Jenevieve Russell’s “in these parts”

“Why Did I Do This? I have my own list of reasons why I chose to do this (10 of them, actually). I am honored to be a part of this out-of-the-box ‘movement’ that’s connecting perfect strangers in an innovative way in our quirky town. This project is steeped in creative expression and community-connections. I get to embody a portion of a collective art piece and am part of something larger in a beautiful, veiled, meaningful way.

How did I hear about it? I first heard of the project on Facebook from Chelsea Locheart (former Naropa student; I was honored to witness her oldest baby’s first breaths). It was a few weeks before I was getting married to the love of my life. With no time to spare, I thought, ‘That would be cool, if I had time.’ [Fast-forward the best two weeks of my life.] Then it was our first week of marriage, the floods hit, spaces opened up in the project, and I had time. I followed my heart and made the leap.

What does it mean to me? My tattoo is gaining layers of meaning for me (of course, if you know me). Some include:

• The three Stars represent my Beloved Family Triad
• The location has had a lot of healing, as well as a history of a lot of pain, discovered after my motorcycle accident (inevitable surgery/fusion in my future). At the close of the project, I will be adding to the tattoo and infusing that area with another word that invites healing to my spine/joints parts
• The phrase ‘in these parts’ is a folksy phrase (and I hear it’s a line from Shakespeare’s ‘Henry V’) that for me conjures up connected phrases: parts of a whole, parts that need, parts that exceed, alive and well in these parts, spare parts. During my years of chronic joint pain, I often referred to my joints as my faulty parts, although I have also worked hard to reclaim them as my working parts; in these parts, my scars give me character and strength. Then I happened across the song ‘In These Parts’ by the Hot Buttered Rum String Band (had never heard or seen them before). The day I needed to decide about taking my phrase, I saw the band’s name on a bumper sticker. I knew I was being called to this project and finalized my commitment. So ‘in these parts’ it is… and forever will be.

Since getting my (beloved!) tattoo, I share about BTP and about my story, I have met amazing new folks, I hear others stories, I have reconnected with fellow Boulderites I haven’t been in touch with in a decade or more… Boulder, now a community linked in Ink.

I am so grateful for this project, for this opportunity to be involved with something so very Boulder, something so very creative and something so very meaningful.

THANK YOU!”

Jenevieve Russell’s “in these parts”