Artist Statement
Professional Series
Both animals, and flowers are common symbols that are used in tattoos. There are many different species of animals and flowers, and they each have unique meanings in different mythologies and cultures. There are many people in my life that have been influential on what I want to be, and who I am as a person, but none more so than my family. As a tattoo apprentice, I realized that this series was the perfect opportunity to create new art that would let me represent the influence my family has had on me over the course of my life.
Snakes can be a symbol of rebirth, as well as one of knowledge and wisdom. In the mythology of various cultures including: Chinese, Aztec, and Celtic, snakes have been associated with intelligence, wisdom, and communication. I felt that this was a symbol that would be fitting for representing my family. My parents and grandparents are immigrants that come from the other side of the world; and with the knowledge they have gathered from both their home country, and from more than twenty years of being in Canada.
The first of my series is a tattoo of the Sampaguita flower. This flower has a history of being a symbol of love and devotion. Not only did I feel that this flower best represented my grandmother, but it further continues the theme of love and devotion as it is her favourite flower, and the name of her mother . My grandmother raised me just as much as my parents did, and has been one of the most important people in my life.
The second tattoo in my series features the Lotus flower. I chose this flower to be representative of my father, with different colours of lotus flowers having different meanings. I find that the meaning for the Red Lotus fits my father the most, where they signify compassion, sympathy, and selfless love, all words that I would use to describe my father.
The next flower tattoo is one of Spider Lilies which I chose to represent my mother. Spider Lilies are another flower which can have different meanings based on the colour of its petals, and most of them symbolize death and rebirth, the white Spider Lily can also be a symbol of protection. The flower is thought to have an ability to guide and protect the dead though their journey to the afterlife, and due to it being a sign of protection I chose this to represent my mother.
The last flower tattoo in my series is the Deadly Nightshade which I chose for myself as it is my favourite flower. The scientific name for this plant is the Atropa belladonna. The term belladonna is italian for beautiful lady and originates from its use as a way to dilate the pupils which was considered to be attractive. The use of this plant to represent beauty paired with the snake’s symbolism of intelligence and wisdom is what I think represents myself as a product of my family members who raised me.