Gerard the octopus
Posted on May 26, 2025 by Emmy
I came in to see John with an idea of an octopus on my chest. I’ve struggled with my body all my life—I hate looking at myself.
When I first pitched the idea to him, he said, “I can do that, but it’ll look like a sticker.” So, I gave him full reign to do the tattoo as big as it needed to be to look good. And he exceeded expectations.
My tattoo gives me a confidence I thought I’d never have. It’s been about two years since it was finished, and it still brings me joy. It makes me who I am. I feel beautiful.
Even though I still struggle with my body, I wear more things than I used to, to showcase the beautiful octopus. Its name is Gerard—just felt right.
John did an incredible job and brought a whole new feeling to my life.