Mormon Fundamentalism Almost Killed Me ft. Artist Bo Bramwell

Chats and Tatts

From Struggling with Trauma to Finding Unconditional Love through Art: The Inspiring Journey of Artist Bo Bramwell

SUMMARY

Aaron Della Vedova welcomed Bo Bramwell to his tattoo shop a year and a half ago, and after only a week, the guest had the courage to follow his dreams and become a freelance artist. After a year and a half, Bo’s art and career as a well-known and respected artist exploded

Growing up in a Mormon Fundamentalist religion in Utah, Bo was raised in what he describes as a ‘conditional love’ environment that suffocated his dreams, aspirations, and authentic self. After leaving the church, he was abandoned by many of those who he believed loved him which led to feeling more alone and isolated than ever. Addiction attempted suicide and eventually, an awakening is the core of this deep, rich conversation on this episode of Chats and Tatts.

TIMESTAMPS

0:02:16 Overcoming Trauma and Finding Art

0:04:16 Finding Self-Worth Through Art

0:07:37 Love and Religion

0:08:57 Reconnecting with a Father Figure

0:11:06 Unconditional Love and the Power of Intention in Relationships

0:13:37 Importance of Work-Life Balance

0:15:22 Balancing Art and Family Life

0:17:02 Breaking Point: Leaving the Mormon Church and Struggling with Addiction

0:20:47 Overcoming Mental Health Struggles and Trauma 0:24:00 Interview with Tattoo Artist: Exploring the Meaning Behind a 350-Hour Masterpiece

0:27:31 The Impact of Psychedelic Experiences on Artistic Expression

0:30:05 Healing Effects of Psychedelic Plant Medicine

0:33:03 Power of Gratitude and the Law of Attraction in Modern Art

0:40:19 Replacing Ego with Gratitude

0:41:47 New Neck Tattoo Design

0:44:45 Exploring Digital Art and Tour Posters

0:47:27 What’s Next for Bo?

Quotes:

I got ‘Free’ tattoo to represent freedom from the Mormon Church, from toxic relationships, from my old life.

I think one of the hardest things I've had to learn, and I'm learning every day, is replacing ego with gratitude.

I think if we can step into just being grateful for who we are and what we have, it opens us up to that connection. Because ego destroys connection.

It's really easy to look at someone on a corner and be like, fuck, that guy doesn't work. He's slob, he smells. But if that was your kid, what if that was you? It's so easy to judge. But I don't know, having the life I've had has given me a lot of perspectives, and I think it's the perspective that's important, that can help a lot of people. So that's what I'd like to do.

And for some reason I had this love for the homeless, right? And I painted a portrait of a homeless man with a crown on to represent the idea that we're all worthy regardless of our circumstances. And I looked at it and I just bawled my fucking eyes out for like 2 hours. I called my mom. I'm like, mom, I need to tell the stories of the homeless. Five years later, I ended up in a homeless shelter.