Nova Scotia's Premier Blackwork and Blackout Artist
About Dion Kaszas
Have you ever felt like your life was going in the wrong direction? Like you were on the wrong path? That was my story until I walked into a small-town tattoo shop, asked for a tattoo apprenticeship, and began the journey that made me the tattoo artist I am today. The year was 2009, and I had taken the first steps toward fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a tattoo artist. My life has taken many twists and turns, including serving as a preacher for a conservative Christian church and working as a bouncer and bartender in a variety of nightclubs across BC and Alberta. I even struggled through my alcohol addiction and out of a lifestyle that included excessive drinking, debauchery, and partying. I am thankful for the love and support that has brought me to being sober since 2008.
My name is Dion Kaszas, and I am a professional tattoo artist and ancestral skin marker based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada. I started tattooing in 2009 and, in 2012, found my true calling to spend my life invested in the revival and resurgence of my Indigenous ancestors' designs, symbols, and motifs as a tattoo artist. I have learned how powerful and transformative tattoos can be and have dedicated my tattooing practice to creating an environment that honours this truth.
With over 16 years of experience, I have honed my craft to provide big, bold blackwork tattoos created with intention, care, and authenticity at their core. I work out of HFX Tattoo Company, where I specialize in large-scale blackwork projects that celebrate and enhance the lives of my clients and collaborators. The blackwork tattoos I do include blackouts, blast overs, and tribal tattoos inspired by the designs, symbols, and motifs of my Indigenous ancestors (Nlaka'pamux and Metis). We develop your tattoo using your ideas, story, and my knowledge of Indigenous tattooing practices mixed with ancestral guidance and intuition.
I specialize in blackwork tattoos; however, I embrace creativity across all styles, from vibrant watercolor tattoos to full-sleeve blackout tattoos. Whether you're looking for a small piece or an intricate, large-scale tattoo, my books are open to incoming new clients. Fill out the consultation form to start your tattoo journey with me.
Stay tuned for available designs and flash sheets offering special pricing. If something catches your eye, don't hesitate to fill out the consultation form and let me know!
HFX Tattoo Company is located just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the Bedford Commons. It is a 15-minute drive from the Halifax Stanfield airport, with lots of parking out front and a bus stop in the shop parking lot. I invite you to visit me at the award-winning HFX Tattoo Company, where we prioritize a smooth, professional process from your initial consultation to aftercare. Let's create something beautiful together!
Indigenous Tattoo Artist in Nova Scotia, Canada
More About Me
When I am not tattooing, I am creating things that support and enhance my tattooing, including writing and producing documentary films and podcasts. I wrote a chapter for the Oxford Handbook of the Anthropology and Archeology of Body Modification. I am currently writing and editing a book, Truly Tribal: Contemporary Indigenous Tattooing, which Fernwood Publishing will publish in the Spring of 2026. I am currently a PhD student exploring the revival of Indigenous tattooing and researching the artwork of my ancestors.
As a Nlaka'pamux ancestral skin marker, I have been dedicated to reviving Indigenous tattooing in Canada since 2012. My passion has taken me to national and international events, including the Traditional Tattoo and World Culture Festivals in Mallorca, Spain, the Traditional Tattoo festival in Kohala, Hawaii, the Tatau Festival held in Apia, Samoa, at the Taumeasina Island Resort, as well as the Toi Kiri: World Indigenous Tattoo Culture Festival in New Zealand.
As a tattoo artists I have been included in many museum and art exhibitions including but not limited to: Owning with the Gaze, Gallery 101, 2015, Insurgence/Resurgence, Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2017, Tattoo'd America: My Tattoo, My Story,The LINQ Promenade, 2019, Nlaka'pamux Blackwork: Tattooing for Transformation, Healing, and Adornment,rOGUE Gallery in the Eastern Edge Gallery, 2021, Sacred Skin: Indigenous Tattoo Art Exhibition, SFU Goldcorp Center for the Arts, 2022, Te Kahu o Toi Kiri,Kuwao Space and Collective, 2023.
I have also curated museum and art exhibitions on tattoos, their history, and contemporary manifestations. Beginning with Body Language: Reawakening Cultural Tattooing of the Northwest,at the Bill Reid Gallery, Vancouver, 2018. Then True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattooing Practices, at the Museum of Vancouver, 2024. https://museumofvancouver.ca/true-tribal
My work has been recognized in publications such as Tattoo Traditions of Native North America, The World Atlas of Tattoo, and the newly released Indigenous Tattoo Traditions: Humanity through Skin and Ink. I've also been featured in media outlets ranging from the New York Times to CBC, as well as in documentary series such as Skindigenous and This Ink Runs Deep.
Suppose you are looking to get in touch with me to book a tattoo. In that case, all you have to do is shoot me a DM on Instagram, email me at tattoo@dionkaszas.com, or fill out a consultation form on the consultation page of this website.
I am looking forward to chatting with you, so send me a message and give me a follow, and we will get to work discussing your next tattoo.