Marking Our Bodies, Marking Ourselves with Sara Schellenberg

In this special episode of Bee Balm Presents, host Julia Paganelli Marín welcomes Sara Schellenberg, a tattoo artist and co-owner of Paper Doll in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Sara shares her journey, discussing the cooperative and inclusive nature of her tattoo shop, which serves as a creative and safe space in Northwest Arkansas. They explore the significance of personal expression through tattoos and how it empowers individuals to reclaim their bodies. Sara shares "Self-Portrait with Sylvia Plath's Braid" by Diane Seuss, reflecting on the poem's themes of beauty, identity, and self-expression, relating it to her experiences as a queer woman. They discuss the symbolism of hair and its connection to personal and cultural identity, exploring the concept of the "uncanny valley" in queerness—how slight deviations from norms can evoke strong reactions. Join us for a conversation that connects horror, beauty, and the transformative power of art and poetry to understand one’s identity and find self-acceptance.  Stay tuned for Season 2 of Bee Balm Presents. It’ll be in your feeds soon. Bee Balm Presents is a Bee Balm Arkansas⁠⁠ project in partnership with the Listening Lab⁠⁠ at KUAF National Public Radio. Bee Balm Presents Host: Julia Paganelli Marín Bee Balm Presents Producer: Micah Poor Listening Lab Coordinator: Emerson Alexander Special thanks to Avery Martin for permission to use their song “Peach Pretender”. It's a sneak peek from their unreleased EP by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Avery Lee and The Sweeties⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about Bee Balm Arkansas at our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or by following us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. "Self Portrait with Sylvia Plath's Braid" by Diane Seuss initially published on poets.org in the Poem-a-Day series on May 25, 2015.