MERIDIAN —     Ever since Wendy Reed was a kid, she has been seeing the world through an artistic eye.

    It is one thing to be able to see the nuances in images but it is entirely another to be able to put those images down on paper or canvas. Reed, a 1990 graduate of Meridian High School, has been able to do such things and it has been a burning passion inside her to turn her love of images and color into artwork everyone would embrace and enjoy.

    "I've always been a creative person and becoming a tattoo artist allows me to let my imagination run freely, given the images the people want," said Reed. "I love bringing their images to life on their own skin — the ultimate canvas."

    Two years ago, Reed and her life partner, Danna Jones, created Art Attack Tattoo and Piercing located at 4245 Dr. Brock Road. The inside of the building reminds the newcomer not so much of a tattoo parlor in the traditional sense but rather a hospital room. The clean smell and spotless interior is revealing about the two owners who have years of experience in the medical fields of nursing and as that of a paramedic.

    "We stress, almost to fanatical degrees, a sterile environment," Reed said. "We wanted above all else a sterile environment where the customer can be assured we are doing all we can to maintain a place free of potential contaminants."

    Reed worked 11 years as a paramedic while Jones is a traveling registered nurse. And while being a paramedic was a rewarding career, Reed knew in the back of her mind she would eventually get into her current occupation.

    "Tattooing is custom artwork and no two are the same because the people are all different," Reed said. "Plus, the canvas, or the body in which the artwork is going on is never the same either. So each one is unique to the person. It is a challenge to bring what the client wants out and make it something they will be proud."

    For two years Reed studied in California under an apprenticeship. While there she met some famous and talented artists who have inspired her to bring the best she has to her clients. It is a level of pride she is constantly trying to maintain.

    "Ultimately, I try to please the client," Reed said. "If they are happy with their tattoo then I think I have done my job well."

     Tattooing can be risky if not done by a licensed professional. Reed said her business is licensed through the Mississippi Department of Health and undergoes periodic inspections in order to maintain the standards set down by the state. Of concern to Reed is the proliferation of "scratchers," people who do tattoos in their homes. This, according to Reed, can lead to a host of problems.

    "The home is not the place to do tattooing," Reed said. "I've seen hundreds of examples of scratchers and the quality is not good but the more serious issue is the cleanliness of the instruments used and the overall environment. You can get serious infections from used instruments and from other sources."

    That is why Reed stresses the importance of a sterile environment and one-use instruments for her clients.

    At the end of the day, Reed said she is comforted in knowing she gave her clients the best place, and the best work in the form of a tattoo and piercing. It is a winning situation for everyone, said Reed. The client gets a new tattoo or piercing and she gets to have a living, breathing canvas in which to stretch her imagination.