& per se, and

My next tattoo design: a custom ampersand. Originally from the latin “Et” for “and,” this logogram evolved over time to what we recognize today as &. I created this to resemble both the roman symbol we use today but with an open top as a nod to the original latin word. (See the Et?) The mondegreen “ampersand” came from saying “& per se, and” quickly. For me, it’s very forward-looking and symbolizes continuation, connection, and individual strength (per se, by itself).