This Artist Celebrates Stretch Marks With Glitter and Imagination

Thanks to body-positive style icons such as Ashley Graham, Danielle Brooks, and Chrissy Metz, there’s been a slow-yet-revolutionary shift toward inclusivity by the fashion industry. Just in case you weren’t already compelled to love the skin you’re in, however, artist Sara Shakeel has just given you another reason with her jaw-dropping “glitter stretch mark” works.

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I have never felt so powerful & liberated and so fucking proud of mystretch marks in my entire life !!! From where I come from & live , To be on the chubby side or to even talk about stretchmarks is not something one is proud of, i have seen my stretch marks grow from the day i started putting on weight, I'd be honest even before uploading it I was thinking why would anyone be interested in my concept of stretch marks turned into glitter or crystals!!! My god I was so wrong! Amazing people and women are already doing such an amazing job with representing these stripes and cellulite!!! Thank you for a beautiful response everyone!!!! I have been featured on @cosmopolitan & @yahoostylebeauty link is in my story. Support and love yourself for who ever you are! Cause there is someone out there sharing the same feelings as you are! There is one thing for sure YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! 🌹🌹🌹🌸🌼🌻 #glitterstretchmarks #stretchmarks #happy #inlove #loveyourself #theweekoninstagram #instagram #tigerstripes . . This picture is by one of my amazing followers who was brave enough to share this with me!! Thank you love!!!! #theweekoninstagram #whereicomefrom

A post shared by Sara Shakeel (@sarashakeel) on Oct 31, 2017 at 1:56pm PDT

Making creations that look just like they sound, Shakeel takes photos of actual stretch marks she sees in magazines or that are sent to her and transforms them into colorful, glitter-filled masterpieces.

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GlitterMarks or #stretchmarks #glitterstretchmarks #proudowner . CollageArt.SaraShakeel . . #art #love #glitter #embrace #embracingtheeveryday #happy #happiness #body #vision #bodygoals #fitness #woman #woman #bodyglitter #girl #girls #power

A post shared by Sara Shakeel (@sarashakeel) on Oct 27, 2017 at 8:46am PDT

“Stretch them, let me know what you are made of,” she captioned the below shot, adding in the inspiring hashtag, “#madeofstars.”

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Stretch them, let me know what you are made of.... #madeofstars . . CollageArt.SaraShakeel . . #art #galaxy #star #youareastar #galaxy #plussizefashion #plussize #stretchmarks #beingme #create #creative #patientlywaiting #patience #body #loveyourself #tigerstripes

A post shared by Sara Shakeel (@sarashakeel) on Oct 28, 2017 at 9:58am PDT

As the former dentist revealed to Cosmopolitan, she got the idea after developing her own “stripes” following a recent weight gain and wanting to “fill them up with something pretty.”

The collage and video artist gave even further insight into her art with a lengthy caption which explained her work, writing, “I have never felt so powerful and liberated and so f*cking proud of my stretch marks in my entire life!!! From where I come from and live, to be on the chubby side, or to even talk about stretch marks is not something one is proud of.”

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Perfectly ripped body 💎☄🙌 .#stretchmarks . CollageArt.SaraShakeel . . #art #crystal #crystalart #love #yourself #rippedbody #body #lovemyjob #patientlywaiting #patience #behappy #bestrong #inlove #women #woman

A post shared by Sara Shakeel (@sarashakeel) on Oct 29, 2017 at 4:40pm PDT

Clearly, she’s not alone — her posts boast more than 20,000 likes and counting. Shakeel marveled at the response she’s received since posting her artwork, writing, “I have seen my stretch marks grow from the day I started putting on weight, I’d be honest even before uploading it. I was thinking, ‘Why would anyone be interested in my concept of stretch marks turned into glitter or crystals — my God, I was so wrong! Amazing people and women are already doing such an amazing job with representing these stripes and cellulite!!! Thank you for a beautiful response everyone!”

What do you think of Sara’s concept? Share with us @BritandCo.

(Photo via @sarashakeel)