Advanced to Top 5

Melissa

My ink is a grimoire of my experiences, each an esoteric story. Symbols of struggle, heartbreak and victories that I carry with me.

Currently 4

in their Group
VOTE

You decide who will appear in Inked Magazine and take home $25,000!

Voting for Group Finalists ends Thursday the 12th of June at 7PM PDT

Want to learn more about this competition?

Learn More
Connect
What inspired your most recent tattoo?

Inspired by the snake’s unhinged jaw—linked to the throat chakra and communication—I chose a human jaw with a heart-shaped tooth, symbolizing the power of kindness as a transformative force. Next in the series is the Rose of Venus, still in progress. Based on Venus’s 8-year celestial cycle, it forms a pentagram symbolizing the infinite, sacred nature of love’s evolution. Together, these works explore power, beauty, and the cycles of connection.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

"She transmutes pain into power, and every mark tells the story." It would whisper of sacred love, silent battles, and the fire it took to rise. It would say I’m not here to be quiet or cute — I’m here to be real, raw, and rooted. My tattoos aren’t decoration. They’re devotion. A map of movement, memory, and transformation.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I win, the prize money will go toward a long-overdue jaw reconstruction surgery — something I’ve needed for 30 years. It will support my ability to eat, speak, and show up fully in my body and my work. This isn't just about my health — it's about reclaiming my voice so I can continue building healing spaces where movement, ritual, and community thrive.

Vote for Melissa to be the Inked Original while supporting a great cause! Cast your daily vote below, or make a tax-deductible donation to help provide financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer.


1 Vote
10 Votes
25 Votes
50 Votes
100 Votes
250 Votes
Other Amount

Enter donation - $1 per vote

YOUR INK, YOUR STORY

Body art deserves to be shown off.