The Ground Floor: Inking out artwork | TheGazette

In a small space tucked in the Lindale Mall, Jeremiah Klein runs an art gallery.

But it?s not your typical showroom of wall paintings, sculptures, textures and photographs. Klein?s ?gallery? features body-based artwork with some authentic original wall hangings from local artists seeking to show off their work in a unique venue.

?We do artwork orders and, if you want to bring art in and consign it here, you?re more than welcome to,? Klein, a Cedar Rapids native. ?It keeps things fresh.?

But the bread and butter of Klein?s new Iron Lotus store ? which opened July 1 on the lower level of the Cedar Rapids mall ? is tattooing and body piercing, which Klein stressed is artwork in its own right. Klein, who did a formal tattoo artist apprenticeship with Cedar Rapids-based Lefty?s Tattoo Studio, said his favorite pieces involve flowers or animation.

?I like to do bold line and cute stuff and a lot of flowers,? Klein said Thursday, minutes before beginning a piece for a woman wanting a bird, peace symbol and musical notes intertwined. ?But I?m up for whatever anyone wants.?

Jeremiah Klein owner of Iron Lotus works on a tattoo on the calf of Jimmy Siciliani of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at Lindale Mall on Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, in Cedar Rapids. Klein is located in the lower level of the mall near Younkers. Klein plans to showcase artwork by local artists at his tattoo and piercing shop. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Klein said he has done a lot of ?Transformer? images and Asian graphics. One of his most memorable pieces showed Gargamel, the evil wizard in the Smurfs cartoon, eating one of the tiny blue characters.

?That was more my request than the customer?s,? Klein said.

The local entrepreneur said he wanted to open his own shop, in part, for the freedom it provides.

?I worked for a couple of different shops here in town, and I wanted to do things differently, so I decided to go my own way,? Klein said. ?Plus, I own two other businesses and like working for myself better than others.?

Klein also owns a graphic design business that features designs for websites, banners, posters and business cards, and he owns a small printer ink cartridge refilling business called MT Cartridge.

Among the features that make Klein?s new tattoo parlor different from some of the other local shops is the seclusion available to more shy customers.

?I have more of a private area to be tattooed in,? he said.

Right now, Klein said, he?s the only Iron Lotus employee, although he said he?s always looking for the right person to help serve the growing list of customers.

?Business is slamming,? he said. ?The mall is a huge draw for people.?

Klein, so far, said he?s managing the workload. Big pieces require advanced scheduling while shoppers wanting smaller pieces can get in and out in the same day.

?My schedule is a roller coaster right now,? he said, adding that he?s not surprised.

?People are going to spend money in the tattoo business because it?s the only thing you can buy that no one can take away from you,? he said. ?Once you have it, it?s yours.?

Owner: Jeremiah Klein

Company: Iron Lotus

Address: 4444 First Ave. NE, Suite 468, in the Lindale Mall.

Phone: (319) 640-1180

Website: www.cedarrapidstattoo.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday; closed Sunday.

Staff size: Klein works alone right now

How many tattoos do you have? ?I have no idea. But I?m not stopping until I have one? all blended together.

Source: http://thegazette.com/2012/08/07/the-ground-floor-inking-out-artwork/

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