DEAN JONES

Sitting on a lime-green couch in the lounge of Living Canvas Tattoo Body Piercing and Art Gallery, co-owner Dean Jones is a study in contradictions. He’s friendly, he’s polite and he carries himself with an air of casual but deliberate professionalism. But then you notice his ears.

Plugs as thick as ballpoint pens adorn Jones’ stretched earlobes, the only overt indication of his passion for body modification. That is, until he puts on a muscle tee or a pair of shorts.

By his own estimate, 70 percent of Jones’ body is covered in ink. “Tattoos are my first true love,” he says, but he prefers a slightly more clean-cut look when conducting business. So the tattoos stop at his upper arms and lower neck, making Jones appear tattoo-less when he wears pants and a short-sleeved T-shirt.

Unusual? Yeah, he is. But not quite as unusual as you might think.

Body art demographics are changing in Columbia. The bulk of Jones’ clients are still 18-25, but business from older clientele is on the rise, he says, and Living Canvas recently tattooed a 79-year-old woman. He believes this trend may indicate a shift in attitude toward tattoos and body piercings.

“There’s a diehard in me that hopes it will always be counterculture,” he says. But as tattoos increase in prevalence and society begins to see them as a genuine art form, he believes acceptance in the workplace may happen naturally.

“I’d like to see every industry become more tolerant,” Jones says.


jollene kuo

Even when her tattoos are covered, it’s hard not to notice Jollene Kuo. The lanky MU senior has spiky bleached hair, a nose ring and 21 diamond studs running up her ears.

When Kuo lifts the hem of her shirt, red and purple roses spill across her lower back and stomach, hip to hip. Kuo is happy to keep the bulk of her body art under wraps, and has no plans for any conspicuous tattoos.

“I always get them in a place where I can hide them,” she says.

All the same, Kuo ran into difficulty working as a reporter at KOMU-TV. The tattoos were a non-issue and the nose ring was easy to remove, but her hair and ear piercings posed more of a problem.

Unhappy with the prospect of radically altering her appearance but determined to gain experience, Kuo opted instead to wear a wig while working at the station. Although she admits that combing out and styling the traditional blond wig was “a pain,” she was content with the arrangement, which allowed her to temporarily tone down her look without abandoning it altogether.

Self-censoring was trying, she says, but she found it necessary to further her goals. “I got (the tattoos) for a reason and I’m willing to compromise,” Kuo says.

In the short-term, that is: After graduation, Kuo plans to pursue a career in entertainment news, where she hopes her edgy look will serve as a boon instead of a barrier. “I’m a big proponent of individuality,” she says.


Chris Stevens

For Stevens, the decision to get tattooed was years in the making. “I thought long and hard about it,” he says. He finally went under the needle less than a year ago at the urging of his tattooed wife, who bought him a gift certificate to a local studio.

The basic black design Stevens chose represents his ties to Louisiana and St. Louis; both incorporate the fleur de lis into their cultural symbology. “I wanted something simple,” he says.

Stevens’ job requires dress attire, so covering up the tattoo on his shoulder isn’t a problem.

He understands the need for such discretion. “There’s a certain expectation that people have of a banker,” Stevens says. “Like it or not, there are stereotypes associated with tattoos. ... The bank has a certain image to uphold.”

Although his body art surprises some, Stevens doesn’t see himself as unusual in the professional world.

Steven also sees widespread acceptance of body art, at work and beyond, as a distinct possibility: “I think we’re on our way there now ... It’s more common than people think,” he says. “As this generation gets older, it’ll be interesting to see what happens.”


Justin Stuart

Small-business owner Justin Stuart’s love affair with body art began in early adulthood. By his mid-20s, he’d collected a black tribal design on his left biceps, a nautical star on his right biceps and a sun flanked by tribal swirls spanning his upper back.

But none of the tattoos are visible unless he rolls up his sleeves or takes off his shirt, and that wasn’t an accident.

During the years he worked to build his plumbing business, Stuart wanted to be seen as a professional by the bankers and insurance companies he was establishing relationships with. He knew tattoos would detract from that image.

“It’s hard to get people to believe in you when you’re covered in tattoos,” he says.

Things are different now. With a partner, Stuart has opened a second business, and he’s pretty certain visible body art won’t be an issue this time around: On Sept. 20, 9th Street Tattoo opened its doors to the public.

At the helm of two small businesses, he finally feels ready to take his body art a step further. He has plans for a three-quarter-sleeve tattoo on his right arm to incorporate the nautical star and tribal design themes of his current tattoos.

The decision seems to symbolize his arrival as a respected business owner in the community. “In a way, it’s a statement,” Stuart says, “I wouldn’t have done it two years ago, but I’ve established myself. I feel comfortable enough now because of the relationships I’ve created.”