REGINA -- A Regina man is showing off his love for the Queen City with some fresh ink.
Mark Rathwell shared photos of a tattoo done by local artist Jesse Exner.
"I spent eight years as former mayor Pat Fiacco's Senior Advisor, so not only is this place my home but I got to see the city a lot differently than most," Rathwell told CTV News. “[Fiacco], before I started working there, started the ‘I love Regina’ campaign and he made it okay to be proud of where you lived."
The tattoo started with just one maple leaf, but and now wraps around his calf showing several Queen City landmarks. Rathwell said it took around 12 hours of work, over multiple sessions to get the tattoo finished.
"The new stadium was important, the three towers are there. The fact that we've incorporated the hundredth anniversary logos that were onto the towers for the Riders, the horse that Queen Elizabeth was riding, Burmese, is in there,” said Rathwell. “Just the detail of the work is important.”
Rathwell said the tattoo has been met with confusion for some, but he understands not everyone will understand his love for Regina or the personal significance behind his nearly dozen tattoos.
"People are entitled to their opinions, but that's why tattoos are really so personal. I mean what one person loves, other people go, ‘oh my god, why the hell would you even remotely want to do that?’"
Rathwell said he isn’t opposed to adding to the tattoo in the future, if and when the city gets a new landmark.
With files from CTV Regina's Kayleen Sawatzky
