Brian Skellie
APP President

As we approach our twentieth annual meeting, I reflect on the beginnings of the APP. When I discovered that a group—this group—had formed to take action and establish professional industry standards I was immediately interested and eager to help out in any way I could.

These first actions of the APP, organized by Michaela Grey and a small peer group, were for mutual aid against unfair regulation proposed in California. However, in a short period of time this movement became more, and this group evolved into an incorporated non-profit Association with hundreds of members and thousands of participants. And now, two decades later, I see our trade moving in a great direction—one of growth through participation and collaboration amongst peers.

With the closing of the 19th annual conference, our final board meeting vested five newly elected board members. Steve Joyner officially filled the legislative and regulatory affairs role he had temporarily covered in Mike Martin’s absence, and our outreach director Ashley Misako and myself continued our momentum from the previous election.

Our new board has already met since conference and discussed our motivations and ideas for the future. I feel confident we have a very functional working dynamic and trust in our competency to represent the needs of our membership and trade.

This year’s Conference saw Committee participation as well as Conference attendance at an all time high, and many local groups have been making significant contributions to the trade in sharing skills and discussing ethics and product quality. I’m very impressed with the ability of our legislative committee and membership to inform and persuade officials to work together to provide standards and prevent unreasonable regulations.

Membership has  become more accessible than ever before, facilitated by an application process that is now online and free (no fees due until acceptance) and an active public forum for prospective member questions moderated by the Membership Committee. I’ve helped the Committee make it fast and easy for the entire application and video to be submitted and reviewed online, which along with very effective teamwork by the committee has increased both our speed and number of new member approvals.

All of this means that more piercers than ever understand the importance and absolute necessity of quality jewelry. Jewelry makers who are APP Corporate Sponsors and participants are experiencing an affluence of new customers and it is in no small part due to our member efforts to promote and advance the use for quality jewelry, both in their studios and online in our social media that reaches out daily to tens of thousands of potential clients.

Now is the time to move forward with practical projects, such as having third-party validation for our initial jewelry standards and creating long-term plans for establishing credentials for qualified piercers through hands-on supervised training, skill review and aptitude testing. I am motivated to pursue our plans to provide more experiential workshops and educational services to the membership, more often during the year, and in new locations in addition to our yearly meeting in Las Vegas. I want your certificates for the continuing education we provide to have value beyond paper and peer recognition.

I also want to recognize my fellow members as independent thinkers. I welcome your ideas, and want to make sure that your voices are heard. I will be holding office hours, Tuesday and Thursday of each week from 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, available online for conversation through Google hangouts as president@safepiercing.org. You will also often find me accessible on Facebook as well, for impromptu interactions.

By Elayne Angel

Conference is fast approaching, and my three-year term of service as President of the APP will soon be over. Memories of the events throughout this time period are swirling in my mind—long meetings, countless emails and phone calls, hard work, tons of fun, and a whirlwind of busy days and nights. I will be stepping down from my fourth Board, marking the end of my 12th year as a Director. Whew.

The next time you read this column (and/or see the video) you will find the words of a new President, which is very exciting. Though I do feel a tad melancholy, I’m willing to admit that I’m also somewhat relieved to be passing along my title and the responsibilities of the position. I’m incredibly thankful for having had the opportunity to serve the organization during all of these years. It truly has been an honor and a privilege.

The forthcoming changes in personnel on the Board will result in a wonderful combination of new faces, ideas, and perspectives, balanced with seasoned Directors who have the benefit of long experience with the APP. I’m so looking forward to seeing them in action. And I’m not planning to run off and hide. I will be around and available to support and assist the new Board and the organization in whatever ways I can—as always. I need not hold a title in order to help (nor should you).

Looking over the eons of my APP involvement I began to wonder, “Wow, where did that drive and stamina come from?” Then I thought about all of the years I’ve worked as a piercer, right back to the 1980s, and I became aware that this longevity has been made possible by a very specific emotion: passion. I still feel genuinely passionate about piercing.

I’m referring not only to my work in the industry, but also the piercings I wear, which have provided me with immense enjoyment over these decades. My own piercings have been liberating, gratifying, and perhaps just shy of magical. They have allowed me to know, celebrate, and enhance my body—and my sex life. My piercings have helped me to become my true and best self. They have caused me to face my fears, stand up for myself, and develop independence and self-confidence. Piercing has changed and shaped my life into something special and unique. I’m living an existence I never could have imagined as a child.

Seriously, if piercing didn’t exist, who would I be right now? Certainly not the self I am today. The truth of the matter is, I LOVE piercings—having and performing them.  I am deeply appreciative for the fact that I still adore what I do. I feel like the luckiest person on earth.

I have maintained my enthusiasm for this profession over such an extended period by focusing on the many aspects that are in the “plus column” and looking right past the negatives. Are there parts of the job that are tedious and boring? Sure—but every occupation has those. Does it take a lot of patience and energy to deal with indecisive or fearful clients? You bet. But I find that it is worth putting up with that stuff for the bigger rewards.

I concentrate on the fact that what I do, what we piercers do, has the ability to actually improve self-esteem, self-image, and quality of life for our clients. There aren’t all that many careers out there with such potential, and precious few that don’t require a greater investment of resources such as money, time, and formal education.

I’ve experienced the thrill of seeing a customer literally jumping up and down in front of the mirror shouting, “I’m transformed!” Even if we don’t get to witness such obvious confirmations on a regular basis, I remain aware that with this work it is possible.

Regardless of whether a piercee has a profound motivation for getting pierced or not, you have the opportunity to have a positive and affirming impact on that individual. Through your own attitude and the way you facilitate the experience, piercings can be made to feel significant and meaningful to both you and your clients.

I also dodge monotony by continuing to challenge myself. I apply myself totally to each and every perforation I make, focusing on making this one the smoothest, gentlest, and quickest—the most perfect piercing I’ve ever done. By continually working toward these goals, I avoid the potentially deadly pitfalls of stagnation and inertia, and I propose that you do the same.

That old saying, “Life isn’t a dress rehearsal” is apt. This is your life, so get with it and get into what you’re doing. Seek out that passion, embrace it tightly, and don’t let go. If you’re not feeling it, if you’re terminally burnt out and have nothing left to give, allow yourself to go and do something else. Not all of us will be “lifers” in this trade, and that’s okay. But if you cherish piercing as I do, take comfort in the knowledge that it is possible to experience enduring passion and joy in this calling. And be grateful for it; I sure am!