Marissa Cubillos’ first and only tattoo represents her mother’s struggle with Lyme disease since Cubillos was a little girl.

The piece, which the sophomore health and exercise science major got during her senior year of high school, is an image of a rose woven into the Lyme disease ribbon. The word “venia” is scrawled underneath, meaning “grace” in Latin.

Being a witness to the disease has shaped Cubillos’ life indefinitely. The tattoo represents her understanding of the fragility of existence and the ways in which she has become increasingly grateful through the years.

“I wanted it to be a pretty tattoo despite the ugly disease it is representing,” Cubillos describes.

After much collaboration with her artist, Gary Aldrich Jr. of Hypnotic Ink in Schenectady, N.Y., she decided to increase the size of her original idea.

Including six different colors of ink, from vibrant red to bright green, the piece pops out against her skin on her right hip. The placement was practical on Cubillos’ part — she did not want it to be visible in everyday life, but she wanted to be able to easily show the piece to others as she pleased.

The text of the tattoo has several layers of importance to Cubillos. She chose Grace to be her confirmation name when she was confirmed into the Catholic faith. Her faith has played a large role in her life. She chose Latin as the language because of its religious significance.

“I have learned to live life with grace in every situation,” she explains.

The rose, her mother’s favorite flower, is a reminder that “something beautiful can blossom out of adversity.”

Cubillos hasn’t yet explored getting another piece. The need for her to memorialize her experience on her body is something that she cherishes significantly.

Said Cubillos: “It’s a way for people to express themselves in one of the most beautiful ways possible.”

 

Published on February 10, 2014 at 11:55 pm