Mary wilson

What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My latest botanical tattoo was inspired by both grief and gratitude. Watching someone I love battle brain cancer has taught me just how fragile and precious life is. The botanical lines mirror that delicate strength. The way we root ourselves in love and still reach toward the light, no matter how heavy the days can feel. It’s also a way to carry beauty with me, always. Even when the world feels uncertain.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

“Be who you needed, and who you never expected to become.” My ink would whisper reminders to stay brave, keep creating, and love harder. It would tell stories of quiet strength, of starting fresh at 50, of showing up every day for family. Even when it hurts. It would remind me that pain can be transformed into purpose, and that even scars can be art.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would take my 13-year-old niece Gracie on a road trip this summer. Just the two of us, carving out joy while we still can. Her dad, my brother, is dying of brain cancer. This time together isn’t just about making memories, it’s about giving her space to be a kid, to laugh, to breathe. The trip would be about healing, freedom, and the kind of connection that lasts a lifetime. I want to show her the world, and remind her that even when life is uncertain, love will always show up.