Lilacs and brain cancer
Brain and Lilacs
Back in February of 2023 I was commissioned to create a tattoo for an amazing woman using the same process and guardrails I abide by to create Strong and Hardy artwork: digital collage utilizing public domain artwork. In late 2021 Maria had been diagnosed with brain cancer and also happened to be 6 months pregnant. After emergency surgery, radiation and chemo and the birth of her healthy baby girl on Valentine’s Day of 2022, she wanted a tattoo to symbolize this crazy/scary/hard/beautiful time in her life. She told me she had a lilac tree growing up and the smell reminds her of home and so she wanted lilacs growing out of a brain.
(I was scheduled to have an elective surgery back in 2018 before I knew I was pregnant; after finding out, my surgeon insisted on postponing until after I gave birth because of how risky it was, so the fact that both Maria and her baby girl survived this harrowing ordeal is truly miraculous.)
The tattoo was finally inked on a few months ago in December of last year and it looks wonderful so I wanted to share.
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Historical sources cited:
Lilac from Choix des plus belles fleurs : et des plus beaux fruits by Pierre-Joseph Redouté. 1833
Chinese Lilac from Traité des arbres et arbustes que l’on cultive en France en pleine terre by Pierre-Joseph Redouté. 1801
Common Lilac from Traité des arbres et arbustes que l’on cultive en France en pleine terre by Pierre-Joseph Redouté. 1801
Anatomie comparée du système nerveux considéré dans ses rapports avec l’intelligence by Fr. Leuret and P. Gratiolet (Accompanied by an atlas of 32 plates drawn from nature and engraved.) 19th century (exact year unknown)
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P.S. If you’re interested in a tattoo design created out of historical imagery, get in touch with me and we can discuss both pricing and how doable it is. It’s truly an honor to get the opportunity.
Tattoo by @dustincharles at @ritualelectric in Tulsa.
