Sly is a realism-first artist with 22 years of tattooing under his belt. Originally from Mexico, he came to Canada seven years ago to travel but fell in love with the country, and never left. His work spans colour and black and grey realism, American traditional, and neo-trad, with a particular love for skulls, animals, flowers, and anything rooted in the natural world.

At heart, Sly is a creator. He grew up immersed in art from a young age, and that lifelong dedication to the craft shows in every piece he makes. When he sits down with a client, he wants to know the story behind the tattoo, where the idea came from, what it means — because that's what gives a piece its soul. To Sly, the best tattoos aren't just well-executed, they carry something real. He works closely with his clients to shape their ideas into something they'll be proud to wear for life, and more often than not, those clients become close friends.

Outside the studio, Sly is a painter, a woodworker, and a self-described Potterhead who watches two to three movies a week — a tradition he started with his son. When he's not building furniture or creating in his personal art space, he's probably got a strong opinion about whatever film he just watched and would love to tell you about it!