Body art...			...in Burns Lake
			by Diana Roberts

Tattooing is no longer just for bikers. Judges, doctors, lawyers, even nuns and ministers get tattoos. You pick what is right for you. Young people have adopted it as a cultural thing. There was flower power, then disco and now tattooing. It's body art, decorations, "Paint the Temple". Meet Uwe Vullings (pronounced like Oova), owner of the Lost Art Studios in Burns Lake, where he does tattooing, along with sign painting. Born in Duisberg, Germany, Uwe moved to Canada as a young baby. He has lived most of his life in BC and Alberta. After spending some time with a friend in Burns Lake, Uwe decided he would like to move here. He says he likes the country, the people and the atmosphere. It's more laid back and casual than where he'd been before. "I've had a good response from the public with both signs and tattooing, the people have been very receptive".

Uwe Vullings

Uwe was first exposed to tattooing at the age of 15, when he met Brian Zuk a tattoo artist. He apprenticed under Brian, doing a lot of drawing for him. Uwe worked with two other professionals before he started out on his own. "I was born an artist, born with the ability to draw." says Uwe. To get a tattoo you must be at least 18 years old or have parental consent. The old saying 'Buyer Beware' is definitely true with tattoos. You should check the artist's portfolio before you get your tattoo, to be sure their artwork is up to your standards. Uwe has done cover-ups or rebuilds when someone has had a bad tattoo done but to have a tattoo completely removed you must have 'Ruby Laser Surgery'. Uwe likes to give the client a flat-rate quote, so he or she will know exactly what it will cost. You can choose from a premade design called a 'flash', or you can have Uwe do a custom design. The minimum charge is $60, but the average tattoo will cost anywhere from $100-$250. When tattooing any tender skin, such as the inside part of the arm or on the chest, it can hurt a bit but most of what you feel is just discomfort and an annoyance.

Uwe at work

When getting your tattoo you sit in a chair or lie on a padded table. The studio is bright, comfortable and relaxed, with music playing in the background. There is a change area and privacy is assured for shy people. Uwe tattoos on shoulders, arms, legs, chests, backs, stomachs, heads and fingers. Some people even go so far as to get an all-over body tattoo. Uwe does tattooing up to 12 hours a day. He says time goes by quickly when he's working. The normal client will get worked on 2-3 hours at a time, depending on their tolerance. Now and again, he will work 6-8 hours on a client in one sitting, but this is rare. Within a day or so the tattoo will scab over, so he must wait for it to heal before he does the next session, or it will cause the client extreme grief.