Meet Maris: The Artist Behind Wild Violet
If you've booked with me before, you probably know me as the person behind your brows, lips, or fine line tattoo. But I wanted to take a minute to share a little more about who I am, how Wild Violet came to be, and why this work means so much to me.
A Love of Beauty That Started at 14
My love for beauty artistry started when I was just 14 years old, and over the last 32 years, that passion has only grown. What began as a fascination with makeup and transformation turned into a full career — and eventually, into Wild Violet.
I've been a business owner and entrepreneur since 2004, and in that time I've built a career rooted in precision, balance, and a calm, detail-driven approach. My focus has always been the same: helping people feel like the most confident, put-together version of themselves.
What I Do
At Wild Violet, I specialize in refined permanent makeup artistry and fine line tattooing. While I love all of it, my true passion is creating natural-looking brows and lips that enhance what you already have — not something that looks obviously "done," but something that looks like you, just more polished and confident.
Every service is tailored specifically to your features. No two clients get the same brow shape or lip technique, because no two faces are the same.
Beyond permanent cosmetics, I also work as a fine line tattoo artist and permanent jewelry technician. I love this part of my work in a different way — I get to hear the stories and special occasions behind each piece, whether it's a tattoo that commemorates something meaningful or a permanent bracelet linking two best friends or a couple.
Training, Credentials, and Why They Matter
I take the technical side of this work as seriously as the artistic side.
I hold eight professional certifications, including training from 3D Brows Academy, Brow Envy Academy, Shay Danielle Academy, Bowler Esthetics, Mona PMU Academy, and Beaute Academy. I'm also a Certified Pro Makeup Artist through CMU College of Makeup Art & Design, with training in bridal, fashion, and airbrush makeup.
Over the years, my work has also been recognized with a handful of awards, including five-time winner of The Knot Best of Weddings, induction into The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame, four-time WeddingWire Brides' Choice Award winner, and Austin Fashion Week's Peer's Choice Award for Best Makeup Artist.
I'm a Tennessee Licensed Cosmetic Tattoo Artist, and my studio is Board of Health certified and inspected — because when it comes to permanent work on your skin, credentials and safety aren't optional. They're the foundation everything else is built on.
The Story Behind the Name
People often ask about the name "Wild Violet," and it actually comes from a really special place in my family history.
When I was a little girl in the 1980s, I spent a lot of time with my grandad, Onyx. He grew up deep in the Mississippi woods and had a deep love for nature — especially the little wild violets that grow along the red clay banks there in the spring and summer. His love for those flowers passed down to my mother, and then to me.
Years later, when I fell in love and married into my husband's family, I learned that "Violeta" — Violet, in Spanish — was a name passed down through the women in his family, including his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. It felt like more than coincidence. That name now belongs to our daughter too, as her middle name.
So when it came time to name this business, Wild Violet felt like the only choice. It ties together generations of my family, on both sides, and a flower that's meant something to the people I love most.
Why I Do This Work
What inspires me most isn't just the technical result —
it's watching clients leave feeling confident, refreshed, and truly seen. The right beauty enhancement doesn't just change how your face looks. It changes how you feel when you look in the mirror.
That's the heart of everything I do at Wild Violet, and it's why I approach every single appointment with the same level of care, whether it's your first time in my chair or your fifth.
xo, Maris
