Former East Lansing tattoo artists Chris Boilore and Eric Jenks showcase the artistry of tattooing in their new shop, Fish Ladder Tattoo Co., 302 E. Grand River Ave., in Lansing’s Old Town. With the airy feel of a gallery, the shop is a fitting environment for two painters whose goal is to turn their clients’ visions into lasting works of art.

Turning talent into a career

Boilore and Jenks see tattooing as an artistic expression and one they did not plan to explore.

Introduced to tattooing by friends, Boilore’s first tattoo, a scorpion on his back, was done by a tattoo artist who was “pretty horrible.”

“I didn’t really have much exposure to good tattoos,” he said.

He now has his torso, throat, arms, legs, thighs and hands tattooed, the pieces ranging in meaning from family to overcoming addiction.

The appeal of tattoos to Boilore, who grew up in Northern Michigan, was related to his artistic interests and a longing for social acceptance.

“I was pretty rebellious when I was young, so maybe that side of it – setting yourself apart from some other people,” he said. “And the same sense of fitting in.”

Boilore did his first tattoo when he was around 18 years old, using a friend’s equipment.

By the time he was 20 years old, tattooing was a full-time job. After working around his home, he relocated to a shop in East Lansing, where he would remain on and off for the next six years. He also received training in Ann Arbor.

Boilore’s style is traditional. He said a traditional tattoo is composed of bold, clean, solid lines and colors and is accented by heavy shading.

“Keeping things simple so the image reads well,” he said.

He said many tattoos today resemble those of the past, and it is important to understand the history and composition of those early works.

Jenks also was approached about tattooing by a friend.

“[It was] pretty much by accident. I have always drawn, been artistically inclined. I enjoy the artistic side of it,” he said. “It just seemed like a good change for me, something I would enjoy.”

Growing up, tattoos were a normal part of Jenks’ everyday life.

“The first tattoos I saw were my dad’s, and they were really old military tattoos,” he said.

He saw tattooing as a way to utilize his talents and the broad spectrum of possibilities he could create.

“You could pretty much do whatever you could draw,” he said.

While he said he does not consider himself to have a distinct style, Jenks said he works also in a traditional genre.

“I like doing realistic stuff, traditional Japanese, traditional American tattoos,” he said.

Bobbi Earl, a friend of both artists and former roommate of Boilore, has tattoos by both artists.

“I’m a walking advertisement,” she said.

After meeting the two while working with them in East Lansing, Boilore was the first to tattoo Earl.

Earl said Jenks’ style is difficult to pinpoint, but that he is a versatile artist.

“His work is amazing. He is one of those tattooers that can do anything and likes to do anything,” she said.

But his style is a work in progress.

“Always improving — forming more of a unique style, build on that, not really be stagnant. Basically, keep evolving,” Jenks said.

Both Boilore and Jenks said they want to continue to learn about their craft, to continue providing the best work for their clients.

“They are both phenomenal at what they do, and they love what they do,” Earl said. “People keep coming back to Chris and Eric because they do great work. They really care about their clients.”

Inking the masses

Jennifer Segal, a political science and pre-law junior, was drawn to tattoos as a medium for self-expression. After seeing Boilore’s work on a friend, she decided to pay him a visit about a tattoo she had in mind.

“I loved the detail in his work,” she said. “He took what I wanted in my brain and it was amazing how I said so little — he just drew this crazy drawing, and it was exactly what I wanted.”

Segal said she was impressed by his attention to detail, examining his work meticulously to ensure he got the piece exactly right.

It is the atmosphere of the shop, with its colorful walls and receptionist-free lobby that Segal finds appealing about Fish Ladder Tattoo Co.

Currently working on a piece for her back with Boilore, Segal also has seen Jenks’ work.

“His work is amazing,” she said. “His shading is really well done and his detail is really nice.”

From what he has seen in his seven years as a tattoo artist is that a client’s reason for getting tattooed is as unique as the tattoo itself. Some tattoos draw from religion while others are inspired by controversy.

“It’s a sense of empowerment for people. It can represent a time in someone’s life, a big change, or, it can be just because they wanted to get tattooed that day,” he said.

Some just prefer the imagery of the tattoo and creating artwork on their body.

One of Jenks’ most memorable tattoos was for a member of the military, a recipient of the Purple Heart, who had survived a land mine explosion that claimed the lives of six of his fellow servicemen.

“The last session, when we were finishing it up, he was pretty emotional,” Boilore said. “We finished the tattoo on the anniversary of when it happened.”

The future of Fish Ladder

Work began on opening a shop one year ago. The pair, who used to work for Splash of Color Tattooing, 515 E. Grand River Ave., chose their current location after a client offered the two a chance to check out one of his rental properties in Old Town. The price and building appealed to them for what could be done with it, and the group of people they could serve. While their clientele in East Lansing consisted of mostly students, Boilore and Jenks wanted to invite more Lansing residents who had perhaps avoided the busy atmosphere of the college town.

“Everything about this place is perfect,” Boilore said. “We wanted to appeal to more of the Lansing community. Old Town is kind of an artsy community, there’s a lot of galleries around here, good people around here,”

When designing the shop, they wanted it to be clean and open. None of the rooms are completely closed off, with no sharp corners, and openings are left in the dividing walls. However, privacy can be provided.

One thing they wanted to preserve was an appreciation for the client and the work being done, no matter how big or small.

“You’re changing your body, it doesn’t matter how big it is. We recognize that and respect it,” Boilore said.

The shop minimum for a tattoo is set at $50.

As for adding new artists, Boilore and Jenks bring in friends and touring artists whose work they trust and admire.

“We’re pretty picky about who we have work here,” Boilore said.

But adding more artists in the future is not out of the question.

They also build tattooing machines, a project reserved for after hours now, and an element Boilore said they want to incorporate more into their business in the future.

After six weeks in business, the response has been positive. They attribute their increasing clientele mainly to word-of-mouth advertising.

It is that devotion that has become evident to clients like Segal.

“You spend hours with these people and they tattoo you and they change your life with that tattoo. In ten hours you really get to know somebody,” she said. “It’s fun to be around them.”

And for friend’s like Earl, the shop is a perfect fit, and upholds the standards of a proper facility.

“I cried – I was so proud of Chris and so proud of Eric. They know how to keep and maintain a clean shop first of all, I think the way that they set it up it really flows well and I think it really reflects how they are as people. The shop is just beautiful,” she said.

Now established, the future is open to Boilore and Jenks.

“I think its the best decision we’ve ever made,” Jenks said.

After a year of planning, the hard work has paid off.

“It feels good – I think people appreciate us and the work we do for them,” Boilore said. “We put 100 percent into everything we do here.”