Transforming Scars Into Art: Brazilian Tattoo Artist Makes Beautiful Creations From Survivors' Traumatic Experiences

A tattoo studio in Brazil's Sao Paulo is transforming traumatic scars on women's bodies into something absolutely beautiful. Called 'We Are Diamonds' Project, it has Karlla Mendes, a tattoo artist, spearheading it, with an aim to turn each wound into spectacular flowers, animals and other such creations. Mendes is a renowned artist in the country who has travelled around the world and participated in conventions to improve her craft.

Under the project, women with 'scars in their body and mind' are given free tattoos in her establishment called 'Studio Stylo Studio.' "Diamond is a word of Greek origin, derived from the term 'Adamas', meaning indestructible and this is how Karlla chose the name of her project," said Karlla Mendes' website.

Traumatic Scars As Canvas

The 'We Are Diamonds' Project kickstarted in 2016 and gained international recognition only in the last three years. Women who have suffered domestic abuse, accidents, or suffered any kind of illness that left an indelible mark on their bodies, approach Mendes to re-imagine their scars into beautiful pieces of art. According to The Indian Express, they tell their story on the project website and share photos of their wounds. After that, the tattoo artist works her magic on them. "You can transform someone's life with your art. You can see it in her eyes. Her soul brightens and she glows with happiness," said Mendes.

The website further adds that the project is open for one and all. Mendes was quoted saying, "Violence, disorders, etc, do not just leave scars on our bodies, but on our souls and mind as well, and I did not want to leave them out from the project.

Bringing Smile To Women's Face

Till now, the project has brought smiles on over 150 women's faces. For them, the scars have been turned into something sensational that will be worth holding on to. A woman named Valeria Festa met with an accident, after which a scar adorned her left leg. Now, thanks to Mendes, she has a beautiful tattoo etched on it. "I often couldn't even look and would ignore it because when you look at something like that it bothers you, it weighs on you because it doesn't belong to you," she said.

With her initiative, Karlla Mendes wants to make the world a better place, one tattoo at a time. Further, she strongly believes in "polishing your soul and immortalising your dreams". Along with this, she also wants to invite the women on a periodic basis with which she will present her creations to the world.

Also Read: My Story: 'From Flipping Burgers, I Went On To Become An Internationally Celebrated Tattoo Artist'