By Michelle Moskowitz
Sentinel Correspondent
The latest of posh new ventures to come to Byram is the Book of Life Tattoo Shop & Bolt Gallery, located at 251 Mill Street.
Home to other high-end hot spots like Mario Batali’s Tarry Lodge, Char, and the well known Famous Greek Kitchen, walking on bustling Mill Street these days, feels a little different.
Longtime Greenwich resident Alex Delev, owner of The Book of Life, named the shop after the recent animated movie her family fell in love with.
“The name is personal like our art is a personal story, unique in the way each person responds to it,” she said. With an art history degree from Pine Manor College and experience at the Bruce Museum, the Seaside Center at Tod’s Point and Los Angeles Film Festival, Alex has been inspired by art her entire life.
She herself inspires with body art both in the form of henna tattoos and permanent tattoos, which she shares easily with pride and heartfelt emotion.
“Every tattoo is part of a story that we feel so strongly about, we decide to make that story a part of who we are.”
It took a long time to receive licensing and certification and Alex feels that the hurdles are not necessarily a bad thing. “It took a long time and a lot of work, “ she says, “but the new regulations protect everyone and I like that that it is hard to open a shop like ours now. It gives us more credibility.”
The shop is also the first of its kind in Greenwich to offer henna tattoos, a safe and non-permanent design, which lasts about 7-14 days. It became popular when celebrities, such as Madonna, turned it into a trend. People feel comfortable knowing it will wash away with soap and water.
“Body art is an expression on the outside of how you feel on the inside. Our artists work closely with our clients to help them achieve that expression,” according to Alex.
That shared artistic sentiment with local artist and art educator, Kathy Chattaroj is what brought the two of them together. The two women shared the same first grade teacher for their children, but it was their inspiring discussion on a class field trip that got them thinking a joint venture would be a great way to expose their synergistic endeavors to a broader audience.
“What I love about about what we are doing at Bolt is creating a carefree and inviting space for Greenwich residents and neighbors to explore art in a new way, without expectations. Whether body art, henna, or the art we display here, we want our clients to think about what art means to them.”
Cozy leather couches, soft yet vibrant music, create a soothing atmosphere. The deep gray, chalkboard paint allows for an interactive component. Visitors can sign their names when they walk in on the ‘mural guestbook’ while descriptions of Kathy’s current pieces such as “Wedding Day in Pink,” “Silver Trees,” and the company’s signature logo “Sugar Skull,” appear approachable and invite discussion with the artist.
“People stop in to see what we are all about. Our target audience is diverse, which allows us to have interesting and diverse conversations,” according to Alex.
Kathy, who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Boston and a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from Palazzo Spinelli in Florence, Italy paints with broad brush strokes.
In addition to her new venture with Alex Delev, Kathy is known for “Little Picasso’s,” a popular after school art program held in both public and private schools in Greenwich.
In the summer, she runs “Little Brushes,” art camp at Pinotte’s Pallete in Stamford. But the majority of her time is spent as a commissioned painter where she creates custom art for her clients.
She says the idea was to “open a small, intimate gallery, where we are manifesting the feel of a home showing on a larger scale.”
In addition, the goal is to feature other local artists down the road who may not be able to gain recognition or placement at some of the existing galleries in town.
Alex says, Byram reminds her of Greenwich Avenue, the way it used to be, filled with mom and pop shops and family-run businesses.
Henna tattoos cost between $25.00 to $125.00 depending on the size of the area designed.
Tattoos are about $100 per hour. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.s. and by appointment on Sunday and Monday.
