My storytelling artwork

When I was 20 I buried my dad. nonHodgkins Lymphoma. I was a wreck. Literally broken. At 28 I buried my younger sister. Glioblastoma (nastiest, most aggressive form of a brain tumor you can imagine). I lost my best friend, shopping partner, confidant, therapist. I was on autopilot, just going thru the motions, the flow of the day, with no real direction or focus! I needed to have you both with me!! And poof! Out popped the first tattoo design. I was going to use my body as a way to beautifully capture a glimpse of time in our lives. I wasn't going to be alone anymore, I'd have pieces of you with me.

My dad was larger than life. He was the strongest man I ever knew, he would carry huge stacks of wood by himself like no big deal. Serious HULK action. He'd fix any bike, and pretty much anything you threw at him. And he would swim under water for so long and be so elegant gliding along the bottom of the pool. When people you massively love passes a piece of you dies. And you are never the same again. He gave the best hugs, after getting 1 you feel like the world is perfect, all is right in the world. He loved being building/creating something out of nothing. I like to think that Christmas was his favorite holiday. He always put lights outside. Christmas isn't Christmas without someone falling off the railing!! He loved giving us the magic of the season! But he was a sucker for a good old fashioned family barbeque. My Scorpio tattoo on the back of my neck gives me his "HULK" strength.

Kristy's smile could light up the deepest and darkest of caves. She loved everything pink, glittery, butterflies, and lady bugs and cala lillies and my personal favorite: This girl loves the laundry soap aisle at Target!! I took care of Kristy at the end. Fed her, bathed her, changed her, and repositioned her every 2 hours, painted toe nails and medicated her. When we buried Kristy she had her yellow "LIVESTRONG" on her left wrist and a grey "FUCK CANCER" bracelet on her right. My older brother, Jack and I wanted to pay tribute to the strong, amazing, mother, daughter, wife, sister, friend Kristy once was. So we simply put "LIVESTRONG" on the underside of our left wrist so we will always wear 1 together. Every time I look at it, the power behind such a simple word, LIVESTRONG, she gave everyday 500% never giving up or in especially at the end.

Covering my upper left back is a pink butterfly, 2 Calla Lilies, and her initial in grey. She is my guardian angel ever present and always near.

My 16 year old is autistic. She was completely nonverbal until she was 7. I woke up to HI MOM talking as if she has for the past 6 years. When she couldn't communicate her needs to us she would bash her head off any surface, she didn't discriminate she used everything, cement, wood, counter top, fridge. Through years of therapy and constant, consistent work, she is mainstreamed in school, and looking for a first job. Autism isn't an easy feat to conquer not that you ever really conquer it. Madi is the butterfly, its on my foot for the path we have and yet to find.

Everyday is a new adventure.

I am proud of my body art, and the stories it tells.

RIP rjs, kln