Matryoshka Tattoo

Artwork by Josephine Kimberling

A few months ago my fabulous sister-in-law Sandra asked if I would be up for designing her a tattoo of one of her favorite things that is part of her ancestry - a Matryoshka doll. First I was extremely excited and flattered that she would ask, and second...super-scared. Why? Because I'd be creating art that would be forever on her body...emphasize-FOR-EV-ER. So, my ultimatum? That if there were things she didn't like about it, that she would need to be extremely honest with me, so I could re-work it and change it to her liking...because it would be there FOR-EV-ER. So after a pinkie-swear, I set out to create a Matryoshka doll tattoo.
She wanted one that resembled her, had a cat, was bright & colorful, had vines swirling in the background, and if I could incorporate a tiger-lily and a dahlia, then that would be a bonus. After a few months of working on it a little here and a little there, I finally finished and unveiled her Matryoshka, and to my happiness, she loved it and had a couple super-simple change requests. Once her Matryoshka was complete, she took it down to her tattoo artist (Jibo from Majenta's Diamond Tattoo) to have it created on her left forearm. Here's a picture of the finished tattoo! SO fun to see my art on her! Sniff, sniff.
It's funny, FOR-EV-ER didn't seem to bother her one bit! I think that might be because she has a few tattoo's already (and me...zilch) and has been wanting a Matryoshka for quite a long while now. The Matryoshka tattoo was to be her "next" one and she was all set to get the tattoo done much earlier this year, but Memorial Day weekend her father had a stroke, which of course was quite devastating to the family. Once they knew that he was going to be OK, in the spur of the moment, she and her sister went out and got matching tattoo's with the heart and sparrows that said "dad" (instead of mom) and unveiled them to him for Father's Day a few weeks later. Made her dad sprout tears, of COURSE! I really don't think any dad would be able to hold in tears on that one. It meant a great deal to him, and they don't regret the quick decision one bit, as it was the best way they could show him how much he meant to them.

So after the "dad" tattoo, the timing for the Matryoshka tattoo came, and the rest is history. I'm just so glad I got to be a part of it.