questions, change your mind, nerd out about art, or just hang out and talk to actual humans with actual flaws.

And if you’re an artist yourself? We want you here too.

Show us your work. Tell us about your project. Collaborate with us. Make something weird. Meet someone new. Or just stop by and say hi.

Dead Lotus Collective is a tattoo and piercing studio, but at its heart, it’s a creative community space.

We believe art should bring people together, not make people feel like they don’t belong. So whether you’re here for your first tattoo, your 50th piercing, to grab some art, meet an artist, or simply wander in because you were curious - you are welcome here.

Come as you are. Be weird. Make art. Support each other.

Community over competition. Always.

With love,

Carey & Taniya Liu

Dead Lotus Collective