Sweet Needles is my creative corner for body piercing and tooth gems. I’m Maisha, a multidisciplinary artist, certified body piercer, and tooth gem tech. Born and raised in Ethiopia, I studied fine arts (photography) at OCAD U in Toronto, where my interest in art, fashion, and self-expression fully took over my life (no regrets).

Over the years, I’ve bounced between mediums and cities, from my experimental clothing brand Lewatch, to collaborating with textile artists around the world, to exhibiting work in Toronto, London, and Addis Ababa. Along the way, my work ended up in Vogue USA and ODDA Magazine, which was genuinely very cool, so I’ll mention it once and keep it moving.

Piercing and tooth gems started the way most creative obsessions do badly.

First on myself, then on friends, purely out of curiosity. Eventually I decided curiosity was not enough. I completed professional training at the Tattoo and Piercing School of Canada in 2023, but my real education came through apprenticing and working in established Toronto studios. I trained and worked in high volume walk in environments such as Inky Dinky Tattoo and True Tattoo Studio, and also spent time at Hotline Tattoo Studio. Being in active shop settings sharpened my technical precision, jewelry knowledge, and client care in ways no classroom alone could.