Otis Arterberry’s experience with body art got off to a rocky start.
As an 18-year old, the Falls resident walked into the local tattoo parlor and requested a picture of the Tasmanian Devil — a once-popular Looney Tune — on his skin.
“It’s covered now,” Arterberry said with a laugh.
But despite that questionable choice, Arterberry also discovered that he loved the process of getting a tattoo and knew it was what he wanted to do.
Nearly a decade later, after he’d been through “almost every job under the sun,” Arterberry got his chance. After an apprenticeship at American Skin Art in North Tonawanda he became a full-time tattoo artist.
Now 34 years old, he hasn’t looked back.
“It’s the best job in the world,” Arterberry said. “I can be myself. There’s no time clocks, no uniforms. I meet really cool people and I get to draw all day.”
He’s also gotten good at his job — earning praise from his boss, Ed Walker, gaining a reputation and growing list of customers and being featured in a recent issue of the African-American tattoo magazine, Urban Ink.
“As far as an artist, he’s very, very good,” said Walker, who owns American Skin Art. Later, he added, “Otis has quite a following.”
But tattoos aren’t just a job for Arterberry. He calls it a “lifestyle” and says the relationship between himself and his customers is special.
“My artwork is walking, it’s living,” he said. “It stays with people for the rest of their life and it’s an awesome feeling.”
Arterberry especially concentrates on making each tattoo different, even if they’re chosen out of a book at the store.
“You don’t want something everybody else has,” Arterberry said. “I like to use my imagination to give them something nobody else has.”
Walker said once you get past the initial shock of Arterberry’s appearance — he’s heavily tattooed himself — he’s “an all-around good person.”
“I would trust Otis with my life,” he said. “He’s a very, very hard worker.”
In the future, Arterberry said he plans to open his own shop, which will include tattoos, clothing lines, logos and murals.
“I do all that type of stuff,” he said. “As long as it’s artistic, I’m in.”
PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST: Falls resident Otis Arterberry finds success and happiness at his job at American Skin Art. None/The Tonawanda News(Click for larger image)
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