Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat

October 2019 at Earthship Studios with the MAGICAL, FABULOUS Heather

(Check out her Sex-Positive Shop FEM SHOP)

The tattoo was the beginning of something magical. I have always wanted a full hand tattoo and had always been afraid. Afraid that my career would take a dive due to society labeling tattoos in certain places as "unprofessional", scared that my family would make another unwanted and damaging comment about my body, and scared to embrace that my body, my temple deserved to be worshiped. 

Something about Heather and Dora's presence always evokes so much confidence, self-love, and fearlessness. I had planned to go to their Halloween flash event to get a bat tattoo with no idea where but I knew it had to be a bat. 

Here's the thing, bats are ADORABLE! Mice with wings is so my animal loving jam. They are so important to our eco-system and generally get a bad wrap due to their appearance (remind you of anyone :P). Growing up bats would come into our home through the AC vents and while I was scared I also would love it and get disappointed when they would leave. If I could own all the bats, and eat fruit with them and cuddle with them all day, that is where you would find me. 

Okay so I should up and there are the bats on this flash sheet. And theres this perfect little vampire bat with big super-sonic ears and tooth grin. If he was real I would name him Norman and eat fruit while he ate bugs and it would magical , child-like wonderment. So that it I'm sold, Heather now has to tattoo a bat in my body. But where, where do I want a bat. Oh I know that body part I've always been afraid to tattoo because again Heather and Dora inspire a confidence in me (and everyone around them) that is unparalleled. So this is how Norman is born and after Norman came my other hand tattoo, the butterfly (see previous posts) and from there, the sky is the limit.

This project has helped me reflect as an artist, therapist, human-being, fat activist and body positive activist, the importance of our bodies, of celebrating them, of adorning them with the things they deserve in whatever ways feels authentic and that while all bodies matter and deserve of respect and celebration, now more than ever BLACK BODIES and TRANS BODIES need to have the space to have the same experience.