Reblog of an old post for my newer followers.www.urbanprimitive.comdaemonrowanchilde: Remembering An

Reblog of an old post for my newer followers.

www.urbanprimitive.com

daemonrowanchilde:

Remembering Anita

The hidden gift in diseases like breast cancer is that it can open deeper levels of consciousness in the person who is sick.  Over the course of her 29 year illness, Anita Wintels developed the ability to communicate with angels and the spirits of departed souls.  Even though her cancer was terminal, Anita wanted me to tattoo angel wings over the scars of her double mastectomy to represent the divine connection that became a huge part of her life until she passed away on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at the age of 44.

Spiritual reality becomes more prominent in a person’s consciousness when they face their own death or that of a loved one.  However, in the case of breast cancer where the outcome is a double mastectomy, another kind of death occurs.  The resultant scars can become an emotional dead zone.  A tattoo, however, can not only transform a scar into art, the  actual experience can create a tremendous positive shift in perception and meaning.  In Anita’s words:

“Okay, so breasts, whether women like to admit it or not, are part of our sensual beings.  I was someone who didn’t think much of that - I liked my breasts, but they were just a part of me.  My husband liked them too, but obviously he loved me a lot more than my breasts, as he’s had no problem with my decision to not have reconstructive surgery.  And when I’ve worn prosthesis, he has told me he likes it better when I don’t wear the fake boobs. 

You can imagine, though, that as a woman, once they are gone and you have this ‘blank’, everything kind of shifts.  All of  sudden how I thought about myself sensually and intimately changed.  Nobody (including myself) touched me there anymore until you started working on me a couple of weeks ago and the first wave of emotion hit me!  Well now that these beautiful designs are here, that has changed.  My daughter wants to touch them, I want to touch them, and just on Saturday morning, my husband rolls over and pulls the tank top I’m wearing to the side and starts tracing the design with his finger with the same look on his face as when he would look at my breasts.  I can’t even write this without tears streaming down my face.  If that’s too much information I apologize, but I kept hearing a voice telling me to tell you and voilà, your email comes in this morning.  So there it is.  Perhaps that’s part of what needs to be in your book.”

A few months before Anita’s death, I asked fashion photographer Ivan Otis (www.ivanotis.com) to take her portrait (image 1) so that I could incorporate it into a painting that would not only capture the metaphysical energy of her tattoos, but also her sensual beauty, openness and strength. 

The animated gif is my recent experiment playing with different apps on my iPad under the tutelage of Seth J. Rowanwood.  This image of Anita in the heart was inspired by a very meaningful dream that she shared with me (that’s another story).  Anita you are in my heart always!  Blessed be.