Business Of The Year

Business Of The Year PALE HORSE TATOOS

Chad Harlow and Savanah Galebiz recently competed in a convention with 200 other ink artists from all over the world. They won four first place and two second place trophies.

Inking living, moving art

When Chad Harlow and Savannah Galabiz heard that their Pale Horse Tattoos parlor had garnered Business of the Year by the Pontotoc Progress readers, they were surprised. In operation in Pontotoc since 2018 the pair have seen their art drawn on hundreds of people.

Chad’s love of tattooing was rooted in his love to draw. “I was the kid at school that drew on my notebook,” Chad said. “When I was 18, I left work and got my first tattoo and I still love them.”

But that enjoyment of seeing the art on a person came because of an uncle of his. “I had an uncle in the Navy, he was bigger

BY | REGINA BUTLER

than life. He had a tattoo but no one else in my family had one.”

And the joy of putting ink on someone hasn’t lessened any, because he got a license and started this journey of watching a pattern flow on another person’s arm, leg, foot, even an ear. And it has paid off to the extent that it is now his full time career.

Chad specializes in re-tattoing an older tattoo and giving it fresh color or covering up what you don’t want. On this arm he did free drawing over the old ink and will go back and fill it in to cover it up.

After pressing a pattern on her clients leg, Savannah will ink it in. Patterns are used to make sure the customer wants it in that spot before actually putting the ink on.

His talent is now being recognized across the nation. “We went to Huntsville, Alabama recently and competed a convention with 200 other ink artists from all over the world,” Chad said. “We came away with four first place trophies and two second place trophies.”

Chad and Savannah received first place in medium color; first place in Best Anime; first place in Las Vegas style tattoo, first and second place in Most Unusual Tattoo and second place in Best Booth Set Up. They had to go on site, set up and actually do a tattoo to win the awards.

“One of my greatest challenges is overcoming my own self, it is actually a daily battle. Winning these trophies helped,” said Chad.

Savannah nodded, “We feel like we have been given so much.”

Chad said they do have folks that come in and are nervous about getting a tattoo. “We crack jokes to try to set them at ease, because getting your first tattoo is a big deal. We don’t remember everybody, but they will never forget us, and they will always remember it because it was their first tat.”

And Savannah said to help put people at ease, “we have a family atmosphere here.”

She said it impresses folks so much so that they can call their shop by name. “A girl in Arkansas saw a guy’s tattoo and asked where he got it and he called us by name.”

Tattoos aren’t the ‘taboo’ they once were. And folks from all demographics of life go to get ink on their arm.

“I’ve tattooed doctors, lawyers and preachers,” said Chad. “It is not just what most folks consider ‘bikers and thugs’ that get tattoos anymore.” He chuckled. “I’ve always said the retirement home is going to be the next art gallery.”

This piece took Chad some 50 hours to complete over a number of weeks. The client came from Memphis.

Chad said while tattoos are works of art, “Each tattoo has a completely different canvas for us to work on. Everybody’s skin is different. The skin of an 18-year-old is different than the skin of a 50-year-old.”

He said sometimes tattoos take quite awhile to complete. “I had a fella that drove from Memphis multiple times for me to do this art piece all over his arm. I had to free draw most of it. It took 50 hours to finish.”

And they even have international customers.

“We have a couple from Germany that comes to visit their family. They book us each time. They can’t speak English and I can’t speak German,” said Chad. He chuckled. “I draw the picture and they nod yes or no. When I’m through their smile says it all.”

Chad said there are some things he just won’t tattoo on another person. “I won’t even attempt to draw portraits. I also don’t tattoo boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife’s name on a person, because those relationships can change. I’ll tattoo kids or grandkids names or even deceased parents if I’m asked.” Chad also said he discourages tattoos on the hand, neck and face.

Savannah said that being a woman in the tattoo industry is a challenge. “Sometimes it is difficult to get people to take you seriously.”

Ironically enough, though, today 65 to 70 percent of their clients are women. Chad chuckled. “They consider it therapy. They will come and choose another design to be tattooed on and they will lay under the needle for however many hours it takes to get it done.”

Savannah agreed, “It is an addiction, once you get that first tattoo you keep coming back.”

One of the most unusual requests the couple had was from a man who wanted them to tattoo on his back simultaneously. “He wanted us to do him a demon wing on one side and an angel wing on the other side,” said Savannah. “So we did it, I did the angel wing and Chad did the demon wing at the same time.”

Chad said that the inks have improved over the years, “Just in the 17 years I’ve been doing this full time ink has gotten better and the work is more precise.”

Although they both do excellent work, “I did not expect to get Business of the Year,” Chad said humbly. “Some of the businesses that were in the running have been in Pontotoc for years. This is a huge honor.”

Savannah nodded her consent, “We thank all the people who voted for us and did this. We always try to do some good out there.”