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GetInkMidwest.com Visits High Street Tattoo
GetInkMidwest Featured Article - March 2008
GetInkMidwest.com recently had the privilege of visiting High Street Tattoo - one of Columbus, Ohio’s premiere Tattoo Studios. We’d heard through the grapevine that these guys turn out some incredible work – and after one look at the galleries on their Website and seeing their work in the pages of just about every tattoo magazine on the news stands, it was apparent we had the put them to the test. With two locations along High Street in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, Gio has assembled an incredibly talented team of artists and is building on Columbus’ already rich tradition of tattooing.
We first stopped by High Street Tattoo’s South Studio to meet some of the team and visit with Gio. I’m happy to say that our first impression of High Street Tattoo was right on the money. We walked in to a clean, well lit, studio and were met with polite, interested artists right off the bat. No blaring death metal, no dogs running up to slobber hello, no surly shop manager growling at us to take a seat and wait. Before the door was closed behind us, we were greeted by the studio owner himself, and offered a tour. True – he knew we were coming, etc… but throughout the day, this is something that occurred over and over with each client that walked in the door. And there were many of them! Gio makes sure each client’s experience is a good one from the start, and that sort of involvement is paying off.
It dawned on us right away that this truly was a creative environment. Each artist has his own workspace – some out in the open and some secluded. With several private booths and two individual studios upstairs, there’s plenty of privacy available. Each workstation is clean and shows off the artist’s personality like an extension of themselves. Like an art gallery, the walls are adorned with paintings and prints made up of work from High Street’s artists themselves, and from other local artists. It’s no wonder High Street Tattoo has recently been voted Best Tattoo Shop in Columbus by Columbus Alive Newspaper.
We ran into Ryan Hadley quietly at work on a client who was listening to his Ipod. Ryan was February’s winner for GetInkMidwest.com’s Tattoo of the Month (Babe Ruth Portrait). Ryan’s an amazing artist specializing in portraits and photo-realistic tattoos. We were surprised to hear that Ryan is entirely self-taught – both artistically and in tattooing. True, most tattoo artists cut their teeth in a two-or-more year apprenticeship, but Ryan’s brand of talent and raw ability have brought him to be very well respected in the industry. If you’re into tattoo conventions, you can catch Ryan at the 13th Annual Motor City Tattoo Expo in Detroit on February 29 – March 2, and at the Hell City Tattoo Festival in Columbus, May 16-18.
We headed up to the North shop to get a look around the place and so I could get some work done by artist Cary Aldridge. We arrived to another warm welcome from the crew of High Street’s North Studio – and as if he had a clone stationed at both locations, climbed the stairs to see Gio smiling back at us over a sketch one of his clients was explaining to him. If one guy can be in two places at once, it’s Gio. With a degree in Culinary Arts, Gio stepped out from the kitchen over nine years ago with his mind on tattooing and never looked back. With achievements including having his work published on the cover of Tattoo Magazine and leading a team of artists who’ve together won more than one hundred different awards at tattoo conventions, it’s clear to see Gio’s story is a successful one. It hasn’t been an easy road by any means – Gio’s definitely paid his dues over the years – but things have really turned out well for this guy. His knack for management and juggling a ton of tasks make him an ideal studio owner, and it’s apparent that after two-and-a-half years as a studio owner, he prides himself on keeping a high level of professionalism in his studio. Where he finds time to tattoo, I’ll never know, but looking through his work in the GetInkMidwest.com tattoo gallery will convince you that he’s an impressive tattoo artist.
It was time for my appointment with artist Cary Aldridge. Sporting 50’s era sideburns and a handful of American Traditional style tattoos himself, I found it very fitting that not only Cary himself was perfectly suited for this American Traditional style tattoo, but even the 50’s and 60’s era music in the background helped set a nostalgic feel.
A graduate of Columbus College of Art & Design in 2000, Cary knocked out the design work like a mind-reader and after quickly applying the stencil, was off and running. A small-town Kentucky native, Cary came to Columbus seeking an education in visual art in a big-city environment. Cary worked a standard apprenticeship starting in 2002, while substitute teaching in Columbus’ public school system. Like many others in the tattoo industry, Cary’s paid his dues.
When not drumming for his Columbus area band, The Donnybrook Boys, Cary now finds himself at the top of his game - knocking out several tattoos a day and working in one of the finest tattoo studios in the Midwest. Sighting Wren and Stimpy cartoons, Garbage Pail Kids cards and “cheap horror flicks” as a source of inspiration, you’ll find that he’s diverse in his abilities – from black and gray to Traditional Japanese to Old School Americana styles. His six years in the business has taught him more than enough skill and talent to take on whatever you may bring his way. This guy goes from winning Best Black and Grey in the 2005 Columbus Body Art Expo to emblazoning another client with a Tasmanian Devil building a snowman. Each new client’s tattoo is as important as the last. Cary’s work has been recognized in International Tattoo Art, Tattoo Magazine and Tattoo Flash Magazine.
This guy can do anything.
Cary wrapped up my tattoo right about closing time as the rest of the crew at High Street’s North Studio closed up shop. These guys interact as a family and treat their customers the same way – with a high level of respect and a love for their craft. We definitely give our seal of approval on High Street Tattoo and can speak from experience when we say that this team definitely lives up to our every expectation!
Call 614-294-8888 (North Studio) or 614-449-9999 (South Studio) for an appointment Monday through Sunday 1PM – 8PM.You can also find Cary, Gio and the High Street crew at Hell City Tattoo Festival May 16-18, or the Gem City Heart Attack April 4-6. Cary Aldridge and Brett Prince will be at Reno’s Lady Luck Tattoo Arts Expo March 14-16. Ryan Hadley will be at The 13th Annual Motor City Tattoo Expo in Detroit on February 29 – March 2. Visit High Street Tattoo online at www.highstreettattoo.com and check out their Featured Studio Profile right here at GetInkMidwest.com.
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