Tatt Me Up Before I Go Go!

Tattoos. You love ‘em or you hate ‘em. I don’t believe there is an in between.

I’m a tatted girl from way back. I got my first tattoo sometime around 1998 or ‘99. My second tattoo was in 2002, shortly after my mother passed away. And my third was in 2011 during a trip to Miami for my daughter’s 18^th birthday.

For the past two years I've been thinking about my fourth tattoo. I know I want a lotus flower, I just don't know where I’d put it on my body or how I’d want it to look.

As I get closer to my impending chemotherapy, I know I’m going to need something symbolic that I can focus on to get me through the process. The lotus tattoo is the first thing comes to mind. 

I meet with my tattoo artist, Eddie (Tattoos by Eddie). I decide I want it to look like a watercolor painting. After doing research online we can’t find any tattoo examples that are representative of what I want. Being the awesome artist that he is, Eddie goes out and buys watercolor paints so he can make my tattoo from scratch! Below is the artist’s rendering based on a photo and my final tattoo!

 

Eddies first attempt at painting my lotus flower. He did a great job!

I opted for less 'splatter' on my tattoo. I love it!

Lotus Flower Symbolism

The Taoist symbol is the open lotus blossom, signifying openness and wisdom. Taoist artists have used the lotus flower to symbolize beauty, light, and life, and adherence to Taoist principles.

In Buddhism the lotus flower represents rebirth ~ the dawn after one’s darkest day. It is also symbolic of strength, hope and an open heart.