Stephanie

"The intention behind this sigil comes from finding balance in being an aquarian and empath. This sigil represents when I nourish my soul I am able to share the vessel's overflow of abundant magic, love, power, and gratitude. Growth happens as it continuously flows.

Vanja felt my intention and created a beautiful piece of art.

The process was kind, gentle, and communicative. I could tell she bonded with the idea I presented, making it all the more powerful and special. My life shifted in the best, most transformative way after this was put on my skin. Old patterns and darkness were acknowledged and let go with this new bright light inside of me.

A month later I became pregnant with my son. A true rebirth and biggest blessing of my life."

Jill

"Welcoming Vanja’s art to my body was something that was without much thought, but instead a deep drawing and connection.

The moment I laid eyes on this specific art piece I knew it belonged between my breasts, in the heart of my body. Flora, Fauna and Fungi carve deeply into my being and we are one.

I take this piece as a shapeshifting into flourishing environments with great relationships by my side and love guiding me.

My greatest little companion in this life also happens to be my black cat, and I can't help but see him in this imagery.

I cherish this art greatly as I hold it with me through all the ebbs and flows of my life."

Emily

"I collect tattoos on my body as tokens of the memories and experiences I have through this lifetime. Of all my tattoos, this piece is imbued with the most living magic.

When I first had this piece called “Shapeshifting” tattooed on my arm, I was working for Vanja as her personal assistant. I wanted to commemorate the chapter I’d spent working with her and all that I had learned from this deeply inspiring human. I felt drawn to the powerful feline figure, which also reminded me of the powerful awakening I had experienced after encountering a wild leopard in Sri Lanka. It seemed a fitting token of the sacred wisdom I had learned from Vanja about the divine feminine, creativity and nature.

After this piece was tattooed on my arm, however, life unfolded in such a way where the very meaning of this image shape-shifted.

I was in a very adventurous phase of my life and in the process of creating my first musical album. I met a man named Ben in LA, who offered to engineer the audio for my album. Once back home in Toronto, I mentioned this man to Vanja, and how I couldn’t afford a trip to LA to work with him. In her generous nature, Vanja offered to pay for my trip so long as I made a stop in Berkeley Hills, where she was moving, to bring Nega, her cat, to her. I of course accepted, and a few months later embarked on a journey across the continent, with a cat by my side.

Though this story is long and beautiful, I will keep it short in this telling and say that the story ends with Vanja and Ben falling in love and giving birth to their beautiful child, Aquila Phoenix.

Now this image, which is appropriately titled “Shapeshifting”, has transformed to tell this story. The naked woman represents the divine feminine flow of life which, supported by the feline spirit, worked through Vanja, Ben, Nega and I to guide our journeys in and out of connection so that Aquila’s life could blossom. The two suns now represent Vanja and Ben , who shine the light of their love eternally on the growing flower between them. Welcome to the garden, baby Aquila!

I am so excited to see how the mythological meaning of this tattoo continues to shape-shift throughout my life. It is with great honour that I wear Vanja’s art on my body; it is true magic."