Journal of Body Piercing — APP
KENDRA JANE
The Point—Managing Editor of Content & Archives
If we look hard enough we can find patterns, cycles and trends in everything; music, food, or cars, all trends have a cyclic nature and none more so than fashion. One of the first people to try to rationalize these trends was the fashion historian James Laver. In 1937 he drew up a timeline of how style is viewed over time, which subsequently became known as Laver’s law. Continue reading
CHRISTINA SHULL
Integrity Piercing
When Alicia Silverstone starred in Aerosmith’s “Cryin’” video, she was a young woman dealing with heartbreak by running away and getting her navel pierced. Please note that the piercing in the video is staged as her navel had previously been pierced by Paul King. Subsequently women everywhere flocked to their local piercer for an adorable and potentially rebellious navel piercing of their own. While this was the first large-scale body piercing trend inspired by the media, this was only the beginning.
CAITLIN MCDIARMID
APP Administrator
I’ve been asked to talk about how the office has changed over the last 20 years; I can only speak to the last 12 years (as I wasn’t part of the APP prior to that time), but there is still quite a lot to talk about.
At the end of 2002, I was informed that the “Body Piercing Association” was looking for clerical and administration help in Albuquerque, NM. It was at that time, I was hired as the “Administrative Assistant” on a part-time basis. My main responsibilities were to disseminate incoming emails and calls to the appropriate parties, fulfill orders that came into the office, mail out The Point Quarterly, and other duties as assigned. I was encouraged to learn the standard responses to common aftercare questions and the ever popular “How do I become a Body Piercer?” It was a pretty tough time for the organization. Money was extremely tight. The Board was very dedicated and paid out of their own pocket for flights, among other things. There were seven Board Members and there were no committees or other members contributing time to the work of the organization. I spent a lot of time setting up new systems for the organization of digital and physical files and learning how the organization ran. Four months later I experienced my first Conference. With all the supplies for Conference loaded into my pickup, I drove to Vegas. This was my first trip to Vegas at that.
We had 16 scheduled volunteers that year: a few Board Member’s employees and six Al D. Scholars; people like Ed Chavarria and Chrissy Shull. John Johnson and David Kelso also volunteered that year. I’m also pretty sure that was the year, a gentleman with a hat and a cigar saved my life by letting me know he knew a little bit about AV stuff (Gus Diamond). The Board worked the Merch Booth, and occasionally stood at a classroom or the Expo Door. We had 17 classes for 34 class hours; taught by 25 instructors.
After a year, I was writing articles for The Point, was responsible for the maintenance of all the databases and mailing lists, processing all orders/sales, doing basic accounting, and stocking all supplies and materials the APP utilized. I wasn’t folding, addressing, and stamping The Point anymore – we were having a mail-house do that. I was doing all the certificates for membership and for Conferences; and all the member updates on the website, master list, and accounting system. By then I handled all incoming calls and emails, which included inquiries about membership, calls from piercees and piercers, calls from the Press, Educators, Health Inspectors, and pretty much anyone looking for the APP. I still referred calls to the Board of Directors if they were beyond my scope of knowledge.
I made arrangements for the APP to attend a variety of health conferences, including the American Public Health Association, the American College Health Association, the National Association of Local Boards of Health, and the American School Health Association. I found lodging in a variety of cities for Board Members who were manning these tables; and usually tying in a Board meeting at the same time.
Since we were still watching our pennies, I did a lot of comparison shopping for the APP in an effort to keep costs down and maximize the efficiency. From office supplies, to lodging, to printer costs, to postage and shipping costs, I took our financial status into account at every step.
And my duties at the Conference continued to grow.
We have struggled as an Association over the years. Twelve years ago we struggled with financial limitations, but had a dedicated, strong Board who worked together extremely well. Later, as an Association, we struggled with Board dynamics but still moved faithfully forward. The occasional industry drama threatened to derail and distract us from the mission of the APP and, while the office was certainly affected by these challenges, the work still got done. We still did outreach. We still had a conference which expanded and developed.
The office moved to Kansas when I did in 2005. My step-kids and partner became my informal assistants, helping to do mailings, stuff badge packets, research technology purchases, and maintain our computers.
Then, in a blink of an eye, a decade plus has past. The office is no longer house-bound – we have a “real” office, four walls and a lot of paper. The kids all grew up and now there’s a part-time clerk to assist with the work. The Point is all digital; after growing from a newsletter of a few pages of black and white to a full color Journal. I have been through seven elections, have seen Board Members come and go and return–some successful, some less so–all sacrificing personal time and all passionate about this organization. Our Officers and Board Members have grown in number and we have all grown older. Our membership has increased substantially. Our industry has grown, survived a horrible recession, and is now thriving. People know who the APP is! There are 14 active committees, and a handful or two of sub-committees. The administrative work for the organization has grown so much I can’t list all my duties here. I believe it’s time to expand the permanent workforce of the APP, again. I am now surprised when someone calls in to ask about aftercare, as our education via social media has been so pronounced. People still call weekly asking “How do I become a Body Piercer?”
And just look at our Conference now: 60 speakers, 40 classes, and 95 class hours. It is now cool to volunteer (70 + people are now willing to give their time and effort).
So maybe Paul King was right when we talked the other day about the growth of the organization. I did push for the growth of this organization and our industry. I did find new outreach avenues and thought up new projects to do. I did figure out ways to enhance our presence and encourage us to move forward with better, more efficient methods both in and out of the office. I did dream of a day when we had committees to help foster new ideas and collaborations among our members and did get to see that come to full fruition. I did push to bring in new speakers/instructors so we could provide new topics and new life to core classes. I did foster new ways of using our Attendees to do the work of Conference – if someone is to benefit, let it be our Attendees and our Members rather than outside help. I did try to improve upon our technology as a way to minimize frustrations and delays at Conference. I did insist that the Board plan Conference earlier and set deadlines; knowing it helped to organize, streamline, and promote expansion and growth. I did compile statistics, spreadsheet after crazy spreadsheet – because it’s not enough to grow; you need to show how you got there. I thought that was part of my job.
How has the office changed in the last 12 years? Completely. It’s completely changed. The growth is what we ALL wanted for the APP and our Industry – and terrifying just the same. Change is beautiful and terrifying and part of life. Yes, Paul – I pushed for all of this growth – I pushed, and you pushed – and all of us pushed; in our ideas, and our thousands of nights in front of the computer, in our crazy meetings which involved love and death and food glorious food, in our articles and our voices; in our internet face-booking re-gram posty-posts; in our countless hours in front of classes and behind tables at conferences; in our gazillion emails, google docs, and spreadsheet upon spreadsheet; in our first drafts and our final drafts – we pushed and grew and changed this organization and our industry– it was after all, our job.
Jim Ward
Managing Editor of Design & Layout
As many of you know, Kim Zapata the previous Editor of The Point has stepped down to devote more time to other aspects of her life. We owe her an enormous debt of gratitude for her work and will miss her. She did an outstanding job and has left big shoes to fill. Perhaps that is why the APP Board has asked three of us to take over her duties. I will be sharing responsibilities with my co-editors Kendra Jane Berndt and Marina Pecorino.
The Point has been a part of APP history since its beginning in 1994–5, and I am thrilled and privileged to have been involved, on and off, for many years. The organization came into being through the tireless efforts of my Gauntlet associate, Michaela Grey, and a handful of other body mod professionals. As the pressures of government intervention reared its ugly head, these practitioners were committed to seeing that our industry would survive. The content of Issue #1 contains a great deal borrowed from Gauntlet’s piercing seminar manual.
In 1998 Gauntlet went out of business. Thankfully, by that time the APP had already become an independent entity. With Gauntlet’s demise, I withdrew into a shell. In 2003, with Issue #25, the APP reached out to me and asked me to take on the design and layout of The Point and to submit an article about Doug Malloy, who had inspired me to open Gauntlet in the first place. I continued in the designer position until 2005 when the Board decided to expand the newsletter and print it in color at which time the torch was passed to another Art Director. The printed color issues, #33 through #60, took The Point to a whole new level and brought it to a peak of professionalism worthy of the organization. I remained on the sidelines through much of this period, occasionally being asked to present at the annual Conference.
For Issue #41 (2007), then president James Weber asked my permission to reproduce the cover of an old issue of Gauntlet’s publication Piercing Fans International Quarterly (PFIQ) showing the penis piercings of Louis Rove, the gay, adoptive father of right-wing extremist Karl Rove. The only change he made was to alter the masthead to say “The Point” in the same font as the original magazine. This and every issue of The Point can be viewed and/or downloaded from the APP website, http://www.safepiercing.org/publications/the-point/back-issues/.
Like all organizations, the APP has experienced its own financial ups and downs. In 2012 in an effort to economize, as well as to keep up with current trends, departing from its print publication. The Board made the decision to produce The Point in digital format only. I was approached about taking over once again as Art Director for the newsletter and gladly accepted. My first was Issue #61 and here is issue #70. I thoroughly love doing this job for an organization I deeply admire and respect, and I hope to continue to do so for many years to come.
This is a landmark year in the world of body modification Gauntlet, the world’s first body piercing studio will turn 40 and the APP will celebrate its 20th anniversary. This issue and the next of The Point will kick off the celebration, with a dedication to this special occasion and to our annual Conference in June. We encourage every reader to make the effort to attend what is sure to be a memorable event.
Kendra Jane Berndt
“We can not know where are going if we do not know from where we come.”
-unknown
It is an incredible honor to be saying “Hello” and officially introducing myself as one of new editorial team for The Point. I have had the pleasure of being a contributing editor and author for The Point over the past 3 years. Some of you may know me, however most of you probably won’t. In the grand scheme of things I am definitely a new kid on the block. This month I celebrate 5 years of piercing, and I come by this industry a different path than most. I bring with me a bachelor’s degree in both science and education, with much of my past experience focusing on education in one manner or another. I had the distinguished pleasure of being chosen an Al D Scholar in 2010, and now sit on the Al D Selection Committee. I have also since been a research assistant for Paul King, and join him on the Body Piercing Archive Committee, as well as am a Super Volunteer at Conference. You will once again find me behind the registration desk this year. Come say hi! I am greatly looking forward to working with our new team, Marina and Jim, to bring you the industry’s only dedicated trade journal.
In this, our first issue as a new team, we want to take you on a journey over the past two decades, as we get ready to celebrate the Association of Professional Piercers’ 20th anniversary this June in Las Vegas. It is amazing to see what this industry has grown from and I personally can not wait to see what the future holds for both the APP and the body piercing industry as a whole.
Marina Pecorino
Managing Editor of Content & Statistics
Several years into my professional piercing career, I served as a Love Volunteer for the APP Conference & Exposition 2012. I can honestly say that my life is forever changed as a result.
Despite a diverse career history and my current work in an unrelated field, the piercing industry continues to be a major passion in my life, much like it is for most of you. I am elated (and a bit nervous) to tackle this challenge and break out of my shell as part of the newest editorial team for this historic publication. I am even more thrilled to be given this opportunity during such a monumental anniversary.
In planning for this transitional issue, many new ideas have begun to hatch. Not all of these ideas will come to fruition, but our team has a shared goal to broaden The Point with an influx of new information and energy. We also realize the importance of honoring the history and upholding the continued mission within these pages. Current technology and the accessibility of information makes this an incredibly exciting time for the safe piercing message. Please join us in the dissemination of this message by sharing The Point with your colleagues, clients, and friends.
With great enthusiasm,
Marina Pecorino
by Luis Garcia
Though it might not seem it to some, our industry is a fairly new one. One of the things I find so amazing about body piercing is how much it has changed and evolved over the last 20 years. When I look back, I thought it would be an amusing trip down memory lane (and a good read) to recount how I’ve seen body piercing evolve as an industry, and how our clients and trends have evolved with it.
I began piercing in the early ’90s, in fact as of December 20, 2015 it will be 25 years. At that time, very few people got pierced. You would see nostril piercings or helix piercings, navel piercings, maybe the occasional tragus or tongue piercing, but little else was prominent. Heavier piercings were generally relegated to the gay leather and fetish communities, punk rockers, and other subcultures. Keep in mind this was in the very early days of public internet use, so people had to find out about piercings from magazines or from seeing people on the street. Sure, cities like New York, San Francisco, and LA had more prominent subcultures for body piercing, but most other cities had more of a “proto” subculture when it came to body piercing. Even I had trouble getting pierced before then, having many of my piercings done during goth industrial nights at local clubs in the late ‘80s, or at leather parties I had snuck into.
At that time clients were almost all enthusiasts, and were always insanely grateful to have someone to help them get the piercings they wanted. They took aftercare seriously and listened to what you told them to use. There was little worry about conflicting information, because there were few people giving out this information.
Most of us still pierced with clamps. Body jewelry was fairly expensive to purchase wholesale, and it was limited compared to what we can get today. Internal threading below 14 gauge was hard to come by, and there weren’t as many lengths and diameter options.
The first big changes I remember came with two big public media navel piercings. The first was when Rachel from Season 3 of the Real World got her navel pierced on the show. The second was when Alicia Silverstone “got her navel pierced” (it was a stunt navel) in Aerosmith’s “Cryin’” video (by our lovely treasurer Paul King!), both in 1993. This very visible jump into the mainstream media started body piercing’s slow crawl into the limelight we see it in today. I immediately saw a jump in business and a growing interest in body piercing.
It was around this time that I also found usenet newsgroups and the group rec.arts.bodyart. For you young folks, usenet newsgroups were a bare bones way to communicate and interact on the early internet, similar to what Facebook does now, but closer to how reddit works. Rec.arts.bodyart was the first place I found to share and gain information and knowledge about body piercing without having to travel to a convention. Even so, things were pretty limited, and bandwidth was much lower than what we are used to today. There was no easy uploading of photos, very few people could afford digital cameras, and even scanners were still fairly pricey, so it was mostly all text-based posts back and forth. This was also when I found out about the APP, nabbing any of the few newsletters that were available.
In 1994, the first, and what I would consider the most important and influential body art website launched, Body Modification Ezine, or BME, and it was glorious. Now we (both piercers and enthusiasts) had a place at our fingertips that we could submit images and look at what everyone was doing all over the world. No more waiting for quarterly publications like Body Play and PFIQ, or the tiny bit of info you could get from tattoo magazines.
As more and more people gained cheap and easy access to the internet, BME grew. They added live chat functionality, a section for clients to share their experiences, a question of the day section, an extreme section for harder modifications, and even an “adult” section for the more saucy side of things. I remember spending hours on BME almost every day, never getting tired of everything there was to see and learn.
By the late ’90s, it was more and more common to have clients bring in print images of things they had seen on BME. This is where the type of clients I’d see started to change. While many were still light piercing enthusiasts, they weren’t the die hard piercees I had become accustomed to seeing. They were much more squeamish and sensitive to the portfolios they flipped through.
It was also at this point that freehand techniques started to spread slowly out into the industry, causing a slight fuss. Many piercers, myself included, were concerned about the safety of these new techniques, having sharps so near your fingers during the procedure. Of course, as time went on, many of us did begin to test and adopt freehand methods, seeing that there were certain benefits to be reaped, both for us and our clients.
As the early ‘00s rolled in, BME introduced a new companion website, IAM.bmezine.com. Modeled after social websites like Livejournal, but meant specifically for those in the body mod community. In many ways, it did things the right way before Myspace and Facebook existed. With the ability to design your own page, post diary entries, create your own forums, and easily upload images (that could also be auto submitted to the main BME website), it became a huge hit within the industry, and with even the lightest of piercing enthusiasts. This was also when I started attending the annual APP conference. It was amazing to have somewhere with so many piercers all in one place, all sharing and learning.
With the mid ‘00s came Myspace and Facebook, followed by Twitter, and the ushering in the of the social media era. As more and more people joined these sites, made connections, posted photos, and shared opinions, the need for a dedicated social website started to slowly dwindle, and less and less people stayed on IAM.
The other thing that rolled in with the mid ’00s was the public eye being drawn to some of the heavier things some piercers were doing, and posting for public consumption. Several piercers got themselves into some trouble here and there because of it, so many of us started to be more conservative with what we offered at our studios.
It was also in the mid ‘00s that I noticed clientele had drastically begun to change. A good portion of clients had no interest in piercing as a whole. They instead just wanted the latest accessory. While studios had always been a retail business, this pushed piercing studios into a more retail mindset, having to really consider the full customer experience and customer service became a greater focus than it had ever been. What once had been risqué for many was now chic, and many clients wanted that chic boutique experience. With the proliferation of smartphones, clients also began to have immediate and constant access to the internet wherever they went. This brought up companies like Yelp in the mid to late ‘00s, where anyone could review anything, making the customer experience one of the most important things. This didn’t just go for in-shop interactions, but also for any online interactions, and even personal blogs and webpages being scrutinized by potential clients. This caused more and more of us to realizing that once something is on the internet, it never really disappears.
It was also in this timeframe that freehand techniques began to become more standard and accepted techniques as previously. This is partially due in turn due to the internet as well, especially with how easy it was to get information and interact with other piercers. As this information spread, more and more of us started to ditch piercing clamps, with some taking strong stands that one was better than the other (when the truth is all that matters is that the client gets a clean, safe, and properly placed piercing). It did lead to many (in my opinion) fun and amusing debates amongst us. The annual APP Conference & Exposition also had grown exponentially, with more piercers wanting to test the waters and experience what had made so many of us fall in love with that one week a year.
As the late ‘00s and early ‘10s rolled in, Facebook, Twitter, and even newer internet based technologies like Instagram and Pinterest had all become household names. Clients could instantly save a photo they saw to their phones and bring it in. Piercers could immediately share their work and have hundreds if not thousands of people liking, tagging or repinning these images in a matter of minutes to hours. This is what still amazes me sometimes; how quickly and easily information can spread, both good and bad. This also lead to the pseudo-death of BME and IAM. While many still visit the site, and even still have IAM accounts, Facebook with its ease of connection–one place where you can chat, blog, and share all aspects of your life and lifestyle–now exists and IAM and BME have suffered because of this. Similar to how small businesses have been hurt by big box stores.
And that, my babies, is the end of my recount of how I’ve seen our industry, clientele, and the interaction of the two change over the years. Hopefully you have not only learned that I am old as dirt, but that these changes have made for some interesting and great things happening to our industry and organization.
Brian Skellie
APP President
Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s Third Law states: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Had I been at Arthur’s elbow as he wrote those words, I’d have suggested adding: “to the uninformed observer.”
— James Randi, WHY MAGICIANS ARE A SCIENTIST’S BEST FRIEND
It may seem from appearances that the APP has been conjuring constant advancements and results from our common mission. For more than two decades, behind the scenes this question has been the focus of enthusiastic volunteers aided by an astute administrator. We have had eight changes of leadership before our current board, most of whom I have had the pleasure of working alongside. They have contributed significant guidance, accomplished projects, and made decisions that have helped our field grow. I thank each of you for choosing to engage. In regards to this question, progress and development is an excellent answer.
Another very pleasing question that comes up more often than ever before is in regards to where we might go to improve upon the minimum standards. These years of educational outreach have been fruitful, and we have received outstanding applications from an increasing number of supporters. I affirm: please excel. Impress us with your intuition and invention! Sharing your ideas raises the level for all of your fellow members.
I’d like to think that there are many piercers out there who are not yet members, but who meet and exceed the skills and criteria required by APP membership. The fact remains that we encourage each piercer to feel welcome to start the application process and join. Our membership committee is here to help with your questions and to facilitate the process with a regular online APP Future Members group, and round tables both at events and online.
Participation in our educational events can demystify the technology and techniques important to our work and provide the foundational aptitudes so that you can become an APP member.
*The Point Spring 1994 issue lists the first Board of Directors as Crystal Cross and Richard White, Ahna Edwards, Kent Fazekas, Gahdi Elias, Michela Grey, Blake Perlingeri, Rob Petroff, Maria Tashjian, and Alan Falkner.
In August of 1996, Maria and Blake stepped down and were replaced by David Vidra and Al D. Sowers.
June 1997 Kent Fazekas is named Chair
June 1998 Gahdi Elias is named Chair
From June of 1999 until June of 2002, Pat McCarthy held the position of President.
As of June 2002 this position was assumed by Bethra Szumski. She sat on the board as President until June of 2005.
In June of 2005 Alicia Cardenas became president. She remained president until June of 2008.
James Weber succeeded the position of President from June of 2008 until June of 2011.
In June 2011 Elayne Angel took over as the President, where she served until June of 2014.
Our most recent President is Brian Skellie who has been President since June of 2014.
Brian Skellie
APP President
Some of the most fundamental ideas about piercing are those that are most intriguing and still relevant to question. What materials are available now to make jewelry for initial healing and prolonged wear in the body safe? How does one accurately direct an edge while traversing a body part to get consistent results? What can be done to minimize harm to the client and risk to the worker?
Part of what we can delight in as piercing practitioners is the potential for continued qualitative improvement in our work. Rumination upon these questions that can incite change, coupled with a willingness to progress and try new options opens us to the possibility that each procedure, each interaction and connection made with patrons can be our best to date. We have in our hands the means to find persuasive science and novel approaches to the challenges that we face, through access to libraries and communication with colleagues worldwide.
The constant flow of information among our peers engages this and advances our desire for better outcomes based on both understanding and inspiration. You are welcome to join in the conversation, add to it what you can offer, and benefit from the advantages of persistent educational opportunities. This organization exists to act as a crucible for bringing our ideas and skills together to make something more versatile, robust, complete, healthier, and easier to disseminate for the betterment of our craft and our society.
One of the aspects of this trade that I cherish most is the occasion to share with others what fascinates me about our work, and to learn from them in exchange. Whether that may be in written correspondence, a phone call, video conference, in person (or in a studio), or at an event. It is encouraging to observe that virtually every one of you seems to partake in them as often as possible—and this is evidenced by the many thousands of professional conversations logged online and the outstanding international attendance at several major educational events this year, including over twenty countries represented at our Conference.
Since the 2014 APP Conference, volunteer members working with the organization have traveled as educators to share ideas related to safety, theory, technique, technology, and history to conferences held by APP associate corporate members in Germany, Mexico, and Italy. As a participant at each, I can say they have exemplified and improved upon some of the best aspects of our event, and at the same time were quite different and unique from one another, apart from geographic location and language.
From October 2-5, the annual BMXnet event took place in Essen, Germany, and our business members Ana Paula Escalante, Christiane Löfblad, and Ryan Ouellette were welcomed back to the creative Unperfekthaus space to provide both informative lectures and hands-on demonstrations in technical skills workshops. The event is equipped to allow procedures to be performed live, and I had the privilege of demonstrating how to lose a connection and reconnect during a nostril piercing. (Sorry, David!)
Former APP Presidents Elayne Angel and Bethra Szumski (Secretary), Paul King (Treasurer), and I collectively taught a dozen classes and workshops during the event. An important element of our participation was to introduce the ideals and mission of the APP organization to new people. To that end we held a panel discussion with Ryan on how to continue our work to help fellow organizations such as BMXnet, ASAP, APTPI and LBP.
As an event that draws more international attendees than ever before, it seemed that this year English-speaking classes filled the schedule (38 in English/9 in German), and this was one of the topics discussed during the Future of BMXnet roundtable, led by one of the organizers, Stephan Strestik. They seem to have great potential, with their strong mix of educators and open exchange of ideas. The inclusion of an “all-you-can-eat” buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and all-day soft drinks, coffee, and tea was very helpful, especially for those who might have skipped a meal or had to eat on the run at other events due to a full schedule.
A few short weeks later, a voyage to Mexico City followed for the LBP 2do Congreso: La Asociación Latinoamericana de Body Piercing. Along with board member Jef Saunders and officers Bethra and Paul, we reunited with Ana Paula, serving as LBP Secretary, and LBP President Danny Yerna, who was previously APP International Liaison. Registration and entry to the provided transportation was fluid, and the participants who filled the meeting place quickly made it into their seats with their necessities and a binder full of all of the lecture handouts, which was provided as reading material for the road trip. Even the APP materials and class details were translated into Spanish! This allowed for in-depth discussion en route, and prepared everyone to ask informed questions—and cut down considerably on live translation time. The translation of materials in advance was first rate, and gave me peace of mind as a non-native presenter, since my competence in Spanish is not yet what I aspire to. (Aprendo español, pero yo no hablo con fluidez.)
We traveled with a large group of the attendees to the Centro Vacacional y de Convenciones IMSS Metepec, near Puebla, at the base of the Iztaccíhuatl – Popocatépetl National Park and namesake volcanoes. We drove through a beautiful nature reserve part of the park on the way. When we arrived, we toured the grounds and got a sense of the harmonious combination of natural and professional spaces the organizers found so attractive.
This event follows several successful APP Mexico conferences, and has evolved in a significantly different format in an all-inclusive setting—where transportation, lodging, and meals were all covered together with the event. Everyone was invited to take part in every class and workshop, and the planned social events, as well as to dine together. Even special guest Fakir Musafar and his partner Cleo Dubois spent a great deal of time mingling with the group outside of the auditorium.
The next week transported me to Venice, Italy where I met Paul and long-time APP conference participant Ron Garza for the Body Art Development International Piercing Class and Workshop event. This was a new offering by the APTPI affiliated organizers, with technique and theory lectures, coupled with hands-on supervised training. The format was punctual and could be repeated for focus on specifics with expert direction.
Our 20th Conference is in production now, with plenty of new ideas for you! See you at Bally’s in Las Vegas (June 7-12, 2015).
By Caitlin McDiarmid
There is a lot to report since our 2014 Conference has ended. Over the last few months, the Conference Committee has convened multiple times, via Skype, and the overall 2015 Conference proposal that was submitted to the Board of Directors has been accepted. 2014 was extremely successful, and both the Association and our industry continue to experience fast-paced growth. This means as we grow as an Association, many things need to change with our Conference to accommodate all of our attendees and keep the event moving in the right direction! We are very excited to share a few of the changes attendees and vendors can expect in 2015.
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2015?
*subject to change due to instructor availability
We look forward to seeing all of you at Conference this year. We have a lot to celebrate with our 20th Anniversary. (add)