Magic of Pain, a new Centretown tattoo parlour and art hub, has opened on Somerset Street in the wake of a devastating fire.
On Oct. 21, tattoo shop, A Dark Cloud, and adjoining café, The Daily Grind were lost to the blaze.
Magic of Pain, owned and run by Lotta and Wolfgang Schubert, provides a unique outlet for Centretown’s arts community.
“Wolfgang, who moved over from Germany to live together with me in Canada, is a tattoo artist and he used to have a studio for 16 years over in Germany, so the studio was always part of his vision,” says Lotta.
“Me, being a visual artist and also a teacher, always had this idea that we could develop something together.”
The shop owners German roots have attracted a niche clientele.
“Some people are German at the studio where I work in Gatineau,” says Wolfgang. “I hope they come with me here to Chinatown.”
While the tattoo parlour is the face of the shop, it is only one pillar of the overall business.
“I’m trying to develop, what I’m calling an art hub right now, and it’s called Sacred Paint,” says Lotta. “I use the space as a gallery, but I would like to do it in a way that I can give a platform to voices of the community who might not have a chance to be heard.”
She plans to establish outreach art programs with local groups that give struggling members of the community an opportunity to explore and learn about the arts. She hopes to work with teenaged mothers and those who are homeless.
“I was also a single mom here with two kids, so my heart goes out to people who struggle, and how sometimes a bit of support and encouragement goes a long way to give you the feeling that you are special and that the universe has a place for you,” she says.
Magic of Pain and Sacred Paint will occupy premises at 646 Somerset.
Introducing a new space for creative activity is welcome to the arts community in the wake of losing The Daily Grind, which doubled as an art gallery and performance space for local artists.
The Schuberts intend to establish Magic of Pain and Sacred Paint as a storefront with unique services, working with advocacy groups and supporting the tight-knit arts community they have become a part of.
“We see ourselves as another additional voice adding to the chorus of community,” says Lotta.