SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – For nearly 50 years a local tattoo artist has been busy creating permanent art for people.
In 2005 Alien and Co. Tattooing established itself in the All Saints District in Sioux Falls.
But owner Steve Butterfield, better known as Alien, started his artistry well before then.
“I grew up basically doing a lot of art on the walls, which mom didn’t appreciate a lot. But then I started pinstriping cars and painting signs and doing lettering on racecars and just doing a lot of different artwork,” Butterfield said.
Butterfield served in the U.S. Navy, that’s where he received his first tattoo and knew he wanted to pursue a career as a tattoo artist.
“The very first tattoo that I did is on myself and it’s right here. That’s through the teaching process. You learn that you do your first tattoo on yourself,” Butterfield said.
Butterfield traveled to many states to shadow other artists when he started his career in the 1980s.
“I started making tattoo machines and then I bought my first commercial machine and saw and they’re in a frame up front,” Butterfield said.
His first studio was out of his home in Canton before moving to Minnesota and then back to South Dakota.
“I’m the last of the first is what it comes down to. I learned traditional tattooing in the beginning, and I still do traditional today,” Butterfield said.
Now at the age of 72, one thing that has kept him going is the people.
“I want to give them something that they’re going to be happy with the rest of their lives and just kind of make sure that we have a connection so that they think that I care because I do care about what I do a lot,” Butterfield said.
Over the decades Butterfield apprenticed about a dozen people.
Tattoo artist Austin Erickson has worked at the studio for two years.
“Steve does everything kind of old school, and us newer tattoo artists all use our iPads and like fancy little machines that look like pens. And he still does it like people have been doing it for a hundred years,” Erickson said.
When the two first met, Erickson had no idea of Butterfield’s experience.
“I thought that he was somebody closer to my age, you know, and I had no idea that he’s somebody that had been in the business as long as he has been,” Erickson said.
Inside the studio, Butterfield’s trophies and awards are on display.
He says he has close to 400.
“He’s got the biggest trophy collection of anyone I’ve ever known,” Erickson said.
“I managed to accomplish what I set out to do, gives me a good feeling when I look at them and I go, you know, I did that,” Butterfield said.
One thing Erickson says Butterfield taught him was the appreciation for tradition.
“So he kind of brought me back to the roots of it where everyone else is trying to go forward,” Erickson said.
On top of the art, Erickson says Butterfield’s lasting relationships with others are something he aspires to in the future.
“Steve has people that come here from all over the United States. He’s got people who drive from Florida, East Coast, West Coast, you know, and he’s tattooed people from all over the world,” Erickson said.
“Creating, being able to create artwork good everything that God gives me a hand to work with and create is probably the greatest part of it,” Butterfield said.
Butterfield is also passionate about ministry work.
He gives the invocation over all the racers on Sundays at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon.
