LYNN — Something electric is brewing on Munroe Street at La Tinta Tattoo Shop. More than just a place to get inked, the shop is becoming a cultural hub where tattoo artistry, music and local legacy intersect.
At the heart of it all is Freddy Aravena, a tattoo veteran with nearly two decades of experience. Originally from Chile, Aravena came to the United States in 2008 and began his journey with homemade equipment and side jobs before apprenticing under respected Boston artists. He now tattoos backstage at concerts across New England and manages La Tinta with the goal of becoming the go-to tattoo artist for touring rock bands.
The Crew:
Johnny Sunset: A Seattle transplant with 15 years of experience, he brings a traditional, lineage-based approach to the shop. Apprenticed under Ed Masterson and Tim Cooper — both veteran tattooers with decades of experience — Sunset carries a deep respect for the craft’s origins. “Ed didn’t just teach me how to tattoo,” Sunset said. “He taught me why it matters — why the history, the machines, the method all mean something.”
Sunset traces his tattoo heritage back to the pioneers of American tattooing, including Samuel O’Reilly and Charles Wagner. “Tattooing has a bloodline,” he said. “Mine goes back to the 1890s. I can name everyone from O’Reilly to myself.” He still uses coil machines, builds his own gear, and tattoos in a bold traditional style that honors the lineage he comes from.
Jay Dee: Originally from the Dominican Republic, he moved to Lynn in 2012. After enduring subpar tattoos and various odd jobs, he turned his art background into a career. “I didn’t just want to make money — I wanted to make passion work,” he said.
Eduardo Valentini Jr.: The youngest artist at La Tinta, is just 23 — but he’s already made his mark. He apprenticed under his father, Freddy Aravena, and credits him with opening the door to tattooing. “As soon as I picked up the needle, it just felt very natural to me,” he said. “I apprenticed under my father. Forever, I always appreciate him and respect him for that.”
Valentini Jr. didn’t always envision himself in the tattoo world. “I was mainly trying to become a surgeon,” he said. “But then I did more research and was like—being a surgeon really isn’t it. By the time I’m 50, I’m gonna be in half a million dollars in debt.”
Instead, he leaned into the art that had been a part of his life since he was a kid: cartoon and anime characters. His first tattoo was an outline of Bart Simpson, done on one of his dad’s clients. “I really like The Simpsons. Cartoon stuff is what I grew up drawing, so that was easy.”
Today, Eduardo brings bold, illustrative energy to the shop’s lineup — and every tattoo on his own skin so far? “All done by my dad,” he said. “For free, too.”
Freddy Aravena: Co-founder and manager, began tattooing before it was legal in Massachusetts. He got his start in the early 2000s working out of barbershops and homes, often setting up portable kits with a printer, gloves and sterilized gear.
“There were only two tattoo artists in the city at the time,” Aravena said. “We were setting up anywhere we could—barbershops, back rooms, wherever there was space. I had a whole traveling kit.”
His love of tattoos began in Chile, where he first started out as a piercer in a local shop. “I always liked tattoos,” he said. “I wasn’t allowed to do them yet, but I watched the artists closely, just absorbing everything.” Tattoo equipment was expensive and hard to find, so he improvised.
“All I needed was a pen, a spoon, and a motor,” Aravena said. “I bent the spoon, used a pen tube for the needle housing, and grabbed a motor from an old electric razor. That was my first machine.”
After immigrating to the U.S., Aravena found himself bouncing between odd jobs he couldn’t stand. “I hated every job I had,” he said. “I knew that wasn’t my path.”
A friend of the family helped him get started by buying a $40 beginner tattoo kit. “It was all cheap stuff — gloves, needles, ink — but it was enough,” he said. “I did a free tattoo for them and never looked back.”
He later apprenticed at Calaveras Tattoo in Chelsea under Edgar Calaveras. Over time, Aravena developed a unique style that attracted the attention of musicians and creatives. His recent work with the lead singer of the band Live helped elevate his visibility online. “That tattoo opened the door,” Aravena said. “Since then, more artists started reaching out. Rockers with blue checks. Word travels fast in that world.”
Aravena has spent the last two years building a brand that bridges tattoo culture and the music world. He works events at venues like Xfinity Center in Mansfield and TD Garden in Boston, offering private tattoos to musicians while on tour.
“I want them to know — if you’re in Boston, you come to me,” Aravena said. “I want to be that guy.”
“We want this shop to be the spot,” Jay Dee added. “When rockstars come to Massachusetts, when they’re in Boston or on tour — this is where they come. We want Lynn to be on the map for that.”
Even the shop’s atmosphere is curated with intention. “Everything is decorated like I always dreamed,” Jay Dee said. “People walk in and feel art — not just on the skin, but in the room.”
What binds these artists isn’t just talent, but philosophy. “Tattooing is about trust,” Sunset said. “Know your artist. Don’t ask a traditionalist to do a hyper-realistic portrait. Find someone who lives the style you want.”
Jay Dee echoed the sentiment: “It’s like buying a car. You don’t walk into a dealership and just say, ‘I want a car.’ Same thing with tattoos. How big? What style? How much time?”
That attention to quality has earned the shop growing recognition. In mid-March, Neil Sanderson, drummer of the multi-platinum rock band Three Days Grace, visited La Tinta after a show in Boston. The connection had been building for months.
“I had my eye on Freddy’s work,” Sanderson said. “Looking at what he’s done — the quality is incredible. I felt like I was in good hands.”
Sanderson received a fully customized Haida-style shark tattoo from Aravena — a marine creature depicted with bold lines and vibrant color, honoring the traditions of Pacific Northwest Indigenous art.
In a surprising twist, Aravena let Sanderson tattoo him as well. The drummer inked a small “3DG” — the band’s initials — onto Freddy as a mutual sign of respect.
La Tinta opened in September 2024, but its impact is already being felt. With five-star reviews, a strong client-artist bond and a mission centered on quality over quantity, the shop is becoming a cornerstone of Lynn’s creative scene.
Whether you’re a touring musician or a local resident with a story to tell, La Tinta welcomes you — with machines ready.
