July, 2006.  The first step was to find a local artist to get me started with a map outline, and eventually kick things off with my home province.  Screening artists for this was relatively easy, since I was able to visit the shops in person, and speak to the artists face to face.  I eventually decided to see Brad Bonk at Razamatattzz Tattoo Company in Regina.  Brad was very friendly and receptive from the very beginning, and I was excited to get started.    

    The outline ended up taking several sessions, mostly because I kept changing my mind about the type and amount of background shading I thought would look good.  Brad was very cool about this, and kept at it until we were both happy with the result.  With the outline itself laid down after the first session, the vision I started out with began to change within days.  The positioning of the map (angle) was how I asked for it - in order to avoid having the arctic archipelago too far up the back of my neck we needed to skew the map quite a bit - but I found that the end result left a rather large and conspicuous space on my right shoulder.  At first I was pretty down about this void, but later on, I would be grateful it was there.  My perception was evolving from the very beginning.

    I left it up to Brad to decide what the province should look like.  I asked only that he take inspiration from the provincial flag, coat of arms, symbolism, etc so that I could keep a common thread running through all of the provinces.  The idea he came back with nailed it on the head.  Not only did he use the colors of the flag, but he incorporated the Tiger Lily (prominent on the flag and the provincial flower of SK) and added the logo from the province’s centennial celebration, which took place in 2005.  It was everything I asked for, with his own artistic take.

    When it was all said and done, I felt like my journey had begun, and I was ready for my first trip out of province.  I would have to wait a while for that, but it would come.  This was already becoming as much about the experience as it was about the tattoo.  I am grateful for Brad’s patience and professionalism.  He made it easy to get the ball rolling.