ONEONTA — Gone are the days when getting inked meant only a blurry-edged anchor or an inexpert heart wrapped in the word “Mom.” A practice once seen as a statement of rebellion or reminiscence reserved for sailors, biker gangs and gawk-worthy exhibits at the carnival midway has become, instead, a matter of mainstream self-expression.
In a recently published Harris Poll, a survey of 2, 225 people showed that three in 10 Americans have a tattoo. Furthermore, of those with ink, seven in 10 go back for more. And the younger the adult, the more pervasive the ink; the same poll calculated that 47 percent of millennials have at least one tattoo, along with 36 percent of Gen-Xers.
And as tattoos have become more commonplace, the art form itself has been elevated. A century and a quarter after the first electric tattooing machine was developed and patented in 1891 (following the discovery of Thomas Edison’s designs for an “electric pen” from 25 years prior), today’s tattooing is highly precise, heavy on skill, and ever-evolving.
My Charming Little Zuni Sun God, Done By Scarecrow Planet Dan @ Oculo Visitant Gallery, Oneonta Ny
“Back in the day, the American standard of tattooing was different from other cultures, ” said Mike “Tombstone” Melli of The Body Alternative at 138 Main St. in Oneonta. “As time’s gone on, placement has become more important and people have really gotten away from the ‘cartoony, ’ older style. Today, people are more exploratory, they want more realism, more 3-D effects.”
Melli, who over the course of his career has inked an average of 4, 000 clients annually, said that, while the basic design of tattooing machines hasn’t strayed far from the 1891 prototype, the advancements in other facets of the industry have been recent and sweeping.
Years ago, tattoos were “simple designs with bold outlines, gray wash, black shade, some color and gaps of skin as a balance, because we were limited by colors of ink and styles of needles, ” Melli explained. But now, said Melli, “We have all these new styles of needles, we can do fat lines, fine lines, fades and shades. And we have much better inks; there’s been a lot of experimentation with pigments so we have longer-lasting colors, too.”
Oculo Visitant Gallery, 193 Main St, Oneonta, Ny, Tattoos & Piercing
Melli took the tangential route into the industry, racking up five degrees (three in art), a turn as a cemetery statuary carver (hence the alias), a nine-year stint as a public school teacher and a spell as a fine artist before settling into tattooing at 30. Now 47, Melli, formerly of Long Island, is two years into his present post at the 138 Main St. parlor.
James Mcilroy of Golden Lotus Tattoo Studio at 75 Main St. in Oneonta echoed this sentiment, saying, “I am always trying to educate myself. Everyone is always pushing each other to do better. Our goal (as artists) is always to just kill it.”
Mcilroy recently attended a tattooing seminar with fellow Golden Lotus tattoo artist and shop owner Jason Sexton, something both credited with expanding and deepening their understanding of the craft. Sexton has been tattooing for 25 years and Mcilroy has been at the Golden Lotus, which opened in 2005, for six.
My First Tatooo! Wolf Tattoo Done By Pinky At Lollipops Oneonta Ny
With a bachelor’s degree in art from the State University College at Oneonta, Mcilroy, the son of an artist and fashion designer, said he is always working on trying to better identify and define his own style. He mentioned that, as part of that, he has recently been doing a lot of painting.
Mcilroy said he likes paying homage to traditional American- and Japanese-style tattooing and has recently noticed a lot of sacred geometry patterns making their way into the tattoo world.
The $2.3 billion tattoo industry continues to grow (entire reality TV shows are devoted to the art) and with that growth has come a depth and breadth in the caliber of craftsmanship. Oneonta alone can boast several tattoo parlors, each with its own style and devoted clientele.
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“The opening of Indelible Ink in 1997 marked the beginning of some sort of standard of quality in our area, and that naturally invites competition, ” noted Scannell, who apprenticed at Indelible Ink for two years and stayed on for six more. “Once somebody proves to a community what you can do in a given art form, it takes off from there.”
Located at 193 Main St., OVG is managed locally by Gene Gowen, but is owned and overseen by tattoo artist Craig Rodriguez, who also owns Hand of Glory and The End is Near in Brooklyn.
Rodriguez has more 20 years of tattooing to his credit and has devoted his life to honing the skills of his craft. He routinely travels to Japan (OVG specializes in traditional, Americana, and Japanese tattooing styles), developing relationships with fellow international tattoo artists.
All Might By Xanthian Moon @ Oculo Visitant Gallery, Oneonta Ny
Unsurprisingly, Rodriguez has infused his Oneonta parlor with the high level of talent and creativity for which he himself is known. That, and as Scannell pointed out, OVG maintains a “rotating guest station, ” where the studio hosts visiting expert tattooers.
Asked about the changes he’s seen over his long career, Melli — who Body Alternative owner Greg Lee called “the best around” — said, “In the last 15 years the industry has just exploded, with new artists constantly pushing the envelope of styles and exploring new avenues.”
With a bachelor’s degree in art from the State University College at Oneonta, Mcilroy, the son of an artist and fashion designer, said he is always working on trying to better identify and define his own style. He mentioned that, as part of that, he has recently been doing a lot of painting.
Mcilroy said he likes paying homage to traditional American- and Japanese-style tattooing and has recently noticed a lot of sacred geometry patterns making their way into the tattoo world.
The $2.3 billion tattoo industry continues to grow (entire reality TV shows are devoted to the art) and with that growth has come a depth and breadth in the caliber of craftsmanship. Oneonta alone can boast several tattoo parlors, each with its own style and devoted clientele.
What's Next For The Closed Down, Historic Oneonta Theatre?
“The opening of Indelible Ink in 1997 marked the beginning of some sort of standard of quality in our area, and that naturally invites competition, ” noted Scannell, who apprenticed at Indelible Ink for two years and stayed on for six more. “Once somebody proves to a community what you can do in a given art form, it takes off from there.”
Located at 193 Main St., OVG is managed locally by Gene Gowen, but is owned and overseen by tattoo artist Craig Rodriguez, who also owns Hand of Glory and The End is Near in Brooklyn.
Rodriguez has more 20 years of tattooing to his credit and has devoted his life to honing the skills of his craft. He routinely travels to Japan (OVG specializes in traditional, Americana, and Japanese tattooing styles), developing relationships with fellow international tattoo artists.
All Might By Xanthian Moon @ Oculo Visitant Gallery, Oneonta Ny
Unsurprisingly, Rodriguez has infused his Oneonta parlor with the high level of talent and creativity for which he himself is known. That, and as Scannell pointed out, OVG maintains a “rotating guest station, ” where the studio hosts visiting expert tattooers.
Asked about the changes he’s seen over his long career, Melli — who Body Alternative owner Greg Lee called “the best around” — said, “In the last 15 years the industry has just exploded, with new artists constantly pushing the envelope of styles and exploring new avenues.”
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