#104: Control, Discipline, and Meditation ft. Oliver Kenton

From South Africa to the global tattoo stage, Oliver Kenton didn't follow a straight line — he followed geometry. In this episode of Chats & Tatts with host Aaron Della Vedova, we sit down with Oliver to talk about the long road behind his unmistakable geometric and ornamental tattoo work.

What started as an obsession with pattern, structure, and precision became a way of making sense of movement, identity, and starting over in a new country. Oliver opens up about: Growing up in South Africa and how that environment shaped his eye and why geometry became his language when words weren't enough.

The discipline, patience, and control behind large-scale geometric tattoos, his migration, reinvention, and building a life through art are explored in this open, honest chat. His work isn't about trends — it's about order, balance, and intention. This conversation goes deeper than needles and skin. It's about spirituality and the impact of DMT experiences, finding stability through repetition, carving identity through lines, and trusting the process even when the path isn't clear.

Chat Highlights:

00:00 — Why leaving home shaped everything.

03:48 — How patterns, precision, and repetition became his language.

08:32 — Tattooing as control, discipline, and meditation.

14:10 — Trusting the long game.

19:45 — Large-Scale Commitment

31:06 — Permanence Means Something

42:20 — The Energy Exchange

47:55 — Not Chasing Trends

53:40 — Tattoos as a Record of Time

1:05:00 — What Success Really Looks Like

1:16:20 — Advice for Artists Coming Up

Quotes:

"Geometry gave me order when everything else felt uncertain."

"There was no straight path from South Africa to here — just lines I trusted."

"I don't tattoo trends. I tattoo intention."

"Repetition isn't boring — it's where discipline turns into freedom."

"When someone trusts you with their skin, that responsibility is everything."

"Large-scale work teaches patience — not just to the client, but to the artist."

"Tattooing became the place where chaos finally made sense."

"Every line is a decision you have to stand behind forever."

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Connect with Aaron:⁠

Aaron IG:⁠ http://www.instagram.com/aarondellavedova⁠

Guru Tattoo: http://www.Gurutattoo.com

Connect with Horikei:

IG:https://www.instagram.com/oliverkenton