Jeffrey Love is exactly the type of man you would expect to own and operate a tattoo shop.

Sixty-two tattoos cover his body, 37 of which he did himself. Six rings hang from his ears.

The day of his interview with the Sequim Gazette, he was wearing a baseball cap backwards, a T-shirt featuring Popeye and baggy blue jeans.

When the weather is nice, he rides a motorcycle to work.

Love opened his shop, the Tattoo Guy

INK.orporated, on Jan. 5, fewer than 30 days after his youngest daughter was released from Children's Hospital in Seattle, where she underwent surgery to correct a birth defect.

Previously, Love ran the business out of his wife's beauty salon in Port Angeles. Before that, he lived and worked in Las Vegas, Nev.

He has 14 years experience of professionally giving tattoos.

After friends and clients across the North Olympic Peninsula teamed up to raise money for his family and sick

baby girl, Love agreed to open his own shop as a thank you.

From April-September, Love travels on weekends giving tattoos and raising money for three causes close to his heart: breast cancer, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Helping Hand, a global humanitarian relief and development organization. He's given tattoos in every state except Hawaii and Alaska.

His wife, Sarah, and their six children tag along.

Love got his first tattoo as an early adolescent. Every tattoo on his body tells a story.

The blue flames on his right arm that extend from his wrist to his elbow signify his cooking arm and passion for preparing food.

The pink ribbon on his right forearm is in honor of his late wife, who died from breast cancer, and in the hope to see the day when a cure is found.

Love is quick to dispel negative stereotypes about people with tattoos.

"Tattoos are a new modern art," he said.

"It's the oldest style of art in history but to today's society, tattoos are a way of symbolizing yourself in color."

"Tattoos," Love said, "are the new Prada."

The customers who walk through Love's door range in age from 18-80, sometimes older, the Maryland

native said.

Sometimes it's a young adult getting his or her first tattoo. Other times it's a stay-at-home mother reclaiming her youth and independence.

"Last week, a 70-year-old woman came in and got a daisy on her toe, just because," Love said.

The average tattoo costs $150-250. Prices are given by the job rather than by the hour.

Advocating health and safety, Love uses all disposable equipment. A needle never is sterilized and reused.

"I don't take chances with myself and I wouldn't take chances with a customer," Love said.

Martha Stewart is Love's idol.

"She came up just like I did,

running a bunch of small businesses, and turned it into a billion dollar

enterprise," Love said.

"I'm going to be there someday."

Reach Ashley Miller at ashleyo@sequim gazette.com.