ARTHUR OSTROWSKI
FOUNDER • ARTIST • TATTOOIST
BFA (Hons), B.Ed, MFA
ARTHUR "ARTIE" OSTROWSKI
Arthur Ostrowski is a multidisciplinary artist and tattooist based in London, Ontario, and the creative force behind Mystic Rabbit. For over eighteen years, Arthur has devoted his life to the pursuit of art, blending the precision of tattoo craftsmanship with the imagination and conceptual depth of fine art.
His work bridges the worlds of tattoo and gallery practice, exploring transformation, duality, and the shared human experience. Through painting, sculpture, photography, and tattoo art, he continues to search for the balance between creativity, emotion, and meaning. Whether through tattooing, painting, or sculpture, Arthur approaches his work as a conversation between artist and subject, transforming personal stories into lasting works of art.
EARLY YEARS & FORMAL TRAINING
From an early age, Arthur discovered that art was a language of play and imagination. Guided by his mother, a talented graphic designer and painter, he spent his childhood experimenting with color, form, and ideas. Those early moments of playful exploration became his first lessons in expression and self-discovery.
Arthur’s journey toward a professional art career began during his undergraduate studies in Fine Art at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. In the final year of his Honours Bachelor of Arts program in 2006, he completed an internship at Underground Ink, one of Thunder Bay’s most respected tattoo studios, subsequently apprenticing under Chad and Fenton Gilbert.
While apprenticing, he continued his education at Lakehead University, earning a Bachelor of Education with a specialization in teaching Art and Philosophy at the intermediate and senior levels. After completing both his degree and apprenticeship in 2008, Arthur and Chad opened their own tattoo studio, where they worked collaboratively for several years.
GRADUATE STUDIES (MFA) & FINE ART
In 2011, Arthur was accepted into the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program at the University of Calgary under the supervision of Dr. Jean-René Leblanc, evolving his focus toward sculpture and installation art. His dedication was recognized through numerous honours including the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship (awarded twice), the Alberta Graduate Student Scholarship, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Graduate Scholarship, and the ENMAX Graduate Scholarship. He served as a Teaching Assistant in drawing and painting and as a Workshop Technician Assistant in the wood and metal studios.
FOUNDING MYSTIC RABBIT
Settling in London, Ontario, Arthur established Arturo Art Tattoo and Art Studio in 2015—a private studio built on craft, cleanliness, and client comfort. In 2022, he expanded into Mystic Rabbit on Adelaide Street North, an environment carrying the essence of the Canadian West Coast and bohemian sensibilities with natural wood, live plants, and serene light.
In 2025, Arthur returned to his private home studio setting under the Mystic Rabbit name. With renewed focus, the studio offers clients an intimate, unhurried space while allowing Arthur to dedicate balanced time to his fine art paintings, photographic series, and competitive trail ultra-running.