The Ink Link: Finding Magic in the Moment

The Ink Link is an ongoing project at CN&CO that showcases the diversity of tattoos. One of the great things about a tattoo is that it goes against the commonly held viewpoint that “what you see is what you get”. There’s a misguided belief in certain quarters that only “some” people get a tattoo. We are putting paid to that perception through the stories showcased in the Ink Link. If you or anyone you know would like to be featured, please get in contact with us.

By Llewellyn du Plessis

My first tattoo was never going to be impulsive. It needed meaning. Weight. A story I’d want to carry with me for the rest of my life.

This piece was inspired by an artwork by David Griesel that I came across unexpectedly while helping a friend move into his new home. As we unpacked boxes, I opened the artwork and it stopped me in my tracks. Quiet and unassuming, it immediately spoke to me. As someone who has always loved bunnies and spent many years in the circus world, it felt as though the artwork had been waiting for me.

The scene shows Peter Rabbit arriving at the end of the road. The end of life. A moment where one might expect an epiphany, clarity, or some great cosmic reveal about what it all meant. Instead, all that awaited him were circus monkeys perched on lampposts, making noise, causing chaos, and carrying on as they always had.

And that’s when it landed.

Life doesn’t always give you a grand finale. There isn’t necessarily a perfect “aha” moment waiting at the end of the road. The magic isn’t reserved for some distant destination. It’s happening now. In the noise. In the absurdity. In the everyday moments we’re so often rushing past while waiting for something bigger, better, or more meaningful to arrive.

That artwork shifted something in me.

It reminded me to stop racing toward the end and to start truly living in the present. To enjoy the journey instead of constantly measuring progress. To find beauty in the chaos and joy in the ordinary.

2025 was a tough year for me. A year that tested resilience, patience, and perspective. And that’s exactly why I chose now to get this tattoo. Not as a marker of pain, but as a reminder. A quiet promise to myself to give life my all, to notice the magic around me, and to choose presence every single day.

The artist behind this piece was just as intentional a choice.

Many years ago, long before this tattoo existed as an idea, I met him when he was a client at a company I worked for. He needed to rent event equipment for his 29th birthday party. Life has a strange way of circling back. Over the years, I followed his journey and his work, and when the time came, I knew he was the only person I trusted to translate this story onto my skin.

His name is Sebastian Williamson, and his own story is as powerful as his talent. You can read more about his journey here.

To make this happen, I flew from Cape Town to Johannesburg for the day. No shortcuts. No second-guessing. Some moments deserve intention, effort, and commitment.

The end result was nothing short of magical.

This tattoo now lives on my arm as a daily reminder:

• Don’t rush.
• Don’t wait for the end.
• Live fully.
• Find joy in the noise.
• And remember that the real magic is happening right now, surrounded by incredible people and stories still unfolding.

For my first tattoo, I couldn’t be prouder.