My name is Phillip Wilson. I was born in 1966 to Betsy Ross. My mother was also a famous wrestler in the '50s. Her stage name was also Betsy Ross, taking after the woman who stitched the American flag. She would enter the ring carrying the flag high above her head before each match.
There are seven siblings in our family and the four older siblings father is Billy Wolfe, the founder of women’s wrestling.
I grew up in Elgin, Ill., where it was a fairly normal life. I quit high school in the 10th grade and moved on to doing home repairs and eventually owning my own company.
I married at 26 and had a good life until a divorce in 1999. I was devastated. So I left everything behind and found myself in Portland soon after.
When I arrived I found myself homeless and hopeless. I began to use drugs and alcohol and slept outside in obscure places. I would break into houses that were mostly abandoned or being sold and unoccupied. Temptation was high to steal things and I began a cycle of going to jail and prison. Since 2003 I’ve been to prison five times.
During my last prison sentence I was a broken man. As a result of loneliness and extreme depression, I focused hard on doodling designs with a Bic pen. I began to really enjoy the rewards of my art and received lots of compliments from other inmates in the joint. During the isolation period in my cell – and mind as well – I had a lot of time to reflect while my art was being created.
After a few pieces were created, I realized how I was feeling hope and inspiration because of the art and thought processes. I began saving money and looking forward to a normal life on the outside.
I met a man named Chris in prison and we began a friendship. He encouraged me to share my art when I was released. He was released before me and created a website to sell my prints and even invested in me with a computer phone service and all the printing needs. I was released on March 24 and am living at the Estate hotel where I work hard on myself and sharing my website with others in hopes that others will find my art and story as an inspiration in there lives as well.
With new hope and real inspiration I will never end up in prison again and plan on living a productive honest life from here forward.
Anyone can view my art at: www.Pensational.com