Artist Bio

Ipolani Bovee is an O'iwi (native hawaiian) artist and professional tattooer with more than two decades of experience. She owns and operates Kō Studio Art & Tattoo, where she specializes in areola reconstruction, fine-line botanical, portrait, and watercolor tattooing. Her work bridges traditional craftsmanship with modern electric tattooing, emphasizing ethical practice, emotional intelligence, and the care of clients as whole people.

Beyond tattooing, Ipolani’s art moves fluidly between watercolor, illustration, digital design, and surface design. Her fine art practice captures the natural world through a Hawaiian lens, exploring the connections between land, lineage, and beauty. She has created design and branding projects for businesses across Hawaiʻi and Sonoma County, including logo and packaging design, textile and merchandise surface patterns, and community-based artwork.

Her multidisciplinary approach reflects both her cultural heritage and her belief that art exists in all spaces — on skin, in gardens, on canvas, and in community.

Selected Exhibitions & Speaking Engagements

Tattooed and Tenacious: Women in Tattoos – Sonoma County Museum of Art, featured contributor and speaker (2025)
Pasión de Frida – Puerto Alegre, San Francisco, exhibiting artist (2015–2025, excluding 2020)
Sun House Museum – Ukiah, featured artist (2018)

Fine Art & Commissions

Commissioned cover art for New Zealand reggae artist Sammy Johnson’s EP (2018)
Botanical and cultural portrait commissions (ongoing)

Surface Design, Branding & Packaging

Complete branding package – logo, packaging, and website design for Sonoma County cannabis company
Surface design projects for Hawaiʻi-based companies (textiles, travel bags, fans, masks)
Cloverdale Citrus Fair – logo redesign and marketing posters (2020–2022)
Sonoma County School of Rock – house band t-shirt design (2024–2025)
Chalk Hill Culinary Gardens – hand-painted signage and directional garden art (2025)

Tattoo Portfolio Highlights

20+ years specializing in fine-line botanical, portrait, and watercolor tattoos
Paramedical tattooing, including areola reconstruction
Corrective tattoo work utilizing advanced tone and blending techniques
Mentorship of emerging female Hawaiian artists in fine-line and sustainable practices

Press Features

North Bay Women Magazine – Featured artist, Issue 20 (Spring/Summer 2023): Purposeful Body Art, Tattoo, Fads, Fashion, and Flair
Sonoma Magazine – Named one of Sonoma County’s Top 10 Tattoo Shops (2019)

Community & Leadership

Board of Directors, Cloverdale Citrus Fair (2020–2022)
Founder, Hale Aina Women’s Book Club (2025–present)

Awards & Recognition

Second Place – Cloverdale Citrus Fair Large Exhibit (2019)
Third Place – Cloverdale Citrus Fair Large Exhibit (2018)
[3D installation works using 1,190 pieces of citrus and food-based materials]