Ode to a Tattoo Artist

Well, where do I start? It was the summer of 1990, just kidding. I just wanted to give you a little info about who I am and where my career stems from. Just after High school, a friend and I went to the only tattooist (at that time in the upper Peninsula of Michigan) that was well known enough to be reliable, Dave Jacques. Located in a little U.P. town, known as Iron Mountain. At this time Dave had been tattooing for about 15 years. I thought that is enough time and experience to lay down a nice piece of art. Sure enough, I got what I wanted.

The first time I realized that I was an Ink Addict was when I heard the buzz of the machine. (ringing off of the walls of Dave's' small kitchen studio). Yeah, It wasn't the first choice for a place to have a tattoo studio, but he was licensed and he had an autoclave. Not only that, this is where about a Million and one people have been going for years.

After I got Inked for the first time I realized that Hey, Maybe I could teach my self to tattoo. I got some pointers from Dave about a few things and built my very own Tattoo Machine. What a rugged looking thing that was. HAHAHA. It consisted of a small battery powered motor, an ink pen, a disposable lighter and some guitar string for the needle. This machine didn't hum but it laid some ink down. Needless to say, I have some friends out there with some pretty early work on them. Thanks Guys…lol.

Soon after I was talking with my parents and convinced them to cosign a loan so I would have the proper sterilization equipment and some professional machines to work with. To the bank we go and off to the catalogs.
The next thing I know I had a studio set up in the trailer that I lived in. From the start I was making some cash. I would charge $20.00 just to pay for my supplies and the people were happy to pay it… I tattooed out of "Inks In" (the second bedroom) for about a year.

One day I realized that my real job sucked and that I need to get a better one. I gave my sister and brother in-law a call and it was off to Oklahoma. I scored a job at Ditch Witch in Perry. Working as a production machinist was cool but not as cool as tattooing in a state that it was not allowed. Yeah, I inked up a few people down south.
After about 2 years out there, the heat was too much and I decided to move back to the U.P. Upon arriving home, I found out that Tattoo Dave had opened a shop with another guy in Norway Michigan. I gave him a call and asked for a job.

When I walked into that little shop in Norway, I met the other guy. Dave Campbell. We hit it off right from the start and I had a job tattooing at Dave's' Tattoos. The course of the next couple months was laid out for me. Tattoo, Tattoo, Tattoo...

After a couple months I realized that even though all of us were staying busy, I needed something else. I ordered some information on Body Piercing and started to study. I began by doing just the simple piercings and then worked my way to the more complex stuff. Thus began my Piercing Career.

After a few months at Dave's' I decided to move on to my own studio. I went hunting for a place to start up and found a perfect spot downtown Escanaba Michigan. The price was definitely right and within a month I had opened Colorful Image Custom Tattoos and Body Piercing. This was Jan 4th, 1997. Dave Campbell went on to open up Wicked Ink in Marquette Michigan. Dave Jacques stayed in Norway and eventually moved back to his roots in his home studio.

The next few years were up and down but gradually got to the point where we were the #1 recommended studio in the U.P. When I opened up in Escanaba I was really surprised that there were no health regulations or licensing even available. I began to hound the Health Department to get some regulations in tact but that was like pulling teeth. It was one excuse after another. Needless to say, there are still no regulations for Delta and Menominee Counties.

Through all this Dave and Dave and I still kept in touch and Campbell told me he was heading to Wisconsin to the Neenah area. I got a phone call in winter of 2002 to go into a partnership with him and jumped at the opportunity to start another business in Wisconsin. I hired a Tattooist to work out of Colorful Image and well, That didn't work so well. Within 6 months I had to shut the doors due to some unforeseen circumstances with the tattooist.

I moved my family and my artwork to the Fox Valley area the beginning of May 2003. Once I was here it was work, work, work. I had some fun to but … a lot of things were not the way they were spelled out to be. Bottom Line, The experience of working in a studio with 5 other people was something that I think of as a learning experience but I am glad to have moved on with no hard feelings and opened Flesh Chamber West.

To date I have been piercing for 11 years and Tattooing for going on 13. A lot of things have changed since I first started and everyday is another day to hone my skills and learn everything I can to ensure the safety and health of my customers. And also to put out quality artwork backed by the confidence that I have instilled in my self and my customers.

Thank you for taking the time to check this out. I hope that I didn't bore you to death. I tried to keep it short but give you the info you need to feel like you kind of already know me. We welcome everyone to stop in and check out the new studio and hopefully we can fulfill your tattoo and piercing needs.

Peace Out
Jeff "Tatman" Lieber

Flesh Chamber West™
"Exceeding the Standards"!!!