Tattoo artist looks to open shop

HARRINGTON - Tattoos can be found all around the world. Those that appreciate tattoos come from all different walks of life and can hold numerous meanings, memorial tattoos, military tattoos, religious tattoos and those that understand the artwork of the artist.

However, opening a tattoo shop in a rural area can be challenging due to demographics, space, and resources. As a result, only one tattoo shop is currently in Lincoln County, Cast Iron Tattoo, located in Davenport.

Joey Kostyk, 36, hopes to open a business with a space in which tattoo enthusiasts will be comfortable expressing themselves.

"It was my art teacher that got me into it," Koystyk said. "And then 17 years estranged, he even had me tattoo him."

Kostyk recalled his teacher being different and covered in tattoos.

"He was one of the new teachers at the time," he said. "But now he is one of the most long-standing there."

Kostyk said it was suggested he get into tattooing and was surprised no one had said anything earlier. He said he experimented with tattooing after high school but messed up on a friend and stopped for several years.

"I dabbled a little bit out of high school," Kostyk said. "Messed up on a friend, stopped for six or seven years until I got an apprenticeship in Edmonton."

He moved to Edmonton, Canada, in 2011 and worked as a sandblaster/painter for 5 1/2 years while also working on his apprenticeship tattooing.

"Once I found out I was having my first son," Kostyk said. "I needed to do it."

Through the apprenticeship, Kostyk learned from his earlier mistakes to prevent them from happening again. The desire to face his fears and open his shop became his motivation. Knowing he was soon to be a father changed the game for him. It was no longer about the money; it was about his passions and spreading his art.

"I keep getting caught up in the "wrong" crowd for lack of a better word," Kostyk said. "It isn't just about the money on my aspect of things."

Moving someone with an art piece is an experience and Kostyk points out that appreciating the craft is essential to being a tattoo artist.

"80 percent of my tattoos are memorials," Koystyk said. " I tattoo so many demographics."

He said comfort is essential when someone visits his shop.

"It's cool when you can accept every walk of life," Kostyk said. "I may disagree with how they live their life, but when they walk into my shop, it's somewhat of a spiritual experience."

Kostyk said a clean, safe environment is what he strives for and he wants to continue the art of tattooing and make people happy. A GoFundMe has been created to help him raise funds for opening his prospective business.