Finally catching up.

Well, New Image Art has been open for about 2 weeks now, and I am finally starting to catch up with the to-do list that has been taunting me since the the NIA doors swung open. One of the to-do items that I have put my hand to is getting this blog up and running. Thus, a post.Everything has been going great at the shop. I have been very busy with tattooing, drawing, scheduling, and the like. Also, I had an interview with Salem news this past Thursday, and on Fri, the story of the shop was one of the featured articles on the front page (above the fold!) Here it is.

Tattoo studio fitting in
Salem News staff writer
COLUMBIANA -” Walking through the front door of New Image Art, the only clue that you're in a tattoo studio is the rack of sample designs along one wall and the magazines and design books neatly stacked on the coffee table.

With its clean, modern decor, its display of pottery and other art and its efficient layout, New Image Art isn't your typical tattoo parlor.

Owner and tattoo artist Chris Holm said he's pleased to set up a shop that doesn't fit most people's idea of what a tattoo studio is all about.

Some people have pre-conceived notions of how it'll look and they come in and are surprised, Holm observed, explaining that he feels he's beginning to fit in the downtown Columbiana community. Once they've seen it and get comfortable, everyone's been supportive," he remarked.

Holm explained that the store, which opened its doors in early May, is a culmination of his interest in not only tattooing, but also graphic art and Web design.

Having run his own graphic design business since 1999, as well as freelancing and working for an area company, Holm has plenty of experience in the field. "Ive done just about every facet of Web site work, he noted, from site maintenance and upkeep to creating a new site from the ground up to search engine optimization.

As for the other work done at New Image Art, Holm did his training and apprenticeship at a tattoo shop in Cleveland, fulfilling a life-long interest in the art form. I really enjoy the art and the history part of it," he remarked.

Holm credited his love of art to his mother, Kathy Holm, an artist and teacher. "My mom has always been a very good artist… she's amazing and she passed that love of art on to me," he commented.

In fact, New Image Art displays several pieces of Kathy Holm's pottery, and will include more as they come along. Holm added that he will also be hanging several of his own paintings in the near future.

The paintings aren't quite ready for display because for the last several months Holm has been occupied with getting the business up and running.

It took a good two months to renovate the building for use as a tattoo studio, but Holm said, "I was able to design it exactly how I wanted it… it worked out really nicely."

After the renovations, Holm worked his way through all the inspections and licensing he needed, then had to get approval from the Columbiana Planning Commission.

His site plan was approved, and Holm explained that even the initial opposition he faced from some downtown merchants has faded. "People have come around… everyone's been pretty supportive," he remarked.

New Image Art is open from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and by appointment all day Saturday. Holm said he also schedules appointments at other times as available. The shop is located at 16 S. Main St.