The Online Reflector

In the heart of Broad Ripple Village  lies Metamorphosis, a professional tattoo and body piercing shop.

According to its website, Metamorphosis “will assist you in developing the tattoo design you desire. We offer an extensive flash gallery, library of reference materials and custom artwork  If you already have a design in mind, don’t hesitate to bring your design in and our tattoo artists can bring them to life.”

Framed photos and racks upon racks of tattoo samples line the walls of the store offering customers a number of options to suit his or her taste. Some of the artwork appears on the skin of Metamorphosis employees.

Cody,  a Metamorphosis employee, has tattoos that cover much of his body.

“I have friendship tattoos, or ones that I got together with my friends, and some song lyrics,” Cody said. “Some tattoos are just because, others I have because they’re flash pieces from other artists from across the United States.”

Cody went on to explain how he has traveled to different states to get tattoos from specific artists, adding that this is very common among people with a lot of tattoos. He recently went to a convention in St. Louis.

“There is a convention [Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention] coming up in Philadelphia where there will be a bunch of different artists,” Cody said. “People come from as far away as Australia.”

According to the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention website, the event includes artists, vendors, entertainment, seminars and tattoo contests.

Metamorphosis will continue to serve the Indianapolis area.

Matt, another Metamorphosis employee, described how tattoo shops aren’t exactly like what people see on TV with intimate stories that customers share with the tattoo artist.

“Probably about 95 percent of the people who come in to get a tattoo don’t tell a story,” he said.

Cody added that he has gotten tattoos that have taken as long as two hours and not spoken a word to the artist.

Cody also noted that tattoos have become more acceptable in the last five years or so, with more and more types of people getting them. Cody said that his grandmother told him he would never get a job.  Meanwhile Cody and his dad got their first tattoos together. Now his 17-year-old sister is counting down the days until she can get her first tattoo.

“Now anybody can get a tattoo,” he said. “It’s not just for a specific group. We’ve even had lawyers come in and get tattoos.”

Tattoos are especially prevalent in Broad Ripple Village, which boasts a combination of “eclectic shops and venues for artists” along with “an island of creative respite and renewal,” according to its website.

“I will definitely still continue to get tattoos,” Cody said. “I don’t want to say tattoos are addicting, but once I started getting tattoos, I started getting more and never stopped.”

Metamorphosis is open Monday-Saturday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 1 p.m.  to 5 p.m.  Tattoo appointments are not necessary.