As the owner of Assassin Tattoo & Piercing, I can safely say working with you — your inspiration, your ideas, and your memories — is a privilege we will never take lightly. We are a family of artists that have found a way to satisfy our need to create.

We’ve heard that “Tattoos is therapy for the soul”, and we can say that is as true for us as it is for our clients. Many know us as the most authentic Asian tattoo shop in Houston, but spend some time in Our Gallery, and you’ll see that we have grown to become even more than our reputation would suggest.

I am Peng. Two decades ago, in a bustling district of Dongcheng, Beijing, I established Assassin Tattoo & Piercing. In that fleeting moment, I couldn’t foresee that this tattoo shop would accompany me for a whole twenty years, merging seamlessly with my life, encapsulating both my emotions and artistic endeavors. Since its inception in 2001, the shop has continuously operated in the same locale, bearing witness to countless stories and changes.

Through my lens, tattooing is more than just a bodily decoration. It represents people’s states and moods during specific periods. Tattoos are for the few, because true aristocrats are always a minority. The media once said to me, “In essence, a tattoo is a symbol, an outlet for innermost feelings and a proclamation of individuality.” As for the concept of being “alternative,” I believe that doing what the majority doesn’t do makes you unique. Tattooing is a quintessential representation of this. It’s both fashion and individualism. Even as a tattoo artist, I’ve chosen not to ink my own body. When everybody else is adorned with vibrant tattoos, my unmarked skin will make me the most fashionable and alternative.

I opted for the art form of tattooing, using a needle to craft designs on sensitive skin, letting my soul revel in a unique pleasure that intertwines pain and passion. My choice to remain uninked isn’t out of reluctance or fear. Rather, I wish to transcend this “alternative” culture, reaching an even bolder proclamation of my individuality, ahead of the majority.

Tattoos, whether impeccable or flawed, are merely symbols on the skin. Beneath these symbols lie vivid stories, and that is the true soul of a tattoo. As a tattoo artist, I deal not just with skin, but with every client’s inner world. Their stories, emotions, past, and future are all sources of inspiration for my artistry.

To excel as a tattoo artist, one needs more than just tattooing skills; a broad range of knowledge is vital. Arts, music, astronomy, geography, theology, humanities, history, healthcare… Knowledge from these domains fuels my artistic creativity. I meticulously understand the essence of every design, repeatedly refining and verifying to avoid any elementary errors.

Assassin Tattoo & Piercing is not just a tattoo shop. It’s a palace of art co-created by me and my clients. Each tattooing session is an intimate conversation between me and my client. As I pierce their skin, I also delve deep into their souls. My tattoos reside on your body, while your stories nestle in my heart.

Over time, I’ve ventured overseas, attending numerous tattoo exhibitions, from London in the UK to Berlin in Germany, and San Francisco in the USA. Each exhibition enriches me with fresh inspiration and experiences. In 2017, I opened an Assassin Tattoo & Piercing branch in Houston, USA, hoping to bring this profound artistic dialogue to a broader audience.

Assassin Tattoo & Piercing has evolved to be more than my career — it’s my life. It’s the confluence of my emotions and art, and the profound bond I share with each client.