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INKEDblog takes you beneath the skin of today's tattoo culture. Our mission is to celebrate tattooing as a modern art form which incorporates art, fashion, style, and pop culture. While paying homage and respect to the past, we look to present a contemporary take on the present and future of skin art.
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Tuesday Oct 18, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - INKEDblog Reader - Aimee
"I'm 32 years old. In May 2003, at the youthful age of 30, I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. After researching treatment protocols and seeing photographs of reconstructed breasts, I knew even before my bilateral mastectomy that I would be choosing to get a tattoo rather than reconstruction.
I think in metaphors. While going through the two years of cancer treatment many metaphors, images of various things that I could relate to my cancer experience, came to me. So, when it came time to start the tattoo, I already had in my mind's eye the various images I wanted to have in the piece. The outline of the piece is actually a large breast cancer ribbon that wraps around my back. The two front sections will cross over and continue down my chest/abdomen. Eventually the outside line will be shaded to give a three dimensional look and texture/shading will be added within the piece to give it an appearance of fabric.
We're about 10 hours in to the piece and we're about 1/3 of the way through it. The most important thing about this tattoo is that it is more about healing than covering up scars. It has a spiritual significance that goes beyond words. And the artist, Kody from Outer Limits in Costa Mesa, doesn't draw out the design before she inks. We just communicate with one another and we're both fairly open to the evolution of the piece. So I have literally taken each ink session in faith, and what I've learned from that is that I don't think I'd have it any other way.
While there's still a lot more ink that needs to go into this piece, and even some more detailing put into what is already there, I have found that this tattoo is already helping me to be less self conscious about not having breasts, and more willing to pull down my shirt and talk about what I've been through as a young woman with breast cancer.
I also wrote a poem about my experience with this tattoo. You can read it here.
or more information about breast cancer and tattooing as an option, check out: http://www.healingartt.com
Do you have a tattoo with an interesting story behind it?. Send us a photo and a paragraph or two about the story behind the tat. We'll post them throughout the week. You can email them to getinked@inkedblog.com
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