At 72 years old most ladies are taking it easy, making cakes and loving grandchildren.
Joan Wills does all this – and very well from all indications – but she has a passion away from all that. She loves tattoos, or “inking” as it is now known. And at 72 she’s still not finished.
So what makes a seemingly average lady step out like this? Born in Richmond and raised on the Papps family tobacco farm in Wakefield, Joan has all the normal family connections. One brother and sisters and quite a relaxed husband called Cecil, aged 81. They married in 1960 and Joan and Cecil set about doing all the things we all do. They raised a family and worked on their careers. Cecil being the Rabbit Island caretaker for many years, Joan looking after the kids, two girls two boys. When the kids were old enough Joan went on to work successfully for IHC for a 21 year stint. Then at 47 years old she decided to do something bold. It was 1988 and even then tattoos were definitely a man’s domain, as well as for criminals and the odd seaman. Joan popped into the local Nelson tattooist Trevor Marshall and got her first tattoo. “I wanted something that was really only for me,” she says.
So Trevor advised two things; a nice fleshy part and a place that it could be hidden if at a later date she grew to dislike it. She chose the upper leg and her love affair with inking started.
Over the next 25 years Joan added to her collection. Even when she went overseas she would pop into a local tattoo shop and browse. “I was in Brisbane one day shopping and went to go on a river cruise but I eventually ended up with another tattoo,” she says.
And so what do her family think of it? “Actually it’s a really positive response. My grandkids really like it as it makes their Granny quite different, my kids are very supportive and my brother and sisters are all behind me as well. Although they were, because of the generation, a little unsure at the start,” she smiles.
Two of their children have tattoos and two don’t. Her husband Cecil has no inking whatsoever and calls himself an “introvert” but he lights up when you start talking about Joan and her artwork. He quickly rushes to the dining cabinet and proudly shows a trophy Joan won in 1998 for her tattoos.
He also keeps a little book with all the costs, what tattoos were done by who and when.
Over the years Joan continued adding and using the tattoo greats like Will and Jackie Morrow who now run the Inangahua tearooms. Joan and Cecil reckon costs are around $5000-$7000 for the inking and Joan says she still hasn’t finished. “I am running out of room but I won’t do neck or face and that means I can be in charge of when the tattoos can be seen. I still am mindful of how I dress for particular events and as I am getting older my skin’s getting thinner so I take my time.”
And as for the most common question “does it hurt?” Joan replies with a smile “not to me it didn’t”.
She also says it’s a great conversation starter with more and more people getting inking. She says often people will stop her in the street for a chat and Joan’s always happy to do that. “I think Cecil and I have really great personalities and that’s helped us pull off this whole tattoo thing.”
