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Trail Staff Writer
Two ladies sit in the living room of Uncle Freaky’s Tattoo and Piercing in Deaver, poring over books of designs from which to choose.
Today they are being inked. Mike Wicks, otherwise known as Uncle Freaky, can only advise against getting the name of a spouse or significant other tattooed on their bodies, citing the rule of thumb that in three months the relationship will be over.
Such is the lighthearted atmosphere in one tattoo parlor, but in Wyoming getting a tattoo can be risky business if you’re not careful.
Wyoming as a state is completely unregulated when it comes to tattoos and artists, and your tattoo experience can differ even from county to county.
“There’s no regulations as of right now for anything. The most they’re doing at this point is they’re passing some laws as far as minors and that’s about it,” Wicks said.
The art of tattooing is truly ancient, delving back thousands of years, and is a permanent symbol of self-expression, acceptance and even rebellion. With something as important, and potentially addicting, as tattooing many factors must be taken into consideration.
Wicks is a full-time tattoo artist, making the bulk of his income from his home-based business. He’s been tattooing for more than 20 years, and has a plethora of information and caveats when it comes to getting a tattoo or piercing. Every piece of equipment is cleaned and sanitized before being packaged, and most of the reusable equipment is sent out to be professionally sanitized. He uses his own autoclave sanitizer, steaming it for 30 minutes under 17 pounds of pressure. Most sterile items are good for three months.
Two things that are never reused are ink and needles. Wicks’ ink comes in individual caps that can be thrown away without wasting a lot of ink, and his needles come soldered onto a pipe together, and all he has to do is break off the used ones after he’s done with them. However, it’s not unheard of, especially in Wyoming, to reuse tattoo needles and ink. That’s why Wicks wants new regulations in place.
Along with Dr. Charles Jamieson, a Cody physician, Wicks is pushing to introduce legislation that would prohibit minors from being tattooed without parental permission as well as establish a minimum health standard for tattoo artists and parlors in Wyoming as a state.
He said he wants to see laws “as far as the ability for minors to get work done or have any kind of legal penalty for the people who [tattoo] minors.” Many minors come in wanting ink, but both they and their parents must bring a photo ID, sign forms of consent and answer questions regarding intoxication, pregnancy and diseases among others. Wicks won’t tattoo anyone under 16 no matter what.
According to Mike Fowler, a part-time tattoo artist in Cody, Washakie County holds health inspections every 90 days, but only if the artist has lived for that long in the same place. That loophole is large enough to let the ne’er-do-wells avoid being caught red-handed. He also says that only Oregon and Hawaii require aspiring artists to take nursing courses for safety and hygienic handling procedures, and there is a two-year waiting list for the program.
So you’ve gone through all the rules, and now you’re ready for a tat. What now? Design is most important, along with color. “Most people are getting them on their arms, back, shoulder. Guys are still stuck on tribals and girls are still stuck on butterflies and flowers,” said Wicks. More than 40 colors of inks can be combined to match anything, from eye color to car paint.
Tattoos are not only permanent, but they are expensive as well. The price depends not on how many colors or how big it is, but on how long it takes to complete. Small town artists like Uncle Freaky charge around $50-$75 per hour, but in metropolitan areas it can go upwards of $300 per hour. Wicks keeps an up-to-date portfolio of his work for his clients and when he goes to conventions.
In the end, the main thing to do when taking the risk of getting tattooed is to just watch out for the amateurs and to look out for signs of dirty or unsanitary conditions. The supply area should be completely separate from the worktable, and everything that goes from one area to the other should be thrown away or set aside for sterilization. The artist should make sure everything is done in front of the client’s eyes as proof. Surgical gloves are mandatory.
Wicks warns against unprofessional workspaces and makeshift autoclaves. “In the time I’ve been (in Wyoming), I’ve come across five or six different people that have homemade setups. That’s just sick and disgusting and wrong. You’re mutilating people with it. If you’re going to get something on your body, it’s going to be a permanent thing. Make it look good, make it look right the first time.”
As with many things, tattooing is a case of the minority ruining it for the majority. Those people who don’t care about doing a good job are responsible for the negative reputation of tattoo artists.
The new legislation should help the situation, not only for the protection of the clients but the artists as well.
“It needs to be done, it’s long overdue up here. There need to be fines put into place,” said Wick’s wife and fellow artist, Faith. With any luck, it may be easier, more fun and safer to be inked in the future and keep the ancient art of tattooing in its high status as the ultimate symbol of independence.
— Photograph by Seth McConnell