“Taking part in the Boulder Tattoo Project made me feel like a part of a community for the first time in my life. Growing up in Los Angeles, I struggled with finding a community I could fit into in such a big place. It feels nice to be a part of something so special, something that brings people together in such a creative way. I love Boulder and all the wonderful people I’ve come across here; it’s the first place I’ve lived where I actually feel like I belong, and I have traveled to quite a few places in the world, trying to find a place like this. I’m very happy to have a tattoo to forever remind me of the love I’ve found in Boulder.
It’s funny, when I first read the poem, the phrase I ended up with didn’t stand out to me. It wasn’t one of my first options at all. When the time came for everyone to request their phrases, a flood hit and I was up in Jamestown without any phone or Internet service. Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking of the BTP at the time. Jamestown was hit hard; our roads were gone and most of the people were airlifted out. I didn’t evacuate because I was extremely lucky and my house up on the hill was intact. The town was devastated, though. It was a very sad time for me and for a lot of people. My whole perspective on life changed during this time in my life, showing me how quickly things can change and how little control we have over some things, but that we can control how we respond. Prior to the flood, I was hoping to get a phrase that had something to do with my zodiac sign, Gemini, but when I finally evacuated, all the phrases that caught my eye at first were taken. A few phrases remained, and one immediately caught my eye: ‘at canyon mouth.’ I was amazed it hadn’t been taken already. I reminisced on the past year I spent living in Boulder; 2013 was one of the most eventful years of my life. My life changed a lot at canyon mouth, I experienced more here than I ever imagined I would. The placement of my tattoo is significant as well. I wanted it on my forearm so I could see it every day to remind myself how wonderful life has been to me.
I found out about the project when I was cashiering at Lucky’s Market. Chelsea came through my line and we talked about tattoos, and she told me about the project. Having a few tattoos already, I was immediately interested; I’d been aching to get a tattoo to remind me of Boulder and this opportunity was perfect. I’m very happy I was able to be a part of this project.”
Shannon Ketting’s “at canyon mouth,”
The Boulder Tattoo Project 