Tattoo artist fights stereotype

HOLDREGE, Neb. — Part artist and part counselor, Nate Klein takes a faint glimmer of an idea and transforms it into artwork on the unique canvas of the body.

Klein, 30, has been a tattoo artist for more than 10 years. At Lexington High School, he was always drawn to the art classes and often filled friends’ sketchbooks when they were out of ideas and didn’t have the time to fill their own pages.

“Art’s always kind of been a place in my head that I like to go,” he said as he idly sketched on a nearby paper pad. He refers to his tattoo shop, Klein’s Tattoo in Holdrege, as his sanctuary and decompression chamber, a low-key place with a mellow vibe. It’s a place where Klein encourages people to come and hang out.

“I almost dare people to come in and check it out,” Klein said. “We’re not doing the devil’s work here.”

Although Holdrege might seem an unlikely place for this type of shop, Klein said business has been steady.

While the artwork Klein tattoos in his shop isn’t always “ponies and pancakes,” Klein isn’t afraid to question potential clients when they come in with ideas he’s unsure about. While appreciating their viewpoints and individuality, he counsels them to evaluate their designs or give it a few days before they make their final decision.

“I would rather send somebody away than give them a dumb tattoo,” he said.

“It’s hard to get a good reputation, but it’s so easy to get a bad one,” he said.

Because of that, he works hard to make sure his shop is clean. His equipment, such as needles and ink tubes, is for one-time use only.

Klein realizes that tattoos are a luxury, not a necessity, in this economy.

“I like to keep it affordable for people that might not have money running out of their ears,” he said.

Klein listens as the customer such as Mark Stice of Holdrege describes design ideas. Klein sketches and takes notes. Stice was looking for a tattoo to represent his five children.

Klein will work up some designs and then call Stice back in to look them over before he begins tattooing.

“Personally, I think it is my responsibility to make sure the pattern is exactly what you want,” Klein said.

Klein, who got his first tattoo at 17, laughs when they ask for a tattoo that won’t hurt. He said the process always hurts, but much of it depends on a customer’s pain threshold.

“It’s a pain you get addicted to,” said Stice, who got his first tattoo at 40. “You get one, and then you have to get another.”

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