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FAT KATS ARTISTRY
in Ocala, Florida
by Captain Tapperson
Photos by John Dekkers
From the November 2003 issue of Prick Magazine.
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 Chris Collins, Stefan Meisse, Brian Purdy, Danny Ghigliotty, Chris O'Leary. |
 Jason Kunz. |
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Every little town has got a tattoo shop these days; some towns have quite
a few. Some are street shops, others are strictly custom, and every now and
then you find a shop that is head and shoulders above the rest. One of these
amazing shops is located in scenic downtown Ocala, Florida. Those who live in
Ocala and the surrounding areas are already in luck and anyone else should
take a little trip and check this place out. This bad-ass Florida Shop of the
Month is the one and only Fat Kats Artistry.
Imagine a body jewelry store fully stocked with plugs, hand carved out of
30 different stones including jade, water buffalo horn, cow bone, coconut
wood, and abalone from exotic locations such as Bali, Cambodia, Burma and
South America. This elaborate line of body jewelry is the product of the new
partnership between Chris Collins and Hillary Wilson of Intrepid Jewelry. The
two merged to expand the existing line and to make high quality organic jewelry
more readily available and affordable. Their line also includes hand made
polished steel, carved into intricate detail by Craig Black (also only available
from Intrepid Jewelry). For years the line was sold on the road by Hilary
Willson.They are keeping the tradition alive with the help of Jason Smith, a.k.a.
J-Rock, and Chris so that the shop owners have the ability to hand pick each
piece for their customers. You can also get this line at the Intrepid web site.
All of this and more can be found at Fat Kats Artistry.
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 A pool table, some couches, fine art and flash fill the studio. |
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Experienced and knowledgeable piercers Brian Purdy and owner Chris
Collins are always readily available to answer any questions you may have and
get you that new piercing you've been wanting. Now build an art gallery
around this body jewelry and body piercing shop featuring the best from local
artists and an impressive collection including art from by Dave Fox, Gunnar,
Jeremy Harburn, Travis Franklin, Jime Litwalk, Will Lollie, Horioshi III and Eric
Merrill among others. Throw in a pool table and a comfortable waiting area
and your sittin' pretty. Wait ... we're not done yet ... to top it off, there is a tattoo
studio inside of the piercing shop / art gallery and not just your turn a dollar
tourist shop.
Fat Kats Artistry is home to a group of tattoo artists that are
unbelievably skilled. Stefan Meisse is an artist to keep your eye on, a talent
on his way up. Chris O'Leary, who you have seen in the convention scene
with award winning portraits and large tattoos, is the well-rounded seasoned
pro that every good shop needs. The Red Bull Kid Jason Kunz is just
sick, so be sure to check out his work. These three kats are the core artists
that call Fat Kats Artistry home. In addition to Stefan, Chris and Jason, artist
Dave Kotinsley - formerly of Stained Skin - is also a featured artist that can
be found here at Fat Kats Artistry. As if that wasn’t enough, Fat Kats Artistry
is also where you might find traveling artists like Jime Litwalk, Gunnar, Will
Lollie, Mark Longenecker or Josh Ford doing a guest spot.
I recently got a chance to slow down and hang out at Fat Kats Artistry
last month and talk to owner/ piercier Chris Collins to find out how Fat Kats
Artistry all got started. Chris is originally from Orlando and got his start piercing
there seven years ago. He was introduced to and was influenced
by Charles from Willie's Tropical Tattoo in Ormond Beach,
Florida who was previously a nurse for 15 years and taught
Chris good aseptic techniques and proper piercing
procedures. While Chris never officially apprenticed
there, he did spend time learning from Charles.
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 Many styles of jewelry are available. |
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After apprenticing and working in various shops in
Orlando, Chris decided to move to Ocala to get a
fresh start in 2000. Fat Kats Artistry opened its
doors in January of 2002 and soon took on a well-known
local tattoo artist. While the artist line-up has
grown and changed over the last two years, one core
thing remains the same - Chris will not have a tattoo artist
working there at all if he does whole heartedly back the artist
and their work. The existing lineup have called Fat Kats Artistry home for
the last year, but they are always encouraged to travel and guest spot to let
them grow as artists.
"Fat Kats Artistry does not depend on the tattoo artists
to pay for the shop, having them here is like a bonus and they come to work
here because they want to. They don't work for me, they work at Fat Kats
Artistry." Chris explains proudly. He adds, "Those three artists have really
helped to push us further. Stefan,Chris and Jason have contributed more than
any other artists that have worked here. They have complemented
each other artistically, critiquing each other when necessary,
and encouraging each other on each other's accomplishments.
None of these guys battle against each other with
their egos. They work well as a team and the shop and the
customers benefit from it.
"I met my other piercer and now manager Brian Purdy
here in the shop shortly after we opened our doors. I learned
that he used to pierce at Body Mind which was located inside
Sacred Heart in Atlanta. Within a short time, he was working
here full-time and has been an invaluable asset to Fat Kats and
a great friend to me and everyone here. Because of him and
the rest of the guys, I now have the ability to travel to
conventions and promote my new company
Intrepid Jewelry. Our counter person Danny
Ghigliotty is doing a great job at the front
desk," says Chris. "I met a lot of opposition
when I first opened here in the historic district
of Ocala, but we have received
tremendous support from the community
and local government ever since. We have
proven that a shop can be an important addition
to a community if given the chance."
Fat Kats Artistry is one of those places where
you immediately feel comfortable and positively
inspired. It is definitely one of the places I can't wait to get back
to. "I wanted to create something better than what the area
had seen and what I had been a part of before. Having been
around Orlando and other Florida shops, I realized what I liked
and didn't like in those shops. I decided that I wouldn't try to
build a shop that I thought others would like, I would just build
an environment that I like so I bought art and put in a pool
table and made a comfortable atmosphere. I didn't want to just
slap together a shop like so many others aimed at getting the
tourist dollar. I definitely got the feel from different shops and
tried to embody that in what I do." Chris explains. "I tried to
model my shop after the
more impressive shops I
have visited around the
world. There are so many
shops now that raise the
bar not only in the quality
of the work, but the quality
of the shop. The creativity
you see in your
work environment will
ultimately reflect in your
work. This idea has been
used in other creative
institutions for years.
Shops like Electric
Superstition, Gods and
Monsters, Against the Grain, Psycho, Infinite, Kolo and so many
others are works of art, not just a place of business and I hope
to bring that standard to my community as these shops do. The
thing about this shop is that there are so many different elements
that keep it together and they all come from a positive background.
What works really well here is that the motivation of
everybody here is the same - betterment of the industry and
betterment of themselves and their art."
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Fat Kats Artistry is located at:
14 South Magnolia Street
Ocala, Florida
Phone: 352.402.0902
Online at: www.fatkatsartistry.com
Also check out www.intrepidjewelry.com
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