Chances are when you see someone in the Central Pennsylvania area with a great piece of intricately drawn artwork, you are going to find out that it came from Stan Wolf at Permanent Impressions. In fact, three of the P&OM crew members had Stan draw up their matching P&OM barcode tattoos over the summer.

     Stan has been with Permanent Impressions in Lemoyne since the summer of 2001, but has been working with the needle for over 13 years. Before becoming the master that he currently is, he has been a chef, a carpenter, an engraver and a bouncer, but he always felt that something was missing.

     It was when he was working in a bar that he stumbled across his true talent. He would draw up posters to advertise the bands that were coming to town when his work as an artist was discovered. The regular patrons at the bar then started asking him to draw up designs and he would see his work tattooed on them a week later. It turns out that the money is alot better in tattooing than in being a bouncer!

     So, he started on his quest. He submitted his portfolio to different shops, but no one was interested in taking him on. His girlfriend of the time knew the owner of Picture Yourself out of York and set up a meeting for the two at a party. Even though he showed interest in Stan's work, he still wasn't going to take him on until the other party attendees started asking Stan to draw for them. With his reputation proceeding him, there was no way that Stan could get out of it now.

     He spent the next 2 1/2 years as an apprentice at Picture Yourself, learning the skills of the trade while working 65 hours a week and earning $50 for it! When he was finally ready to start using the needle, his reputation once again proceeded him. Clientele starting lining up outside the door to have Stan do his magic. The owner pretty much handed the shop over to Stan and the rest is history.

     From Picture Yourself, Stan spent the next five years at ProInk, then some time at Field of Magic, and then opened his own shop, Netherworld Tattoo in Mechanicsburg, for five years. But during the time that Stan rented his shop in Mechanicsburg, landlords changed and he was getting the distinct impression that his lease was not going to be renewed. (When I asked about this, Stan let me know that even though seeing a tat in today's society is commonplace for so many of us, there is still the reputation from the '50's that only sailors and rebel bikers have them.) So, he has gave up the business end of business, and joined Jeff Messersmith and his crew at Permanent Impressions. They currently have five artists and one piercer on staff - and next month they will be moving their shop down the street.