Alumnus David Hale renders art with a paintbrush in one hand a needle in the other. 

With a degree in painting and drawing, Hale had a choice to apply his degree traditionally or pursue a passion for tattoo art. After refusing to choose one over the other, Hale asked himself, ‘why not both?’

Anchor Tattoo, located on Broad Street, was the brainchild of University alumnus David Hale and is meant to be a community center. Photo by: Laurie McCranie

“Art galleries are really lacking in Athens,” Hale said. “There are not really avenues outside bars and restaurants and coffee shops where I can show my work.”

Hale settled in Florida for a tattoo apprenticeship after graduating in 2006 and then lived briefly in Asheville before crafting a plan to make Athens more art friendly. What he came up with was Anchor Tattoo, a tattoo parlor and art studio.

“It’s the only tattoo shop that has an authentic art gallery,” Hale said. “Everybody’s invited. You don’t have to pay to get in the door.  It’s supposed to be a community center where folks can come because visual arts in Athens are really strong but it’s lacking in community.”

Though Hale considers displaying photography of tattooed individuals, his art on display will be separate from the tattoos. 

However, this does not mean there’s not a relationship between his two passions. 

“More so and more so, I’m getting people who know my artwork and want [a tattoo] within a style that I enjoy doing,” he said while showing off his own tattoos, some an everlasting impression of his friends’ artwork.

Since childhood, Hale’s interest in spirituality showed in his art. Today, he uses spiritual iconography in many of the tattoos that he creates and owns. 

“It’s true that your body is your temple, so it would make sense that people would apply things with religious or spiritual connotations to them,” Hale said. “I would hope any tattoo would be spiritual to someone.”

Most people would not consider some of Hale’s tattoos depicting mythical and authentic animals as religious iconography, but Hale sees them as spiritually symbolic.  

“I relate well to animals. I can find a lot of meaning in the way they move and the sounds they make,” he said. “It’s my way of speaking to whatever higher power.”

Unable to speak to an intelligent designer through tattoos until his eighteenth birthday, Hale began painting expressive sketches. 

One of his favorite images is the human heart, as seen in a painting titled Inward and Outward. 

“I really like it as an image. I like it visually and aesthetically,” he said. “I like to think of things as a vessel.”

Hale said the vessel is synonymous with the soul. 

“Basically what that means to me is how we take things in to fill our vessel and put things out. What’s coming in is so important because that creates what comes out,” he said.

Tattoos are an essential part of that process for Hale, and he sees many benefits to tattoo art. These advantages range from possessing a solid, ageless memory to paying tribute to someone or something. 

The ink that saturates the skin to manipulate its pigment comes in through Hale’s magic utensil — a needle. But Hale has seen the godsend of body modification go wrong.

“People should know [the tattoo industry] is unregulated in Athens,” Hale said. “There’s positively places where there’s not sterile practice. There’s various tattoo shops in Athens that you are taking a risk by getting tattooed at.”

Hale’s advice is to walk into a parlor and think of getting a tattoo as minor surgery and demand that the same levels of sterility and safety are followed as in a hospital. 

“You should watch them open the needles in front of you,” he said. “But I can assure we go beyond the standard of what would be expected.”

Anchor Tattoo also goes above and beyond in finding innovative artistic outlets. 

In April, Anchor’s gallery will present “Live Free or Drive,” a bicycle-themed show with Ben’s Bikes and Bike Athens.

“We’re all cyclists and pedestrians,” Hale said.  “That’s the whole attitude of the shop and gallery. We’re trying to find ways to combine concepts of sustainability and forward of progression.”

What: Anchor Tattoo Grand Opening

When: 6-10 tonight

Where: Anchor Tattoo

Price: Gallery free, Tattoos ranging