Tattooing couple opens shop in Winfield

WINFIELD — Did you know there’s a new business in Winfield and it may be the first of its kind in town?

Owners Rebecca and Michael Eldredge opened Ink Ascension Tattoos and Piercing for business at 102 N. Locust Street in September after moving from its former location in Westland Mall in West Burlington.

Born and raised just a few towns over in Washington, Rebecca later lived in Missouri before moving back to Iowa. Michael spent his youth in Clear Lake before moving to Washington in his preteen years. He joined the Navy and was stationed in San Diego before returning to Iowa after his enlistment.

Michael moved to Winfield in 2010 and Rebecca moved here in 2014. They met on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. When asked why they chose to settle in Winfield, Rebecca answered, “We like Winfield because it is a nice and quiet town.”

Both started tattooing in a shop in Mt. Pleasant where Michael had apprenticed under tattoo artist Andy Abbey. Rebecca‘s mentor was Michael.

They also learned by attending tattoo conventions, lectures, and watching a lot of the tutorials for various techniques and artistry styles. Michael began tattooing in 2010 and Rebecca started in 2015.

“Being married, we have a lot of the same experiences.” said Rebecca.

There is a lot more involved in opening a tattoo parlor than a needle, ink, and a sign on the door.

Tattooing is considered an art form; therefore, state and local laws cannot govern what the client chooses to have tattooed on their body nor the results, but there are laws in place that oversee who is eligible to be a tattoo artist.

To legally tattoo in Iowa an artist must be licensed annually. They must be certified for first aid every two years, as well as undergo blood-borne pathogen training annually.

They must have a high school diploma or G.E.D. They must work in a licensed shop. When initially getting a tattoo artist’s license a licensed shop owner must sign off on the artist receiving the permit. It is required that the tattoo parlor is inspected every year to ensure good hygiene is being practiced which includes proper care, sterilization and disposal of tools, auditing of paperwork is to ensure the artists have satisfied the requirements of the state laws.

The main concern of the state is the safety of both the tattoo artist and their client; therefore, laws governing it fall under the Department of Public Health.

In 2019 Rebecca and Michael decided to open a shop on their own. Rebecca said it was a long shot, but they decided to contact Westland Mall in Burlington that summer.

Much to their surprise and delight, Rebecca said they were welcomed by the mall management who were happy to have their business as part of the facility.

Seldom do people complain when business becomes overwhelming, but that is what happened at their Westland Mall location.

“Being located in the mall, although it was great for business, does take its toll mentally. We had been working very long hours at the shop, as well as during our time off — answering messages, working on tattoo drawings, etc., not to mention the drive time to and from the shop,” Rebecca explained. “We decided two years ago that we wanted to pull back a little on our workload.”

“Earlier this year we started to scout for a new location in a smaller town than Burlington,” she said. “We initially thought of Washington, since we are both from there, but then noticed that the commercial store front at 102 N. Locust was vacant. Michael spoke to the woman at city hall, got in touch with the owner and decided this was the place to be. Since we live in Winfield, having the shop located here in town is going to be wonderful.”

According to Rebecca the most popular tattoos are, “Paw prints, baby footprints, skulls, roses, and sunflowers. Sometimes we’ll see an uptick in something more specific dealing with popular culture.”

For example, dragons were popular for Game of Thrones fans.

"Tattooing is an evolving art form, and we continue to learn new techniques and art styles, and make upgrades to equipment, etc.,“ she said.

When asked about the most memorable tattoo they have done, Rebecca recalled an unusual take on Hey Hey, the rooster from the Disney movie, Moana. Without going into detail, Rebecca said she and the client laughed about it the entire session.

“I would think that the subject matter was an inside joke for the person getting the tattoo, but it still holds the title of the most bizarre tattoo I’ve ever done,” Rebecca shared.

Michael’s most memorable tattoo creation is a little easier to describe and visualize: Speedy Gonzales riding a tiger.

Rebecca said tattoos are a personal choice, “Although we have locations we won’t tattoo on ourselves, it is entirely up to the client as to what they feel is too much, or not enough. It comes down to how a person wants their body to look, no different from picking which clothes to wear.”

Do they ever refuse to do tattoos? Absolutely.

“We won’t tattoo someone if they are under the influence, or if the tattoo is of racial or gang-related subject matter,” Rebecca said. “There are also a few places on the body that we refuse to tattoo, either because we are uncomfortable tattooing in the area or because the area won’t hold the ink, such as the side of fingers, ear cartilage, bottom of the hands or feet.”

A client must be 18 to legally get a tattoo. Even with permission of a parent or guardian anyone under the age of 18 is strictly prohibited from getting a tattoo.

But once a client is over 18, there is no age limit! Both Rebecca and Micheal have tattooed clients as old as 79 and Micheal’s oldest client was 82.

Do clients ever regret having a tattoo?

“Yes,” answered Rebecca, “And it is almost always a significant other’s name. They are also the most frequently covered up tattoo. We recommend doing something more artistic if someone wants to get a tattoo to represent their significant other, such as a birth month flower or something the person likes.” She added, “We don’t have each other’s names tattooed on ourselves, and we can do our own cover-ups.”

If you are thinking of getting a tattoo, the Eldredge tattoo artists recommend that you go around to multiple shops and look at their portfolios, explaining that different artists have different skill sets, so it’s important to look at things like linework, quality, color contrast, artwork style, etc.

For instance, if an artist primarily does American traditional style tattoos, they may not be the best choice for a watercolor-style tattoo, or vice versa.

They also advise clients to meet with the artist ahead of time, especially if it is a larger tattoo. Getting a tattoo is something that will be with you the rest of your life, it is worth the extra time to go in for a consultation.

Ink Ascension is open by appointment during the week and every Saturday for piercings. Their daughter Kendra is also available on Saturdays to do piercings.

They post some of their artwork on Facebook. If you are interested in making an appointment call (319) 208-1596 or email, InkAscension@gmail.com. Even if you aren’t interested in a tattoo or piercings now, just stop in, introduce yourself and welcome them to “Main Street.”

The Eldredges look forward to having a great business in the small town of Winfield.