It started with an email...
Hello David,
We are moving forward fast with the exhibit and we would love to show 4 great examples of your tattoos helping women after breast cancer.
Could you send us a selection of 6-8 great horizontal image in very high res? We will show 4 large images.
If you have any questions, please ask B, our excellent designer/producer on the show.
1000 greetings,
A well-respected graphic designer
I’ve been waiting for this. After a handful of conversations, it seems this is gonna happen. My work, my life’s work, will be featured in a traveling exhibit amongst other pieces of beauty. Every little bit of press, or exposure, is a calculated decision to showcase the availability of what I do. I just want this craft and this artform to be seen as an option. One of many options, sure, but yet another viable option.
JAMA called my mastectomy tattoos the “intersection of art and medicine”. I didn’t fully understand the weight or depth of such a label. But! More than any outside response, it gave me a little more confidence. Any solid, outside source of validation is incredible.
So I’ve been saying “yes” to otherwise anxiety riddled projects. Because if there is actually healing in taking care of another individual (there is), then I’m going to choose to champion the act of doing so.
Okay so, the well-respected designer is asking for high resolution photos to be displayed on a large scale. How magnificent! But. I don’t have high resolution images. I’ve been using my iPhone for documenting these projects for years. Awhile back Annie Leibovitz suggested the iPhone as “the snapshot camera of today” touting its accessibility. It was enough for me to justify not spending money on another camera... I’m easy like that.
But the images.
I responded to the email asking for more time, of course. Time to brainstorm and figure out a solution.
One week would be great, All the Best, B
And now I’m off to the fucking races. I happen to have a lovely camera now, and I’ve spent enough time with it to be dangerous. So why not travel across the country this weekend and take photos of these tattoos?
It’ll be easy, right?
With help from a friend, we’ve scheduled all the flights and I’m sitting at Midway Airport drinking Merlot from a plastic cup.
Tonight I’m off to Birmingham. I’ll connect to Heather and her family and they’ve offered to pick me up from the airport.
Heading to the airport early to beat traffic has started things off with less stress :)
I promise to post all of the dogs I meet on this trip. 🙋🏻♂️
Merlot to go.