Meet Wild Mike

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Wild Mike. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Wild Mike below.

Wild Mike, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

I’ve battled depression for a long time, and it’s not something I hide from anymore.

There were times it tried to knock me off track—times I didn’t feel like creating, working, or even showing up as a father and a man. But what’s kept me going is faith, family, and art.

Tattooing, drawing, and leathercraft have always been more than just hobbies or careers for me—they’re therapy.
They give me an outlet when I can’t put my feelings into words.

I’ve learned to persist by leaning into prayer, self-reflection, and being honest with myself. I remind myself daily that life isn’t about being perfect—it’s about pushing forward even when it’s heavy. And I don’t carry it all alone anymore. I lean on God, my wife, and my kids. They give me purpose and keep me grounded.

What I’ve realized is that my struggles don’t define me—they refine me. And if I can keep creating, keep loving my family, and keep sharing my story, then maybe someone else fighting the same battle can see they’re not alone.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Right now, I’m living out something I’ve always dreamed of—launching my own clothing line.

Wild Mike Art Co. is my rebrand and a fresh start. It’s rooted in my background as a tattoo artist and leather craftsman, but now it’s expanding into apparel, merchandise, and art that carries that same bold, gritty, tattoo-inspired aesthetic.

On top of the clothing, I also create custom leather goods—hand-tooled wallets, belts, hats and more—pieces that are true one-of-a-kind works of art.

Every month, I release an exclusive leather drop, each stamped with a Certificate of Authenticity.
That’s my way of keeping it personal and collectible, giving people something that’s not mass-produced but crafted with the same energy and soul as my tattoos.

But I’m not stopping there.

The next focus for me is my Christian clothing line.

That’s where my faith comes in strong—because I want to create a brand that spreads the Gospel in a way people can wear and represent proudly.

This Christian clothing line isn’t for the polished, picture-perfect folks. It’s for the outcasts, the misfits, the ones who are a little rough around the edges but still chasing Salvation.

For the broken, the overlooked, the ones who don’t always fit in at church but know they need Jesus just as much as anybody else.

This line is also for the rebels, the scarred-up, the tattooed, the ones who feel like outsiders—because God’s grace reaches all of us, no matter how we look or where we’ve been.

The message is simple:

We’re all sinners, but through Jesus Christ, we’re saved.
It’s not about perfection—it’s about salvation.

For me, that’s the most important mission moving forward: using my art to inspire, uplift, and point people to something bigger than myself.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, I’d say the three biggest things that shaped my journey are work ethic, creativity, and faith.

First, work ethic.

Nothing I’ve done— tattoos, leather, or launching Wild Mike Art Co.— came easy.
I had to grind, put in late nights, and stay consistent even when nobody was watching or supporting.

My advice to anyone starting out is simple: put in the work when others won’t. Discipline beats talent when talent doesn’t show up.

Second, creativity.

I’ve always been driven by art—whether it was tattooing, hand-tooling leather, or now designing clothing. Creativity isn’t just about drawing; it’s about thinking differently, taking risks, and finding ways to make your work stand out.
For anyone starting their journey, I’d say: feed your creativity daily.

Sketch, study, experiment—keep sharpening that blade.

And third, faith.

I’ve battled mental health struggles, setbacks, and times when I felt like giving up. The only reason I kept moving forward is because of my faith in God. That anchor kept me steady when life tried to knock me down.

For those early in their journey, don’t just focus on building your craft—build your spirit too.
Find that inner foundation that keeps you grounded when the storms hit.

At the end of the day, success isn’t just about what you can do with your hands—it’s about what you can carry in your heart.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents ever did for me was that they never gave up on me—or my brothers.
No matter what they went through themselves, even through their own struggles and divorce, they always stayed present for us.

For me personally, I came into this world fighting— I was born prematurely, barely two pounds, and spent over a month in the NICU.
That fight carried into my life as I battled depression, struggled in school, and went through my fair share of mistakes—drama, fights, rebellious state, you name it.

Through it all, my parents never turned their backs on me. They always found a way to lift me up when I was down and remind me that I still had more to give.

That kind of unconditional love and support shaped who I am today.

It’s why I push so hard now—not just for myself, but for my kids.

Because if my parents could carry me through all that, then I owe it to my family to be that same foundation for them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wildmikeart.com
• Other: *Currently completing the rebranding process*
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