Chris Baker of Chicago in the US has been covering up or removing tattoos for free. But Chris is not a rich man, and these are not inexpensive things to carry out, so why would someone do it free of charge? Chris and his family moved from LA to Chicago around eight years ago. When they first arrived, Chris went through a tough time trying to work out what to do with his life. Needing some sort of guidance, Chris turned to prayer, which is when he came up with the idea of his tattoo shop, Ink 180 . Ink 180 has been offering their free coverups and removal services since 2011. But there is a catch - the people entitled to this work are those whose ink serves to remind them of lives they are trying to leave behind. This could include former gang members, or the survivors of sex trafficking, domestic abuse or self-harm. Enamored with his idea, though he was, Chris was skeptical when his friends told him that people would be queueing up around the block for his free services. And yet, since the shop first opened, Chris and his team have carried out more than 2,000 free coverups or removals. Unsurprisingly, demand is high, and appointments tend to be booked out for weeks in advance. Obviously, the shop wouldn't get anywhere if everything they did were for free, which is why Ink 180 also offers the standard of paid tattoos and piercings. Taking this in mind, 80% of the work they do there is still pro bono, and the shop is funded almost entirely by donations. And, of course, because of the nature of the shop, you might imagine that money is tight and that Chris struggles to pay his bills - and you wouldn't be wrong. But despite this, Chris has no plans for putting a stop to the free services at Ink 180. If nothing else, Chris said that he loves to see the look on his clients' faces when they look down on their wrist or arm and no longer see the name of their abusive ex. "They don't have to look down and have that tattoo trigger horrible reminders of what they have been through," he said. And it is enough for the tattoo artist that he can help so many people, with the whole mission of Ink 180 reflected in his faith. In fact, he says his work is based on the 2 Corinthians Bible verse: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" However, despite most of the local tattooists and religious communities embracing the work that Ink 180 are doing, there are people who aren't all for giving away something for free. These critics are a handful of tattoo artists who see the shop as competition for their paid work. Chris explained that these tattoo studios see what Ink 180 is up to as taking potential paid work away from them. But what these "competitors" probably don't realise is that some of these customers can barely afford to feed themselves, let alone pay for ink. Chris even pointed out that it isn't unusual to buy the client a sandwich or pizza before getting down to the job - because these people haven't been able to afford to eat in days. The tattoo studio also operates its very own mobile units. These will regularly travel into Chicago during the summer. But these units aren't just about bringing the tattooist to the customer's door... Chris recognises that survivors might have other needs that they need to meet. Because of this, Ink 180 partners up with local organisations who offer the likes of educational training or provide accessible vision, dental and overall medical care. Regardless, whether or not people like tattoos, they do love that Ink 180 is giving people a second chance. "We are letting people know that no matter what you have done, or what life you have lived," Chris explained, "you can be redeemed and changes it if you want it bad enough."
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