Matt Osterlund (Ink)

This is a new category and it was exciting to see the outcome. Matt Osterlund started up his shop called Ink 10 years ago. He initially went to school to be an art teacher. “I took the long way in becoming a tattoo artist,” stated Osterlund. After being exposed to the “street shops” of Chicago he moved back up to apprentice at a local shop doing “grunt work.” “I became obsessed with the mechanics of tattoo machines, that’s when I started building my own, something I still find a ton of joy in. There are an entire generation of tattoo artists that don’t know the first thing about what makes their machines tick, let alone building one from the ground up. (Winding coils, cutting springs, machining frames and armature bars, etc.)” From his apprenticeship, Osterlund began expanding his artistic abilities and started tattooing customers himself. We asked Osterlund about being voted Best Tattoo Artist. “I think it comes down to a combination of my work ethic, eye for design, and customer service. Until recently I’ve worked 10+ hours a day, coming in 2 hours before the shop opens, and staying late if need be. Jill and I do a little bit of everything when it comes to style of tattoo. You can pigeon hole yourself in a small town, if someone wants a traditional, tribal, black and grey, watercolor, etc. we do that for them. We also, when needed, point our customers in the right direction. If they want something that might not age well, we’re honest with them. It’s unfortunate, but there are a lot of young artists that are looking for a quick buck, and they’ll tattoo anything, regardless of ethics, design, and aging. When it comes down to it, I think people love our studio because we’re consistent.”