Vyvyn Lazonga

American tattoo artist and author (b. 18 March 1947, Seattle, Washington). Vyvyn Lazonga, also known as Madame Lazonga, is widely regarded as the first female tattooer to establish an independent standing in the industry (not associated with a husband or any male-owned studio). Lazonga has lived and worked in Seattle since opening her studio in 1989. Vyvyn Lazonga began her career in the early 1970s, apprenticed by Danny Danzl. She later moved to San Francisco and was tattooed at Ed Hardy's Tattoo City, winning the "Best Tattooed Female" award in 1978 for Ed Hardy's work on her body. Lazonga wrote numerous essays and monographs on the art of tattoos and appeared in many magazines and periodicals. In 1989, she was featured in Modern Primitives, a book on body modification published by RE/Search Publications and co-edited by V. Vale and Andrea Juno.