Weekly Ink: Phoenix Rising

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Vital Statistics: My name is Drea Ramos. I am a 25-year-old style and fashion writer/columnist. I am a single mother to the "most amazingest" and spunkiest son in the world, and he's the real inspiration behind my ink.

Tattoo: I have a half sleeve of a phoenix cradling a peony flower.

Why/When: Last year in September, I decided to get this piece because the phoenix is essentially meant to symbolize myself, and the peony which is cradled by the mythic bird is supposed to be my son. The reason why I was drawn to a phoenix was because they symbolize rebirth and divinity. By the bird cradling the flower, it symbolizes a protective and nurturing stance towards my son. I feel strongly about this piece because the meaning behind it is dear to me. Both my son and I have been through some shit together, side by side, the majors having been rising from a tough and rather abusive situation at home, to my son currently battling childhood cancer. I got this piece in honor of him because my son has proven to be a definitive warrior without really trying (coincidentally, his name [Arieson] means "son of the god of war") and he's only two! He's my hero, and I truly feel lucky to be his mother.

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Strangest/Funniest Comment: Someone thought it was a penis once. Wtf?

Any plans for more?: Absolutely. I've found that tattoos are a great form of therapy in an artistic way.

ETC: I wanted to share something my artist, Brian from DC Tattoo, and I were talking about during one of our sessions. He asked if I had people coming up to me and asking me about my half sleeve since he started on it. I said yes and admitted that I was rather surprised how much attention I got for it, commending his artistry. He replied, "That's the thing about tattoos. You know you'd be able to get along with someone who has 'em because you know they won't be uptight."

Weekly Ink runs every Monday. Want to show off your tattoos here? Email us at tattoos@sfweekly.com.