Cassie Wiegmann, a School of International Service international studies major with a minor in studio art, decided to get her first tattoo of a bee.
“Getting a tattoo was taking my art to the next level,” Wiegmann said. “I am getting to use my body as a canvas.”
Originally from Raleigh, N.C., Weigmann grew up around nature and tries to incorporate it in her art. Her interest in the image of a bee stems from her father’s occupation as an entomologist.
“My art focuses on natural elements taking over man-made structures, taking over human constructions,” Wiegmann said. She explained that this artistic thesis is something that comes from a personal belief in nature’s supremacy.
Weigmann said she was also partially inspired by author Mary Kay Ash’s age-old quote: “Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know it, so it goes on flying anyway.” This may have been proven a myth, but the profound meaning beneath the quote still stands.
“I think that the biggest barrier to doing awesome things is believing you can do them,” Weigmann said.
Being an artist requires a lot of faith in yourself and your abilities, she said. She views art as her true focus in life.
“I use art as a vehicle to have an emotional connection with someone you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. That’s the most exciting part,” Wiegmann said.
This tattoo is the first of many, she said. She wants to further the concept of “nature taking over her body” with nature-themed tattoos that add to the initial bee image.
Her bee tattoo pulls together her upbringing, artistic interests and philosophical beliefs into one visual representation.
_Danielle Green’s column explores the stories behind AU students’ tattoos. Read her introductory column for her thoughts on tattoos in general.
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