Owner and artist Nalla Smith grew up in New York City and began tattooing in the underground scene of 1990s San Francisco, learning the craft alongside legends like Ed Hardy, Greg Kulz, and Eddie Deutsche.

After decades of tattooing at iconic shops across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City, Nalla felt the call to return to the Hudson Valley, where he had spent weekends as a kid. It wasn’t until Nalla and his wife, Christine Cherbonnier—a celebrity and editorial makeup artist—visited a long-closed tattoo shop in Hillsdale, NY, that everything truly fell into place. Christine immediately saw the potential, and together, they envisioned a space where Nalla could reignite his passion for shop ownership and Christine could curate a retail experience inside the studio— while managing the business and supporting Nalla’s thriving clientele.

In March 2025, Sticks & Stones Tattoo opened its doors. Together, they’ve created a shop where everyone is welcome and encouraged to explore art and identity, the foundation of Sticks & Stones is built on love, creativity, and community.

If tattooing isn’t your thing you can still participate by visiting our shop or soon to be online store, featuring vintage and fine jewelry, skin repair essentials, oddities, and our rotating merch series featuring Nalla’s art.

🤍

Nalla & Christine