PRESCOTT – Tattoo artist Gregory Ellyson has loved drawing his entire life. He just needed a push to turn it into a career, which he has done with great success.

“I have drawn all my life,” Ellyson said. “All my friends and family told me to get into art but I didn’t believe them.”

It wasn’t until he started getting tattoos around age 18 to 20 that he realized, tattoos are art.

Ellyson, the owner of Prescott’s newest business 1851 Tattoo (131 Broad St.) is originally from Hudson, but has lived in Prescott for about 17 years. Ellyson was tattooing in River Falls for 14 years and looking for places in River Falls to rent space. Then he had an idea.

“I just told my wife, let’s just go downtown (Prescott),” Ellyson said. “Let’s peek in this window (of the building that was for sale) and I instantly knew it was it. Prescott Electric and Heating waved me in and I talked to him for five minutes and I left shaking. I called him the next day and I said, ‘Let’s do this. I am ready.’” Although Ellyson was “pretty content” working under some other businesses, he said, “It is always in someone's dream to go ou and do their own thing. I just felt like it was time to come home.”

Home meaning being able to be closer to his wife and three kids. Family is very important to Ellyson and he wanted to incorporate that into his business.

“I wanted to start this as a family tattoo shop,” he said. “My wife and kids can swing in anytime. I have never been in a tattoo business where there’s kids involved with it and that is what my goal was coming down here.”

The name of his business, 1851 Tattoo, has a historical twist to it.

"I wanted to go back to the roots of Prescott,” Ellyson said. “1851 is when they changed the name to Prescott from Elizabeth Wis. So, I fig –

ured the name was appropri ate.”

Ellyson isn't the type of artist who just does one spe – cific thing. He does, "it all, black and gray, color, tradi tional, realistic, etc.” But he also looks up to, "every sin –

gle artist out there." Ellyson likes how all art- ists do things diuerently. “We all have our own ways, but we can learn some- thing new from each other," he said.

His advice to anyone who is considering getting a tat too but hasn’t yet: “Think. Think about it. Give it a lot of thought, and make it meaningful." Ellyson has tattooed himself and said, “That is where you learn. It is where you start.”

Ellyson opened his Prescott shop with about a month to a month and a half booked out with the clientele he had waiting for him. But since opening his new place four months ago, he is now booked about three months out. Ellyson believes that his big windows out front are “one of the best advertise- ments." Although he hands out business cards, like every small business owner can relate to, he said his business, “is mostly word of mouth.”

Right now, Ellyson is fo – cusing on settling into his first tattoo shop. He isn't sure if adding employees is some – thing in his near future, but he wants people to stop in. "Walk in. Stop in whenev – er. I don't think people think that's a thing to do but feel free to walk in, take a look at my art work, check it out,” he said.

He has been also piercing for 17 years, so eventually he will be incorporating that into his line of work along with selling merch. He is ex cited for what is to come.

“I always knew summers were busy down here, but when I came down here in the middle of the summer – it was way bigger than I ever thought it was. It is wild and it is so cool,” he said. “I am so glad to be a part of this community. All these own – ers around here just came welcoming me – that was so cool.”

The best way to contact Ellyson is by email – tattoos. [email protected], his Face – book Business page – 1851 Tattoos, or Instagram @ spudtron.

Examples of tattoo artist Gregory Ellyson’s work. He encourages people to stop into his shop to see his art.Photos courtesy of Gregory Ellyson