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An art studio by a different name: Just one example of Everett Nielsen’s forays into more macabre tattoo designs.[/caption]
There are so many unique and talented artists across the Peak to Peak, many of whom show their art at galleries, sell their art at farmers markets and sidewalk sales, or display their entire collection at their own studios. But there’s another type of studio where the art can transcend beyond the artists themselves and can become a pure statement of expression to be worn on someone else’s body.
Tattooing doesn’t usually get mentioned with other art forms, like painting, photography, and watercolors, but the medium deserves more recognition as it requires just as much patience, talent, and technique as those other art forms, and also elicits much of the same emotion.
Tattoo parlors are not often equated with art studios, but in many ways they function as such: tattoo artists display their talent on the walls. But the professional service provided by the artist, and the intimate nature of the act itself, elevates a tattoo parlor into more than just a studio – it’s a place where memories are immortalized.
Everett Nielsen, the owner of Inkhaus Tattoo Studio in Nederland (located at 150 North Jefferson Street) knew from the get-go that his shop should be as distinctive as the town itself, and should celebrate the true artistic expression that tattooing represents.
“This is my home town. I grew up here, so I want it to be more than just a normal, everyday, walk-in tattoo shop – I want it to be unique,” Nielsen said, standing in the middle of Inkhaus’s studio floor, surrounded by bright and poppy art, framed concert posters and other music memorabilia, and a long display of body jewelry.
Nielsen became interested in tattoos at a young age when he met a friend of his parents who was in a motorcycle club. He zeroed in on the tattoo on his arm and immediately thought, “That’s cool!”
As soon as he turned 18, Nielsen got his first tattoo. His next tattoo would be a matching design that he got with his mom, which he states he’ll never have removed and will always keep touched up and refreshed.
Despite working in a demanding career with the Colorado Department of Transportation, and his time as a dedicated husband and father, Nielsen has carried his passion for tattoos, for music, and for the art of tattooing through his entire life.
His work encompasses many different styles, but Nielsen is mostly drawn to the macabre.
“Anything that’s dark and creepy, that’s my favorite thing to tattoo – like ghouls and zombies. I mean, think about it: zombies are pretty cool,” Nielsen said, admiring the iconic horror of their non-stop, insatiable appetite for brains.
Though Nielsen has his own artistic preferences, part of being a tattoo artist requires versatility and the ability to ink a range of styles to accommodate clients and their preferences.
“It’s about you. It’s not just about the art or how I see it, it’s about what you want. It’s something special to you that I need to make happen,” Nielsen said, explaining how the artist/client interactions are his favorite part of the business. .
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Truly original and meaningful art: Sometimes what’s most logical is what feels right in our hearts. [/caption]
“What I like about it the most is getting to meet people and getting to hear what’s going on in their lives. We get stuck in our little bubbles, so getting to hear about people’s lives kind of reminds you that there’s a lot more going on out there than what you see on the daily.”
Nielsen details how he sees folks of all walks of life come into Inkhaus, from tattoo aficionados to tentative newbies; from locals to out-of-towners looking to commemorate their visit to the mountains.
“There are times when someone wants something that they’ve drawn themselves, or something their niece drew, and they want it exact because it’s really meaningful to them, and that’s really cool.”
The sentimentality and emotion involved in nearly every tattoo adds to the fulfillment that the artist feels, not just from the satisfaction of their work, but from being able to witness the joy on the clients’ faces. In addition to having artistic skill, a tattoo artist must also be empathetic to their client’s needs, must possess customer service skills, and sometimes even a “bedside manner.”
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Just one of tattoo artist Zahra Craig’s many accomplishments working at Inkhaus.[/caption]
“I’m always checking up on my clients. It’s always the client that comes first,” tattoo artist Zahra Craig said.
Craig has worked at Inkhaus as an apprentice under Nielsen for over half a year, and explained how attending to a client’s physical needs, and educating them on the importance of tattoo aftercare are huge parts of the job.
“I go heavy into after-care. I explain to them, ‘This is how you take care of it, this is how you wash it,’ because you can easily mess up your tattoo by not taking care of it properly.”
Craig has been an artist for all of her young life, with a love for painting animal portraits and a passion for tattooing that has propelled her into a career. She designed her first tattoo when she was 16, and that design would not only become the first tattoo to be etched onto her body, but was also the first tattoo she ever inked on someone else, with her father proudly volunteering to be her first test subject.
“I’ve been wanting to be a tattoo artist for years, I just never knew how,” Craig said, as she noted the rocky road she had to navigate when deciding to work in the field rather than attend art school.
“I’d go into other places and show them my work and ask if they were looking for an apprentice, and I’d get turned down, which is totally fine; but I continued on and eventually took a shot and went to Everett and the rest is history.”
Nielsen stated that his dream is for Inkhaus to be an art studio for several practicing artists, not just himself.
“Ultimately, I want it to be a collective of artists. It’s not just my shop; everybody who’s an artist and tattoos out of here has a say in their own stake. My name may be on the paperwork but I want them to feel like it’s their home too,” Nielsen said.
Inkhaus features the talents not only of Craig and Nielsen, but also of 20-year tattooing veteran Adam Pause. However, Craig is Nielsen’s first apprentice, who, after learning coloring, shading, and developing her own style, is nearly finished with her training.
“There’s just a few more things I have to learn and I’ll be a full-fledged tattoo artist. At first it was difficult because you don’t realize how much really goes into tattooing, and not just the tattooing aspect but also the business.” Craig added that she’s learned a lot from Nielsen, including how to run a tattoo shop.
“He’s been an amazing teacher; he’s taught me literally everything I know. It’s awesome just coming in here and hanging out in the shop, and he has full trust in me, which is amazing,” As Craig explained the positive mentor/ apprentice relationship she shares with Nielsen, she works on a design of an old punk logo from Nielsen’s adolescent days, which she’ll be inking onto him.
“She’s really good, man, and super cool, super personable, and just a sweet soul,” Nielsen said, complimenting Craig’s skill as an artist, as well as her open and caring demeanor, which fits in perfectly with the environment Inkhaus strives to create.
“I have a lot of people come in who just want to talk about their lives, and it’s one of my favorite parts about this job,” Craig said. “To really get in-depth into who people are – there really is a personal connection that I get to make with people through my art.”
She explained how, through her work as a tattoo artist she’s honored the memories of grandparents and pets who have passed on, as well as created matching tattoos for families and friends.
“It’s really cool to do tattoos like that because it’s a combination of their tastes and my tastes, and it’s something that you’ll never see on someone else’s body. It’s also awesome getting people who just walk in, not knowing me and my art, and then end up absolutely loving me in the end,” Craig smiled, as she prepared for a client about to come in.
Her ritual of preparation includes the procedural cleaning and sterilization of the studio space and of the instruments, as well as printing many stencil sizes of the client’s tattoo, in order to pick the very best configuration.
Craig also listens to music in order to get herself mentally into the zone, which is a place that she admits is easier to get to since she entered in her apprenticeship at Inkhaus.
“After becoming a tattoo artist this is the most confident I’ve been in myself ever in my life. I’m really proud of where I am right now and what I’ve accomplished; it’s been an amazing journey and I’m really excited and happy to keep going with it.”
Inkhaus is located at 150 North Jefferson Street. They are open for walk-ins, and appointments can be made by calling 720-361-7675.
