My Watercolor galaxy unalome tattoo as a new story unfolding on my skin

I got my first tattoo when I was 16. I have been pushing it on my Mom for two years before she gave in. She knew I would get one eventually and that it was better for her to be there than to keep saying “no”. At the time, I was fully involved in the francophone esoteric sphere and felt like I needed some extra protection. My first tattoo is a pentagram with an eye in its center, a double circle and some flames. Cliché ? Tramp stamp ? maybe for you, but it was essential for me at this specific time of my life.

I now have 6 tattoos, mostly on my arms. Each is part of my essence. Of who I am. Of what I have been through. Despair, Love, Gratitude. And a whole bigger spectrum.

My body is, indeed, a blank page.

When I told my Mom about this more recent tattoo project, she had the same reaction as usual “not another one ? You know your body is not a blank canvas…!”. And my immediate answer was “But indeed, my body IS a blank page, a blank canvas”. I see it as a good surface, as anything would be. I have so many stories to tell, and things/moments/feeling to remember. This is what my tattoos are for. Not just pretty images on my skin.

Months ago, I googled “watercolor tattoo Montréal” and JF Biron’s name showed up. I fell in love with his work, that I find to be very very artistic and fluid. But I did not jump in right away. I kept following his work on social media and listened to my guts when it told me he was the tattoo artist I needed.

I knew my left forearm needed to be a reminder about how I seem to overcome sadness, grief and difficulties in general. When I got my latest tattoo in Vancouver, the artist (AZL from Rainfire tattoo Studio) told me about the Unalome symbol. We talked about incorporating it to the design I came to him for, but it did not happen. However, the symbol stuck in my heart.

In Buddhism, they are the visual image of reaching enlightnement. The spiral means our struggle with life, while the straight line shows that we have finally found harmony. Unalome are the “crowns” of the Arahants, the enlightened saints. This is a very powerful symbol of spiritual and personal quest.

This deeply resonated with me. The lotus is one of my personal symbol (I already have a lotus tattoo on my chest) so I was over the Moon (no pun intended) when JF had one design with it.

I have a fascination and obsession over what belongs to the sky, galaxies, stars… and JF’s watercolor art was what drawn me to him in the first place so it was an obvious choice.

Do you have tattoos ?

How many ? Do you want a tattoo ? What would it be ? I would love to know about your personal experience.