Moon Gravel Arts: A tattoo studio has come to Milford
MILFORD When I entered Moon Gravel Arts Tattoo and Fine Art Studio in the Broad Street Courtyard in Milford, I asked its owner/artist, Jim Palmer, if perhaps it was an oxymoron to have a Tattoo studio in pristine Milford. He didn’t seem to think so. Neither did he think Milford was so pristine. Further I asked if it was unusual to combine a tattoo studio with fine arts, but to Jim Palmer it wasn’t apples and figs. It was all very much related and very much more in the mainstream than some people, (myself included) would think. Moon Gravel Arts is one of those beautiful new buildings in the courtyard next to Jorgenson’s Deli on Broad Street. The property is owned by Chris Hobbs and Tom Holmes and what used to be an auto body shop is now trés chic. Jim Palmer sees the world from a different and very interesting perspective. He ever-so patiently answered the questions of this neophyte about his work. PCC: Who gets tattooed? JP: Tattoos are no longer just for bikers or “bad girls”. They are very much more in the mainstream. Tattoos are everywhere; TV, movies, and regular people right here in Milford. Milford is a very cool town and more and more people are finding out about it. PCC: What’s the oldest person you’ve ever tattooed? JP: I did a 70 year-old man and a co-worker did a big dragon on a 79 year-old woman who had lost her husband and had always wanted to get a tattoo. She felt so liberated. She loved that tattoo. PCC: I notice that you have very relaxing music in the studio and this special chair for the clients. JP: We try to create a relaxing atmosphere. The process of tattooing creates a unique and often therapeutic experience. It is a one-on-one relationship with the client and is very special. PCC: Are you the only one here? JP: No, we also have Geniffer “Pistol” Shadler, who is well known in this area. She has now joined us and she’s a very good artist. PCC: And they call her “Pistol” because . . . JP: Because of the way she wields that tattoo machine like a “pistol packin mamma.” PCC: What body parts are generally tattooed? JP: Almost anything except faces. We do mostly, arms, legs, backs, shoulders, and body sleeves (whole body). PCC: How long does it take and cost, on the average? JP: It depends on the tattoo. We charge $120 per hour, with a $60 minimum. PCC: Can a tattoo be removed? JP: It can be either removed by laser surgery or covered by another tattoo. PCC: Why do people get tattoos? JP: It’s a way to decorate their bodies and express themselves. There is beauty in this art form. They also do it to celebrate relationships or events or to memorialize a loved one.