Artistic Sacrifice Not Your Ordinary Tattoo Parlor

Edward “Poch” Best wants to make something perfectly clear to area residents — not to mention potential clients — about Artistic Sacrifice, the new body art/art studio that opened in East Granby three weeks ago.

Artistic Sacrifice, which Poch owns and operates, is not a stereotypical tattoo parlor.

“You hear about places where people get stabbed up, the whole biker thing, where you walk into a shop you get [a tattoo from a template] off the wall,” said Poch, pronounced “pooch,” but spelled differently because an artist has taken that moniker. “This shop is different. It’s more artist based. We’ve got sketches on the wall; we’ve got paintings. We try to sketch things according to you, and not just stick and paint.”

Based on the studio’s appearance, Poch’s words aren’t empty ones.

Indeed, the clean, dimly lit, minimally decorated 1,600-foot space features Gothic-style artwork on the walls by tattoo artists from around the country. There’s a wide-screen HDTV, a receptionist's desk and a couch that give the studio a lounge-type atmosphere. Nary a sample tattoo print can be found anywhere in sight. The area for inking is cordoned off in a smaller room offset from the main studio.

“It’s a whole different atmosphere,” Poch said. “I don’t have neon lights. It’s nice and dim; it’s comfortable. I want the artwork to be spotlighted on. I don’t want the spotlight on Poch. I want the spotlight on the studio.”

Much of the focus, however, invariably comes back to Poch, who says that he has traveled the world to far-flung places like Tokyo and Germany practicing his craft. Most recently he worked in East Windsor, but he decided to start out on his own in a location that was off the somewhat beaten path, as far as body art goes.

“There’s a few shops in Enfield and also a few shops in the Hartford area,” Poch said. “I wanted a spot that’s quiet, chill and laid back. It’s not fly-by-night. If you come here, it’s people who want artwork.”

While he says he can do most any type of art, Poch’s specialty is portraits. The awards and trophies that Poch won at tattoo conventions and competitions that adorn the studio serve as evidence of his skill; he's sponsored by Monster Energy Drinks and has a vending machine that dispenses the drinks on the premises.

And in keeping with the unconventional, high-end appearance of the studio, Poch’s business methods are also unique.

People don’t come into the studio, look at some pictures and pick a tattoo. Poch says that he works with a client to determine what he or she wants.

“I sit down with the person and I talk to the client to see what he or she is trying to achieve,” Poch said. “Then from there I have a consultation and plan everything out. … It’s not ‘Have a spot in my chair.’ It’s different. I want to get to know you.”

The average portrait, Poch said, takes about six or seven hours, depending on the size of the tattoo and the ambition of the client.

“I don’t time myself,” Poch said. “If it takes two or three sittings, it will. It can take up to eight hours.”

And it can be pricey; Poch charges $150 an hour, though he says that he works within a client’s budget.

“If you have $200 to spend, I have no problem doing two hours,” he said.

The artwork on the walls starts at around $300 for a piece, Poch said.

Still, the biggest challenge for the studio, beyond building a client base, is battling the perception that the shop will serve as a magnet for trouble.

“It’s not what I’m aiming for,” Poch said. “In this plaza, it’s been great. I’ve had a few clients come through. I’m trying to help out the community too. You get people out there and they hear ‘tattoo’ and they think about bikers and stuff like that. But they come into my shop and they say, ‘Wow, OK, yeah this is nice, beautiful and different.’ I’m trying to educate people.”

So far he’s earned a small, but loyal following.

Enfield Devin Mullen had Poch do an enormous piece on Mullen’s back in honor of his brother, Dustin, who died in a car crash on Jan. 1. The piece features a sky scene with Dustin Mullen’s portrait surrounded by ribbon, clouds and angels. Devin Mullen swears by Poch’s work.

“It’s great,” Devin Mullen said. “With the death of my brother, I was skeptical about even having it done because I didn’t know him. I just walked in and met him and just talking with him, I felt really comfortable. We went along, found a picture and we did the tattoo and it came out great. I don’t think I would have trusted anybody else having the conversation I had with him. It was really personal and it was on a brother to brother level. Now he’s my closest friend. I’m here every day. He’s a great person.”

Samantha Ridley, the studio’s receptionist who has had several portraits done by Poch, agrees.

“He’s the only tattoo artist I let touch me,” Ridley said. “The quality and work he does, it’s all a step above the rest.”

Artistic Sacrifice is located at 3 Turkey Hills Road in East Granby. For more information, visit http://pochtattoos.com/home.html or call 860-413-9860.