We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Summer Wilson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Summer , appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
You know, everyday is a risk. Every moment we are in poses some sort of risk. Whether that risk be failure, injury, or excitement.
Most of my life I’ve maneuvered through minutes, days, and years believing there was more. Despite the gut wrenching feeling of that possibility of things not turning out. I understand now, that most “risks” we take are purposefully placed in our paths for growth tailored to our individualized experiences.
The biggest risk I have taken in life so far, has been taking up the craft of becoming a tattoo artist. There is no promise in this career path and there is never a guarantee for what comes next.
Reason being; Tattooing is a very self motivated career path also ever expanding.
Growing up in the area I did, I was surrounded by a lot of privileged families, ( and that’s not to say I didn’t have a good childhood. ) most of them having inherent paths for their children or laying out foundational lessons for what it takes to work a traditional 9-5
Families that preached college and badges of degrees. Yet, those courses of action still require “self motivation” however, for different requirements.
Becoming a tattoo artist meant giving up my freedom in order to obtain total control, over a period of time. It takes guts to sit in a chair, machine in hand and sign your confidence away.
From the moment I caught interest in this industry I new I was built for it.
As a tattoo artist, owning your skill set is one thing. But, having your bed made knowing you are the only one who is, answering emails, scheduling clients, drawing pieces up, balancing business and savings, tracking tax expenses, learning supply costs and backstock, along with managing extracurricular activities, responsibilities, and self. Is what I consider to be a self motivated risk to take.
Don’t get me wrong this wasn’t necessarily a risk I was even totally prepared to take when I first committed my self to the arts. Although, everything has become lessons I have learned in preparation to again, gain that total control.
Is it unfair to say that most people have a talent they simply don’t know how to pursue? Or neglect, due to a set ingrained limitations pasted down from traumatic experiences.
Whell, that was my self motivating fuel. And if that’s not risk taking in order to free oneself of the glass ceiling, I’ll openly wait for someone to tell me otherwise.
Having taken this risk, my life would have turned out completely different, in either direction. I firmly believe though, if I hadn’t pushed myself into trusting the unknown, I wouldn’t be able to share my story.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was a sophomore in high school when I realized I was a total badass committed to becoming a tattoo artist. I grew up constantly hearing phrases like, “there is no paying jobs for artists.” Or “most art graduates don’t end up making art for their careers.” People constantly threatening the talent I had trying to redirect me into typical career positions.
And as it was, the defiant youngster I was, I made my new goal (outside of becoming a successful artist) to prove everyone wrong. In the most humble way possible, of course.
However, that dialogue that was preached at me stuck around and on most days I let it really eat me up. Allowing myself to submit to defeat on many occasions.
Nevertheless I carried on, I took up plenty of distractions that enabled my failure mentality. I worked countless jobs trying to figure it out. From housekeeping to pursuing becoming a chef to landscaping. I couldn’t stick to any one thing.
Once I finally had enough of my own sufferings, an opportunity fell from the sky and I took it. My time as a tattoo artist was ready to be fulfilled. A sort of quest some would say.
Although, I found out really quickly not all opportunities are the right ones. From there I yet again found myself in the position of failure, trusting the game I knew nothing about.
Quickly I retouched the motivation I had within myself from the very beginning. Seeking out better opportunities that could house this creative spirit.
I landed myself in South Haven Michigan and branded my name Summer Inked.
From that moment the hardship and discipline would continue.
Being gifted with the ability to learn the art of tattooing became my biggest investment. I spent a bit over a year relearning techniques on top of prior experience I had.
I now tackle the craft of tattooing with confidence that I can provide my clients the exact art they are looking for. Something uniquely created just for them.
Often I like to think I tattoo very intuitively. Meaning: I really like to consult with my clients prior to crafting my designs, due to the fact that I want their vision of the piece to also shine through.
Most of the time my problem solving with my clients comes to the drawing board. Again if my clients don’t let me in on what exactly they are looking to get done, I am always more than happy to recreate something that wows them more than the prior design.
I’m always looking to make sure my clients get a top grade experience along with quality work. Seeings that these are things they remember from here on and tattoos are permanent. So I take great pride, in the trust people from all over put into my hands.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
As a tattoo artist, I have come to find that in most times a lot of us are in recovery of some sort.
I’m not strictly speaking on behalf of all artist out there in the field. However a good chunk of us have experienced a great deal of losing ourselves in some way.
Before I was fully invested in my career I put myself in positions involving testing my limitations to a variety of substances. And I don’t want to make it sound worst case scenario, because there are plenty of stories I have heard that make my experience sound “light” in comparison.
However, I dabbled in things that could very whell have brought me to my incarceration or even put in the ground. Not having any idea who the people I surrounded myself were, it was always game on in the world of psychedelics. Booze followed closely in these years of destruction.
And as all stories go; I woke up one day and realized what I was doing was going to completely destroy everything around me.
So from there on I rebuilt the important relationships around me, got sober, and revised the person I wanted to become.
I’m not the ideal model of perfection, because alas we are all still learning. I do however take full accountability to the destruction I caused to myself and also the kin that walked that path with me.
Recognizing where I was and where I wanted to be crippled me at times with the thought of the work required to make it. And giving up always felt like a settled thought. That’s exactly what it was thought, “settled” like dust on shelves or sand on the bottom of the ocean.
I would refuse that fate at all costs. Let me tell you, that hardship of climbing an oil lubed latter was not easy and on most days I still wipe my hands off and continue up.
I’ve narrowed it down to giving thanks to myself for the ability to endure every obstacle that has stepped in front of me. For I am the maker of this life of mine.
If there’s any advice I could share, it would be to show up for yourself everyday in the way to want people to show up for you. And give yourself grace to accept that the past has no presence in the moments we create.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
When it comes to my social media presence, I like to take up a very personable approach.
Every business and brand is different in the products and services they provide, however because I work so closely with people, I like to give my audience an insight into the way I am.
I believe that comes across appropriate and honest. I want to always remain transparent with my clients because without their support I’m running against tides in a category titled “starving artist”
I want my audience to know that I believe in them and appreciate them as much as they do me. And that’s something you can’t buy.
People want that transparency, because god knows we don’t get much of it in other areas of our lives. So if I can be that figure that folks trust and respect, I will continue to deliver mutual contact.
Practicing that mentality has given me the ability to create a community of clientele that mirror those same core values. I always recognize that businesses should hold accountability to what it is that they preach in order to achieve the success of their brands.
Most times I think my clients just want to know who it is tattooing them! And that might sounds egotistical but I’ve been able to build friendships with people who trust my artistic process as whell as my AUTHENTICITY. 
Very important point.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sirensrose.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/summer.inked?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Other: https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/meet-summer-wilson-of-south-haven-mi/?fbclid=PAAab-e-BAn1uRyh5fOecKwWDArIKgpwp0oWMDl3u7kv72gM8pKbrxtAx0EC0_aem_th_AUaRfAihUygGrepGLhywJnmm21yYxiPNd4h4lKfXlfH2JxK2Ulh1X3dyabXiO1YHVRg