Is that SANEM ARSLAN I see over there? You know they have quite a reputation of being the ARTISAN around town. The 27 year old has been seen around these parts living in CHESTNUT APARTMENTS for HER ENTIRE LIFE and within that timeframe has landed themselves a job as a TATTOO ARTIST/ARTIST. I overheard that they can be quite SELF-DEPRECATING but their saving grace is that they are CREATIVE. They remind me of PAINT-SPLATTERED DENIM AND THE SMELL OF CLEAN LINENS but you’ll have to decide that for yourself.
Sanem Emel Arslan was born to two people who honestly shouldn’t have had kids. They were two young people caught up in the moment and thought marriage was better than nothing. Sanem was given up for adoption at three years old alongside her younger sister Nazli when it became obvious that kids couldn’t fix a relationship and she spent most of her life bouncing from foster home to foster home.
She was adopted at age seven by Elizabeth and Garrett Thomas, a couple who was more performative about their work than anything. They had adopted seven kids by time she arrived with Sanem being the youngest one of all. They had attempted to change her name from her Turkish name to one that didn’t suit her and it only stopped when it became clear that she wouldn’t answer to it. They adopted kids from unfortunate circumstances for no other reason than martyrdom. After adopting Sanem, the state finally told them they couldn’t adopt or foster anymore because they ran out of room.
By the time Sanem turned fourteen, she had been threatened with a group home five times unless she “played ball.” She couldn’t keep any money from babysitting jobs she did or any odd jobs, as her siblings often stole it out of their room. Sometimes, it was simply because she had to “earn her keep” and give her parents money for rent and food, despite the checks given to them by the state.
Sanem was kicked out the day after her eighteenth birthday with nothing but a backpack of clothes and about fifty dollars to her name. She was forced to move onto her neighbor’s couch until she could figure out her next move. With no phone and hardly any way to get one, she took odd jobs to make enough to buy her own phone. Her biggest stress relief growing up was art and she wasn’t just good, she was good. Few things came naturally to her, but art was it. The one gift she ever received without strings or expectations of repayment was an art set and a small section of the house to work. She was accepted to Paier College and worked as a waitress and as an artist in the meantime in order to pay bills until she met someone who changed her world forever. It’s from them that she heard the four words she hadn’t realized she was dying to hear her entire life: let me help you.
Having someone pay for college, an apartment, and an actually decent lifestyle was completely foreign, but for the first time, she knew what it was like to not have to struggle. She could focus on school instead of working herself into the ground.
Headcanons:
Became a sugar baby to pay for art school, still very good friends with said former glucose guardian (it wasn’t a romantic/sexual relationship, but instead a mentor/mentee-esque relationship. this person only wanted to help her succeed when everyone wanted to hold her back. they also helped her get sober) (Connection filled by Matthieu Dixon)
Recovering alcoholic, started her journey of sobriety two years ago. She still struggles, but she’s determined to not relapse. Smokes both marijuana and nicotine for the oral fixation, both vape pens and cigarettes. Surprisingly great at being hydrated, she has a large refillable water bottle on her person at all times.
Became a tattoo artist upon seeing Miami Ink and loves the challenge. She specializes in animals and flowers, as well as calligraphy. She’s currently honing her people-drawing skills, as well as big cats. Strangely talented with dogs/wolves/all things canine.
Well-known for having a light touch and a close attention to detail.
Has a black Lab named Bosco.
Allergic to cats and strawberries.
No contact with her adoptive family, despite their attempts to get in touch with her.
Recently got into contact with her biological parents and learned of her younger sister’s existence. Hasn’t gotten into contact with her sister quite yet.















