When this client first came into the Lighthouse Tattoo, she booked an appointment to get this watercolor cherry blossom tree branch on her back. It was meant to be very big and bright, so we designed this piece for her with that in mind.

What we did not expect was the story behind the tattoo.

This young woman lost her husband in a tragic accident before they had time to reach their first anniversary, and this was her second memorial piece for him. She explained that the cherry blossoms represent the ephemeral nature of all life on Earth: it's far too short, but it is still beautiful while it lasts. With this in mind, artist Tasha Grey used varying line weights throughout the piece to give it a traditional-style, Asian brushstroke feel so that when the watercolor was put in, it all appeared very natural and wistful. Sometimes more color and motion in a piece helps to convey the message you are trying to send but in this one, it is the stillness that is the most stunning quality.

Every tattoo artist's job is to make meaningful, lasting work on their clients and it is a duty we do not take lightly. Tattoos are, for a lot of people, a way to gain closure or to come to terms with some kind of unimaginable pain. This puts us in a position to really help or hurt, depending on the quality of work we do and the experience we give in the shop. For that very reason, we always strive to do our best on every piece that we do. In this case, it worked out quite well and this young woman now has two ways to carry her husband with her forever.