reveal time

Speaking of communication being great...

A while ago I'd mentioned having some work done to cover up my existing tattoo. Many asked why not just get it removed. The answer to that is simple. Because the person who did the work originally was not...ahem...skilled, he went too deep with the needles and caused the lines to protrude a bit (so if you run your hand across them you can feel them still...13 years later). If I were to have it lasered off, chances are good I'd have a scar that resembled the ugly thing. I've never liked it, since day one (even though I designed it and like the design, execution was flubbed). When people would say, "Cool tattoo!" I'd respond with, "Actually it really isn't all that good..." I couldn't bring myself to simply say thank you and move on.

Then, months back, I ran into Naomi. She's the artist who'd done work on a former coworker of mine (I would have said friend but the girl was one of the two reasons I got fired from my other job many years ago and that doesn't really say "friend" to me). Naomi gave me her number and I talked about it with Kev. He was not really for it, because he felt it was a waste of money as well as "you've lived this long with the other one...". I told him that even though I have lived this long with the thing I never enjoyed it and for something to be permanent on my body, I really want to be proud of it. Then I reminded him of all his video games he plays for about four months before "needing" another one...and he relented.

I had my first appointment with Naomi to discuss what I wanted to do and what visions she had. We both agreed in the beginning that something botanical would be nice. Then, I got to thinking that instead of above the water botanicals, why not do something from the sea?!?! I've always been drawn to it (all of my projects the final year of my schooling were fashioned around the sea and sealife). I emailed her and asked her thoughts. She ran with it (buying books and doing much research) and at our second consultation showed me something she'd come up with. I wasn't all that jazzed with design #1 because it was just another band that she would do over the existing one. I wanted something more organic and...dare I say...bigger.

The next time we met was to begin work. I walked into her studio and she showed me the transfer. OMG! It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. And the best part, I was going to get to look at it daily once it was placed on my body!!!

It's going to take several sessions, the first has already happened. The second is scheduled for Monday. I know that to many it may seem a bit silly for me to do something like this, but to me, it's a beautiful piece of artwork and I'm the one who is lucky enough to be able to have it. I do know it's permanent. I do know that when I'm a wrinkled old woman it may not look as beautiful, but it always will to me. From the first session I have been smitten with it. When we were in Mexico people would look at my leg, then up at my face and instead of giving me a look of "OMG" they would smile big beautiful smiles. When people have said things like, "Nice ink" I say "Thanks, isn't it beautiful?" I can't wait for it to be completed.

So now the question to you all is, do you want me to post a picture? (dumb question, I know...)