By Anthony Rifilato
"We're trying to run a family place," said the 35-year-old Ciaramello.
As a photographer takes his picture and Louis Prima tunes ooze out of the stereo, Ciaramello stands like a strange "triclops" in front of an enormous black and white portrait of one of his heroes, the artist Von Dutch, who also has an eyeball on his forehead -- and paintbrushes sticking out of his ears. And though it may seem odd, Ciaramello's tribute to this icon, who spawned an entire art form, isn't lost on anyone. At Kustom Kulture, life imitates art and no one takes himself too seriously.
"It's about getting people into fun art," said Ciaramello.
A former art director at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Ciaramello, a Long Island native, is a nationally recognized tattoo artist and has been featured in numerous tattoo and art magazines. He opened the store in part, he said, to showcase his and other artists' work. At the Kustom Kulture grand opening last month, WWE wrestler Tazz was on hand to sign autographs. Ciaramello has tattooed many pro wrestlers.
"I stumbled onto the idea of becoming a tattoo artist," said Ciaramello. "It just came to me."
Ciaramello has brought a West Coast style to Baldwin at Kustom Kulture, which bears the name of a low-brow art form with roots in Southern California. Kustom Kulture is a throwback to the youth culture of the 1950s and early '60s, embodied by movies like "Rebel Without a Cause" and "American Graffiti." Imagine a world with customized hotrods emblazoned with flames and pin stripes, tiki sculptures, Rat Fink comic book characters, greasers and sweater girls. Now add plenty of the 21st century hipster touches -- intricate tattoos, silver piercings, trendy clothing and ebullient artwork -- and you have Kustom Kulture.
The store is much more than a tattoo parlor, and must be seen in color. It's part art gallery, part colorful lounge and part hipster shop that sells everything related to the Kustom Kulture scene, from Rat Fink comics and hotrod model cars to posters and original artwork. It also offers body jewelry and trendy clothing such as Von Dutch trucker hats, which range in price from $35 to $75 and have been made famous lately by celebrities such as Britney Spears and Ashton Kutcher.
"Right now on MTV, a lot of stars are wearing Von Dutch clothing," Ciaramello said.
Unlike the stereotypical tattoo parlors that display their designs on the walls, Kustom Kulture has two computer kiosks that customers can browse through, featuring more than 2,000 tattoo designs, and Ciaramello welcomes the uninitiated to visit his Web site, www.kustomkultureink.com.
"Anybody can walk through and feel comfortable," said Terri Huckabee, Ciaramello's fiancee. "Some people are intimidated when walking into a tattoo parlor."
But it's the art-inspired lifestyle that Ciaramello said gives Kustom Kulture its essence. "We're trying to dispel the stigma that says when a tattoo parlor comes to town, it brings it down," he said.
Ciaramello has created a store tailored to a burgeoning collective of "low-brow" artists. Some of the artwork for sale in his store sells for thousands of dollars. "The Manhattan art scene snubs these guys," he said. "The thing about low-brow art is that it's user-friendly."
And just what is low-brow art? It's not as offensive as it sounds. The 1950s and '60s B-movie and car culture is definitely an influence. Some of the artists customize everything from cars to toilet seats, and a lot of the artwork is inspired by Rat Fink creator and 1960s custom car designer Ed Roth.
"It's art that doesn't need to be explained," said Ciaramello. "You know that's an alien or a guy playing the sax."
Take for instance "Snuff Fink" by the artist Robert Williams, a large painting of a couple out for a Sunday drive being overrun by a creature speeding in a classic roadster. There's also a painting by artist Mark Ryden of two girls with abnormally large eyes in an Alice in Wonderland-type setting, priced at $700. By being in Baldwin, Ciaramello said, he wants to attract a pool of local artists. "We want to encourage Long Island artists to come here and show their work," he said.
In the coming months, Ciaramello will take on the role of teacher, offering tattoo classes, in response to requests from people interested in learning the art. "We've had a ton of kids looking for apprenticeships," he said. "They'll get enough exposure and knowledge to take it further."
And while Ciaramello is there for those interested only in tattoos or piercings, he hopes that Kustom Kulture becomes a haven for anyone interested in the art form. "There's something here for everyone," he said.
