Arson Sets Tattoo World on Fire

Doc Arson, or Edward Mildner as he is also known, set the tattoo world on fire with his talent and dedication right from the start.

He worked at several different shops in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Jersey Shore before starting his own business known as Arson Tattoos. He would never take a day off and has been working in the business for 11 years straight.

“In my first week at most jobs I would get above people who had seniority there,” Mildner said. “I was doing such a good job for everyone else that I decided to start doing a good job for myself.”

Arson Tattoos has been in business for five years. Mildner’s original location was in Elizabeth, but he is currently located on Route 18 in East Brunswick, where he has been for the past two years.

“In Elizabeth I was mostly getting clients in their 20s, but out here there is more of an age range,” Mildner said. “Today I set up for a client who is 53 and yesterday I had a few 20-year-olds.”

Mildner is currently the only tattoo artist in his shop, but has an apprentice coming up through the ranks. Fred Falcon has been working with Mildner for eight months learning the craft and acting as the Arson Tattoo shopkeeper.

“He (Falcon) showed up at the shop with his portfolio, and I just really liked his attitude,” Mildner said.

A typical apprenticeship for tattooing lasts for 12 months, after which the artist will receive their certification, according to Mildner. After the apprenticeship is over, Falcon is going to continuing working at Arson Tattoos.

Mildner’s interest in art did not start with tattoos. He became interested in graffiti art at a young age and started doing it in New York.

“I loved the rawness of the art and the bright colors. It is a true art requiring a lot of discipline,” Mildner said.

He is a member of a well-known art crew called Boom Skwad, which is based out of Newark  They are an organized group whose art can be seen at many skate parks, concerts and art shows.

Graffiti was more of a past time for Mildner though. He was also involved in computer graphics and design and was working at a publishing house for magazines like Seventeen, Automobile, Modern Bride and New York Magazine.

It was during this time that he became interested in tattooing. An artist he worked with discouraged him saying it was hard to gain acceptance in that business.

“I knew people who liked my style and invited me down to their shops. I went and hung out and that was it, I got a job,” Mildner said. “I drew up stencils and watched my tattoos come to life and wouldn’t take a day off.”

His graffiti background not only inspired his interest in tattooing, but the name of his business as well. Doc Arson, or Arson, is Mildner’s graffiti name.

All of Mildner’s tattoos are completely custom. It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to two weeks for Mildner to design a tattoo depending on the size.

Arson Tattoos is open seven days a week from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information call 732-257-0078.