The popularity of tattoo artists of the Short North continues to grow

COLUMBUS, Ohio – His life, like his craft, is a work of art. Dina Nemets never wanted to be a tattoo artist. Not really.

“It’s evolved into what it is now,” he said. “Like, it was always meant to be.”

It just happened. He went from tattooing on his own to doing small jobs for friends before word of mouth led him to work at several local tattoo parlors.

Then, in 2015, inspired by creativity and passion, he opened Lone Wolf, his own studio just off North High Street.

“The first day I came there was a line around the corner,” he said.

He does things a little differently. Instead of creating something in advance, his designs and thoughts are as fresh as the day he met you.

“Think about it,” he said. “If you go to a restaurant because you like a certain chef, but he’s booked for six months … are you going to email him six months from now and say, ‘Hey, I’ll be there Thursday at 7:30, you can you make me some spaghetti with spicy meatballs?”

Instead of stencils, he draws his designs by hand on you on the day of your appointment.

“Most people don’t even see the finished design until we’re done with the tattoo,” he said.

He does one tattoo a day to focus on you, your background and your story.

“I think it’s the biggest, most touching…emotional thing,” he said as he began to cry. “A lot of, like, really sad stories.”

This talent, care and trust won him more than anything 137,000 social media followers and now has clients on a two-year waiting list.

“I’m busy now for a couple of years,” he said.

“From all over the world,” Erin Nemec said. “All over the world.”

Dino met his wife, Erin, when he tattooed her sister. They started dating in 2007 and got married in 2009. Now the couple has two children.

“Art has been a part of our lives since day one,” said Erin.

A bottomless well of reason and purpose.

– That’s right, – said Dino. “It’s like… special can’t even be described,” he said. “Sometimes it’s life-changing.”

Being aware of the good, the bad and everything in between makes life a true work of art.

To view some of Dean’s work, check out his Instagram page.

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