Self-Harm Survivor Tattoo Fund

My name is Graeme. When I was younger, I survived a severe episode of suicidal depression and self-harm. I am very, very happy, and more than a little lucky, to be alive today. Where before I saw life as meaningless and insufferable, I now enjoy a supportive relationship with family and a small group of friends, as well as my beloved son and fiancee. I am so, so glad that my mental health crisis did not take my life, but life in the aftermath of that crisis has still been full of numerous challenges, and of course some notable victories. I started this fundraiser because my biggest challenge in trying to integrate and become a contributing member of society since leaving psychiatric care is chronic poverty. I've done a lot of things since I stopped trying to die, but I still haven't found a way to make a living.

I've been a spoken word and musical performer, released a (incredibly cringy but still deeply personally meaningful) feature-length album, travelled across Canada as a competitive performance poet, studied permaculture and taught workshops on sustainable design. Despite never graduating high school, I was able to earn a B.A. near the top of my class in a university program I loved, and I continue to try to keep up with a number of creative hobbies on the side. My goals include producing art, advocacy, activism, and independent scholarship to contribute to how we understand and treat mental health challenges. I also really want to learn how to draw, start a podcast, and design sustainable gardens.
It has been over fifteen years since I last tried to harm or kill myself, but I have lived with countless scars on my body ever since. The most prominently visible are on both of my forearms. While I am not ashamed of my past, over the years it became increasingly difficult to see these scars and be repeatedly brought back to the memory of that part of my life. So much has happened since then, and I wish that my body could reflect not just what I survived, but how I have learned to thrive. In other words, I do not feel at home in my own skin.
Over the past several years I have been researching designs and tattoo artists in order to turn my scars into art, something that reflects not just the suffering of my past, but the things that kept me going, that brought me where I am today, and the promise of the future. Now that I have finally found the perfect designs and the most talented possible artists to do the work, I am finding that despite my best efforts to save and budget, I am going to need help to finance this work.I am a fairly proud person and don't like being a charity case. That said, I still need help. If you can contribute anything, please consider helping me turn my scars into art, and making me feel at home in my own skin again.This is my first attempt at a self-serving charity fundraiser like this - tips are appreciated, and I will be updating as I get closer to my goal. These photos are some of the reference materials I brought to my tattoo artists. As the process unfolds, I'll share the designs with those who have pitched in to the project.

Thank you for your time and support. With love,

Graeme