Category Features

Point 88: Technical Innovator Award

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Gorilla Glass “Cells” Collection

Interview by Kristina Outland

There is beauty in the complexities of nature. Gorilla Glass has done an incredible job capturing those complexities in their limited edition 2019 collection entitled “Cells”, winner of this year’s Technical Innovator Award.With this design, Gorilla Glass celebrates the building blocks of life; the creation of their jewelry is even environmentally friendly.

“The process used to make this collection involves up-cycling our waste glass to create a high quality, limited edition jewelry line. Reducing our impact on the environment is a major concern for Gorilla Glass, and the new techniques that we are developing are showcased in the ‘Cells’ collection. The ‘Cells’ line is a way to acknowledge and celebrate life on the most basic level,” Jason Pfohl, owner of Gorilla Glass, remarked.

Jason went into an in-depth description of the creation process, and it is incredibly fascinating. “The concept always comes first. In this scenario I wanted the technical innovations that we are developing at Gorilla Glass to be reflected in the design and theme of the collection as well, so the design is married to the up-cycling process. The ‘Cells’ collection is a contemporary version of a very ancient technique that the Venetians perfected, called murrini. The core elements of these pieces are made through a pattern bar technique, where stacks of different strips of colored glass are grouped together somewhat randomly and fused into blocks in a specialized fusing oven. You never see or touch the glass after it is shut in the oven. The result depends on the viscosity of each color, and how gravity manipulates the stacks. Afterwards, the pattern bars are picked up on a steel rod (punti) and dipped in a crucible full of molten recycled glass, creating an even layer of color around the bar. Using gravity, the encapsulated pattern bar is stretched into a long rod using heat as well. Later, the rod is cut into sections and reassembled in a mosaic pattern. The mosaic design is fused again and then cut up, ground, carved, and polished into the final forms. It is a very labor intensive process.”

The process of up-cycling even helped determine the color scheme for this beautiful line.

 The designs include understated off-white tones, with an intense black for contrast. Jason mentioned the hidden transparent blue pictured, can only be seen when the pieces are backlit.

“I enjoy when the colors shift and are revealed, creating a surprise discovery for the viewer. The colors were also chosen from stockpiles of waste glass.”

Twelve different specialized artisans have their hand in this process, and usually work in teams. Jason is personally involved in the hot working of all the murrini up-cycling designs. He mentioned he definitely enjoys being a part of the production process.

“I remember in high school looking at slides through the microscope.  There  was  an amazing feeling of discovery looking at these incredibly beautiful alien and hidden worlds surrounding us and inside us. Cells are the building blocks of life, creating the basic structure, functional, and biological units of all known life. The word ‘cells’ come the the Latin ‘cella’ meaning ‘small room’. Every element in the ‘Cells’ designs are encapsulated in one or two layers of up-cycled glass, creating random geometrical designs in the finished jewelry. I do not try to control the designs, but allow the glass to find its own patterns. The artwork of the German zoologist Ernst Haeckel was also an inspiration for this collection. Haeckel documented thousands of new species as a marine biologist, including many microscopic organisms. His book Art Forms in Nature, has been a big influence for me over the years. What I love about the cells theme is that on the microscopic level everything becomes disembodied and abstract.”

In summary, much time, consideration, curation, and research has gone into this line, making this an award-winning experience jewelry fanatics can wear and enjoy.

“I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of my team at GG. I would also like to thank all our great customers and the body modification community at-large, for their long and ongoing support that made this innovation possible. Thank you!”

Point 88: Creative Innovator Award

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Onetribe’s “Crystal Castle” Displays

Interview by Marina Pecorino

Onetribe’s award winning “Crystal Castle” display.
Jewelry by Alan Dumond of Origins Handmade

For the second year in a row, Jared Karnes of Onetribe took home the Creative Innovator Award. Last year it was the multidimensional “Topo” ear weight design. This year, the prize-winning pieces were the “Crystal Castle” displays. I, once again, had the honor of interviewing Jared about running a production queue based business in the piercing industry, and expanding horizons into working with a broader range of materials.

Marina Pecorino: In last year’s interview, you explained the metamorphosis your business made from having numerous employees across several continents, to a small, homebased, personal endeavor. Usually you hear of business models moving in the opposite direction. Can you tell us more about your vision for the future of Onetribe?

Jared Karnes: It’s been a wild ride. It’s easy to find a roadmap for growth, and I became accustomed to thinking about my business as something that  should  continuously  grow.  It was much more challenging to take a step back and decide to be dramatically smaller. Going forward, I’m very interested in play, agility, and unpredictability. I want to spend more time making because I love to do it and not because of a production queue. My sketchbooks need liberation! I will never stop making body jewelry, but I am less interested in being perceived as just a body jewelry company. I have been making a serious effort to explore new forms and use materials in new ways. Ceramic has been an exciting diversion and something I intend to spend a lot more time doing.

MP: I’ve been watching the development of the Crystal Castle displays on social media, and it has been fascinating. Can you explain the development process?

JK: I have always had a fascination with crystalline shapes. The unique facets of quartz crystals and the stacking of perfect pyrite cubes captivate me, but I found myself wondering what these shapes would look like in beautiful colors and textures. I wanted to see these shapes in coral, periwinkle, or sparkly matte black.

There’s been an explosion of body jewelry display options, and I have loved many of the unique shapes from display specific companies, but the use of wood does not inspire me. I thought ceramic would be a great challenge, and it can fit well with a high-end aesthetic for displaying precious metals and stones. Also, a bunch of my friends are making outrageously good ends and hinged rings, and I thought it would be rad to give that work a stage.

I started working with clay in January as a way to let my  hands and mind wander with a forgiving material and meditative process. After hand-making solid prototypes of crystal forms, I realized they were far too heavy to have around glass display cases. I decided to learn slip casting, which uses plaster molds and liquid clay “slip” to cast thin walled hollow objects. After teaching myself mold making and slip casting, I was able to finalize a process and select (or in some cases custom grind) quartz crystals in suitable shapes for single Cryst displays. The larger Crystal Castles are then hand built by modifying and attaching single cast crystals into a more massive structure which I fire as one piece.

MP: Has the result diverged from your original vision at all? What joys and challenges did you face along the way?

JK: They have manifested true to my original intent primarily because I used the crystals as a tool to learn ceramic processes. Early on in the project, I created a specific goal for the product that would require me to learn specific methods in order. It was a challenge to develop a product and processes in a new medium in a little over 90 days, but I enjoyed going for it. Watching something that was soft clay and gloppy liquid glaze transform into stone coated in a layer of glass is mind-boggling.

One of the hardest problems to solve was how to handle the bottoms of both the single Cryst and the Castles. I made several two and three-piece plaster molds that cast pieces with a solid base and a hole in the center. These were faster to cast and clean up, but the molds are more time consuming and fragile. This option also created more waste while building the Castles, limited my access to the interior for installing hardware, and prevented me from being able to adjust the angle of view. I went back to one piece open molds for most shapes and created a “pool” mold for casting a bottom onto each piece. With this additional step of adding the bottom last, I can trim the walls of a display and reduce the height or allow it to lean back for a better viewing angle in different kinds of display cases.

MP: How have you felt about working with these new mediums? What similarities and differences have you discovered that you didn’t expect?

JK: Clay is AMAZING. I never worked it in high school or art school, but it has long been an interest. I recently dug up some notes from a meeting with my employees in 2008; we were discussing options for ceramic in our industry. I started carving and polishing fired porcelain like a stone around 2012, but did not touch soft clay until this year. The profound differences in process and feel changed how I think about materials. Stone carving is both literally and figuratively abrasive. The hands take a lot of abuse, and the process is very loud. Clay is soft and nearly silent. It yields to the touch in a wet state, it maintains a memory of each contact with tool or hand, and it carves easily in a dry state. Through the process of introducing heat, it becomes a hard stone, made from the same essential elements as the stones I carve every day. Once I realized that working ceramic encompasses both this new soft character and the hard nature of the rocks I already work, I was hooked in a way that I did not expect.

MP: Do you have a favorite memory or story to share about this year’s Conference?

JK: My best memories from this year were the result of an unfortunate travel clustercuss. The airline canceled several of my flights, and my booth bag was incorrectly routed. I showed up to the Expo floor in Vegas with no jewelry or booth materials. Many people reached out to me to offer help or to check in and see how I was doing. I felt like I had a big community rooting for me, and that was wonderful. My bag eventually showed up, and all was well.

MP: Every time I walked by your booth this year, you had a small crowd. How has your vendor experience changed over time and in the new space?

JK: My first few years vending I was concerned about bringing a certain amount of product and meeting sales goals that I had set. My outlook overall has shifted, and my conference attendance is now far more rooted in teaching and learning. I am there to make money and create more opportunities for myself, but while doing that I want to see the evolution of our industry, build up newcomers, feel like I am part of a community, and be transparent about what I do and how I do it. Especially now that I am one person in a tiny workshop, the conference experience helps me feel connected to my customers and other makers in a way that the internet cannot replicate.

The new location made everything a little more tense than usual, but I liked it. The Expo floor worked well, and I think most enjoyed the location of the classes, Expo, and rooms relative to each other.

MP: If studios or individuals want to contact you about Onetribe products, what is the best way to reach you? Is there a current average turn-around time that can be expected, or does it vary from project to project?

JK: The shop is always open at onetribe.net and I can be reached directly via the contact form there. I am most active on Instagram and post daily production process and material eye candy @onetribejewelry.

Turn-around times vary wildly on a per-project basis. Products ordered on my site usually ship within 10-14 business days. Custom jewelry work is on average three to four weeks, with complex projects taking longer. Stocked displays ship within a few days, while custom display sets and Crystal Castles depend on all of the other workloads, but are worth the wait.

MP: Is there anything else you’d like to share with The Point readership?

JK: I was delighted to see so many young companies showing great work at Conference this year. While there are some pervasive style trends, I have seen quality from a lot of people who deserve the opportunity to show us how far they can go. I encourage everyone to support small makers whenever possible. This diversity of ideas and the growing culture of positivity over pettiness are hella exciting to see.

Point 88: BPA: Fakir Musafar, In Pursuit of the Spirit

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From Inside the Archive: by Devin Ruiz-Altamura

I wasn’t prepared for the magic I felt when entering the completed exhibit room for the first time. I had probably handled each object in that room more than a dozen times over the past nine months, and written down their item numbers or descriptions just as many times. It didn’t make this collection any less powerful for me. I hope everyone else who got a chance to see the exhibit found it as moving as I did. This year’s  Body Piercing Archive exhibit, “Fakir Musafar: In Pursuit of the Spirit,” was our most ambitious to date. It was also the most comprehensive exhibit that has ever been seen on Fakir Musafar’s life and legacy. Featured were over 2,000 square feet of original images, digital media, and fabricated items, many of which had not been collected or displayed together under one roof since their creation. Visitors were led through the exhibit by a diverse crew of docents, all who had unique and personal experiences with Fakir himself and the Fakir Intensives School.

Fakir memorial altar, photo by John Balk

The exhibit opened with a timeline of the life of Roland Loomis, also known as Fakir Musafar. The timeline acted as a guide through the room and the objects. Next, a series of banners displaying all of the various personas that Fakir inhabited: Roland Loomis, Yogi Ankora, Fakiki, The Perfect Gentleman, Ibitoe, Golden Apollo, etc. Some of the first items displayed were examples of early corseting inspiration, and original National Geographic issues that planted seeds in a young Roland’s mind. It was extremely gratifying to see what parts of Fakir’s history were a surprise to the various docents and speakers. These little surprises really showed the amount of dedication that Paul King and Becky Dill put into their research, and the generosity that Cléo Dubios showed us in sharing some never before seen photos and artifacts. From there was a chance to see many of the various handmade masks, devices, jewelry, and tools that Fakir designed and fabricated for his own use in photoshoots and personal play.

Part of the Exhibit, photo by Devin Ruiz-Altamura

The transitional space between the first and second half of the exhibit held some of the work that served as an introduction to Fakir for many people, myself included. The film Dances Sacred and Profane could be viewed here alongside a performance Fakir did with Cléo Dubois, his wife and partner.

Photo by Paul King

Standing amongst the tour group for Paul King’s first guided tour of the exhibit, seeing Fakir on screen taking Kavadi, was another truly surreal moment for me. I remembered  being 12 or 13 watching that clip for the first time and thinking this was exactly what interested me the most. All these years later with half a decade of counter work at Cold Steel under my belt and a relatively new position with the Body Piercing Archive, I couldn’t help but be so thankful for Fakir’s unexpected influence on my life.

Photo by Paul King

The second half of the exhibit highlight ed Body Play Magazine and the Fakir Intensives School. Printed media, photography, and graphic design were all large parts of Fakir’s life; Body Play Magazine was the culmination of all of these passions and interests. Original working layouts of the magazine could be seen alongside their completed counterparts and final editions.

Photo by Paul King

The Fakir Intensives School was many people’s first hand experience with Fakir, and the foundation of so many memories. It was great photos or even be able to see themselves evolve over the many years they had attended or been an instructor. I love knowing that Fakir got to spend the second half of his life immersed in the community he desperately searched for in his early years. He got to witness first hand the impact he had on our industry, and on so many people’s lives—not something many get to experience in their lifetime.

Photo by Paul King

The backdrop for this more recent history was a grand display of the most iconic hand fabricated objects and sculpture associated with Fakir. The Bed of Blades and Bed of Nails from his first public performance at the 1977 international tattoo convention in Reno, Nevada, the Sword Swing and wooden and aluminum “encumberments” seen in various photoshoots, the horizontal suspension rig used for countless people’s spiritual flights, the Witches Cradle seen in Body Play Magazine, and the Kavadi featured on the poster for Dances Sacred and Profane. The sheer amount of work and devotion Fakir put into his spiritual endeavors and “body play” was inspiring.

Photo by Paul King

The culmination of the exhibit was a small curtained room that, once entered, dazzled the viewer with a bright display of red and gold. Before this room had even been filled, the impact of the change of color and tone brought those of us there to tears. The alter that was set up within was lovingly curated by Grin, a Fakir Intensives instructor and close friend of Fakir and Cléo. Flowers, candles, and sentimental objects were all present and served as a beautiful tribute to a person whose vast career and extraordinary life could hardly be contained within any exhibit walls.

The Body Piercing Archive would like to thank all docents, speakers, and volunteers that gave their energy, love, and time.

Special Thanks to: Cléo Dubois, Jim Ward, Annie Sprinkle, Veronica Vera, Ken Coyote, Paul King, Becky Dill, Ian Bishop, Allen Falkner, Dustin Allor, Cody Vaughn, Betty Ann Peed, Jef Saunders, Cynthia Wright, Yossi Silverman, Grin, Paul Fox, Jamie Biggers, Matte Erikson, John Balk, Theo Williams, Jenna Dittrich, Rafael Diaz, Pablo Perelmuter, Danny Greenwood

Point 88: Volunteers, Thank You

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by Jacob Spjut

Pre-Conference Volunteer Meeting
Photo by Darrin Walters, courtesy of Paul Rainer

Every year The Point publishes a thank you letter from Caitlin McDiarmid after the annual APP Conference. This is a wonderful opportunity to express through writing, and with a readership that may not have attended that year, or ever, appreciation from an individual in a leadership position. Caitlin does wonders to remind her “ducklings” that their contribution is noticed and has an impact. This year, though, we are trying something different.

I was very fortunate to be asked to write a thank you letter to the volunteers this year. Most volunteers are aware, but for those who do not know, I, during my first year as a volunteer in 2013, created the tradition of the “bus stop speech.” So, being able to compose a piece of writing that illuminates the thanks that I feel to those who work so hard is humbling.

The dedication of those involved with helping to create the APP Conference every year is astounding. It would not be mischaracterizing to say that the contribution made by every volunteer, every year, helps to continue the single greatest educational and social event our industry has ever had. While there are great opportunities for piercers to join together in the name of education at events all over the world, the event held every year in Las Vegas is paramount to the future of our industry.

Why is it important to have this image of grandiosity in one’s mind when reading a thank you letter? Because this grand event—and I mean to use that word, grand, in its full power— would not, and could not, exist if not for the volunteers that place their time, energy, resources, and soul into bringing it to life. It is easy for a lot of these volunteers to disappear from what is seen when an attendee is at Conference, as they are almost always on the run to their next task, but their contribution must be noted. The volunteer family, which   I am honored to have a part in, truly creates something otherworldly.

Volunteers at the closing party
Photo by Autumn Swisher

But, though we have a great number of volunteers who, over the last number of years, have ascended themselves to become great leaders in our group, the very foundation is built squarely upon the shoulders of the tiniest giant, Caitlin. To say so is not to dismiss the tremendous amount of work put in by so many other people every year, but, as a group, we are guided almost exclusively by Caitlin. This is what I am here to give thanks for.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once remarked that if you want to build a ship you must not just gather men to collect wood, divide the work, and give orders. One must instead teach those building to yearn for the endless sea. A great leader creates a community that is driven to greatness by establishing a common goal and aspiration. In a time when a word like “leader” is greatly diluted to mean any number of qualities required by an individual working together with others, finding the  exceptional qualities in an individual that represents something bordering on ethereal must be undertaken. It is not so difficult with Caitlin.

When a volunteer becomes tired, yearns for home, and is overexposed to the infinite possibilities presented at Conference, they seek the guidance of such a leader as Caitlin. We seek solace in Caitlin’s empathy and are rejuvenated by her desire to see us succeed. She drives any individual to work towards what they, deep inside, feel is right and worth accomplishing. This is most apparent in her approach to the Al D. Scholars that grace our group every year with new skills and with new eyes.

It is almost a cliche to say that coming on as a Scholar creates a great deal of internal turmoil that makes the very act of walking into the hotel the first day feel burdensome. When that level of apprehension poisons the well of one’s experience before it even begins, it takes an exceptional personality to bring that individual back above water and into a space that helps to build them up again.

Pre-Conference Volunteer breakfast at Bouchon of The Venetian

In the atmosphere Caitlin has cultivated, many have risen to make real change outside of their specific Conference duties, as well. Some are elected to be APP Board Members. Others become teachers. A few have even found work in studios they had once viewed as unattainable.

Caitlin, who is the first to interact with all new volunteers, welcomes all that want to progress the group and industry forward. In her kindness we find acceptance. In her diligence we find strength. We look to her because she not only gets us to love the endless sea, she paradoxically tames it for us while also allowing us to ride its tumultuous waves. This helps create, in those that allow it to be created, an antifragility, to use a term from Nassim Nicholas Taleb. We find we can accomplish anything, thanks to the strength we garner from her.

To many who attend Conference she is a recognizable name; a quiet speech giver at the closing party; a name at the bottom of an email from the APP. To us, her volunteer family, she is Mama Duck, and I do not think I am out of line to speak for every volunteer in expressing our gratitude for her presence and guidance. Thank you, Caitlin.

Point 87: Tiny

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Piercing and Photos by Fakir Musafar

Meet Tiny, the first African-American to appear in Piercing Fans International Quarterly. She was featured in issues 12 (1981) and 14 (1982). Fakir performed the nostril piercing using a pin vice, his tool of choice in the early days before super sharp, disposable piercing needles.

As I recall, the labret piercing was faked. A gold bead was glued to her lower lip, and a gold back of my own fabrication placed inside. The back design would never have been satisfactory.

It would take over a decade of trial and error before the best placement would be worked out and appropriate jewelry designed.—Jim Ward


Point 87: Walk on the Wild Side with Annie Sprinkle

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by Paul King, Body Piercing Archive

On the cover of Piercing Fans International Quarterly (PFIQ)
Annie in the Mobilia Chair
Shopping for photo lights with Fakir Musafar in the early 1980s.

Having Dr. Annie Sprinkle speak at our conference has been a personal dream of mine for years. For those familiar with our community’s history, she needs no introduction or explanation for her importance, not to mention her greater celebrity within the performance art and adult entertainment worlds. She will be sharing her-story Wednesday May 16, 2019, at 12:30pm.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see an original lecture created just for the APP Conference:

Take a Walk on the Wild Side: an Exploration of Annie Sprinkle’s NYC Underground Piercing Scene.

Most often our piercing history has been told from a Westcoast male perspective. For the first time, Annie will take us deep inside the East Coast piercing scene: the parties, publications, films, and crazy personalities of the 1970s’ and 1980s’ New York.

Annie Sprinkle was a NYC prostitute and porn star for twenty-two years, then morphed into an artist and sexologist. She has passionately explored sexuality for over forty years, sharing her experiences through making her own unique brand of feminist sex films, writing books and articles, visual art making, creating theater performances, and teaching. Annie has consistently championed sex worker rights and health care and was one of the pivotal players of the Sex Positive Movement of the 1980’s. She got her BFA at School of Visual Arts in NYC was the first porn star to earn a Ph.D..

She’s a popular lecturer whose work is studied in many colleges and Universities. For the past seventeen years she has been collaborating on art projects with her partner, an artist and UCSC professor, Elizabeth Stephens. They are movers and shakers in the new “ecosex movement,” committed to making environmentalism more sexy, fun and diverse. In 2013, Sprinkle proudly received the Artist/Activist/ Scholar Award from Performance Studies International at Stanford and was awarded the Acker Award for Excellence in the Avant Garde. –Annie Sprinkle

Point 87: Fakir Musafar — In Pursuit of the Spirit

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On August 1, 2018, the piercing community grieved the passing of one of its greatest piercing pioneers, Roland Loomis aka Fakir Musafar. Just nine days shy of his 88th birthday, vibrant, and productive until very near the end, it is difficult to wrap one’s head around the breadth of his cultural contributions!

In honor and celebration of Fakir Musafar’s life, the Body Piercing Archive (BPA) will present, Fakir Musafar: In Pursuit of the Spirit. This will be the most  comprehensive  exhibit  that  has ever been seen on Fakir’s art and legacy.  Over 2,000 square feet will be staged with his original iconic images and  fabricated  sculptures made famous over eight decades of accumulated artwork and Body Play. Many items have never been on public display.  The  show will run from Monday May 13 through Thursday May 17, 2019, at Planet Hollywood, in Las Vegas, from 10 am to 6 pm.

Specially selected docents were chosen to lead tours. Each guide has known Fakir for decades and in different contexts. We encourage you to attend as many of the tours as you can for new information and differing perspectives. Docents bring the material to life, so don’t miss out!

The highlights of the BPA program occurs on Wednesday, May 16. The day’s program begins at 10 am with the world premiere presentation by Jim Ward, Fakir & Me, a one and a half hour lecture that gives an overview to their historically important, yet complex, personal relationship. Then at 12:30 pm, the legendary Annie Sprinkle will give her inaugural APP presentation, Take a Walk on the Wild Side, in which Annie discusses the impact their meeting had on both of their personal lives and careers. The day wraps up with Fakir Musafar: an Evening of Remembrance and Celebration, with presentations by Ken Coyote and Dustin Allor of the Fakir Intensives, Allen Falkner, and the keynote speaker, Fakir’s life partner for more than 30 years, Cleo Dubois. The evening program runs from 6 pm to 8:30 pm and is open to all.

Exhibit Hours:

  • Monday 10 am–6 pm
  • Tuesday 10 am–6 pm
  • Wednesday 10 am–6 pm
  • Thursday 10 am–6 pm

“To not have encumberments, to not have
holes in your body, to not have tattoos may be
debilitating—this is something people have to
consider…being comfortable isn’t necessarily
living a “good” life—that’s the myth, but
it’s not true. Living an uncomfortable life is
sometimes far more satisfactory that a placid,
bovine existence…People may be missing
beautiful, rich experiences because of cultural
biases and conceit.”
—V. Vale and Andrea Juno,
Modern Primitives, 1989, 15.

Monday Docent Tours:
Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Ian Bishop 1 pm–2 pm
Allen Falkner 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Dustin Allor 4 pm–5 pm

Adolescent Roland — his birth name — with neck ropes and stenciled on tattoos
Standing on a bed of red cutlass blades, 1963
Dressed with posture collar, stretched nipples, and tight belt.

Tuesday Docent Tours:
Cody Vaughn 10 am–11 am
Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Ian Bishop 1 pm–2 pm
Betty Ann Peed 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Jef Saunders 4 pm–5 pm

“Body Play is a process that courts unusual feelings and states of consciousness which,
in the end, result in elevated consciousness (we know something we didn’t know before).
In practice, Body Play is aimed at increasing ‘body awareness.’ That is to make one increasingly aware of one or more distinct body parts. You pierce an ear, you are aware that
it exists. You constrict the torso with a tight corset and you are constantly aware that it
exists. When the new ‘body state’ feels ‘natural’, the effect is heightened to again bring
back the desired state of ‘body awareness’ (the ear piercing is stretched larger, the corset
tightened). Finally, no matter how extreme you apply the ‘change of state’ that change
feels natural and you are empowered.”—Fakir Musafar, Body Play, v. 1 no. 1, 1992.

Fakir experimenting with breast clamp O-Kee-Pa
Fakir lies on a bed of nails while Sailor Sid hammers a wooden block on his back as a part of the entertainment at the Reno ITTA tattoo convention in 1977 photo by Doug Malloy

Wednesday Docent Tours:
Cynthia Wright 10 am–11 am
Ken Coyote 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Yossi Silverman 1 pm–2 pm
Grin 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Annie Sprinkle 4 pm–5 pm
An Evening of Remembrance & Celebration
6 pm–8:30 pm with Ken Coyote, Dustin Allor,
Allen Falkner, and keynote speaker, Cleo
Dubois presenting Fakir, the Bigger Picture.

An illustration Fakir created for the fetish magazine Bizarre
Fakir stretching his nipples

Thursday Docent Tours:
Grin 10 am–11 am
Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Allen Falkner 1 pm–2 pm
Cynthia Wright 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Ken Coyote 4 pm–5 pm

Fakir and his wife Cleo on a Princess Cruise in 2014

Point 86: Biomaterials & Trustworthy Sources

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Why materials from countries without strict quality control requirements are unacceptable for jewelry

by Brian W. Skellie, APP Medical Director

Does it matter where a biomaterial we use comes from?

Biomaterials made in the USA and in a short list of countries who maintain reciprocal quality control agreements can currently be verified as ASTM or ISO compliant. Those materials made outside of these qualifying countries cannot due to a lack of quality control protocols and lack of consequences for substandard and falsified products. The provenance of the material should be listed on the certificate of tests.

Is knowing the chemistry enough?

Learning what the ingredients are, as well  as the proportions of a material, is a minimum step in the right direction to indicate that it does contain what we need, and does not contain harmful impurities over a certain threshold. Chemical tests are not confirmation of quality by themselves. The only way to be sure about the quality of the material is to have reliable chemical and microstructure tests performed under strictly regulated controls during the final purification melt and on the ingot (block of metal) produced, prior to forming it into bar, wire, sheet, etc. We must be assured that the correct ingredients have been mixed and cooked together in the correct way, and that the material has been treated and handled correctly during the process according to the ASTM and ISO specifications. There is more to the ASTM and ISO standards than chemistry. So if a certificate says “chemistry only” the material has not been fully tested to fulfill the material properties required by the standard, and may break or include foreign matter among other disadvantages. Basically, we want the raw materials to fully meet the standards for surgical implant, and we want documented proof that it was tested and completely fulfills all the requirements during the melting of the alloy. No misleading shortcuts. No half-steps. Add a proper surface finish, cleaning, passivation, and sterilization and then we can wear it with a clear conscience.

Currently, our requirements for gold, niobium, and platinum are measured based on chemistry alone. We have a strong theoretical rationale to use them based on the fact that they are three of the most biocompatible elements and have a longstanding history of acceptable level of response in the body. Unfortunately, they are not as strong when compared to other biomaterials, and do not have the same sort of detailed specifications for use in the body. For gold and platinum, because of proprietary alloys and strict legal regulation for the karat content, the chemical analysis is all we have access to if we don’t use gold or platinum group metal alloys that have already been through ISO 10993 testing for biocompatibility. Gold and platinum group metals are frequently mentioned in biomaterials and dental implant science texts as inert substances with low potential for allergy

“CORROSION AND CORROSION CONTROL IN THE BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

“The need to ensure minimal corrosion has been the major determining factor in the selection of metals and alloys for use in the body. Two broad approaches have been adopted. The first has involved the use of noble metals, that is, those metals and their alloys for which the electrochemical series indicates excellent corrosion resistance. Examples are gold, silver, and the platinum group of metals. Because of cost and relatively poor mechanical properties, these are not used for major structural applications, although it should be noted that gold and its alloys are extensively used in dentistry; silver is sometimes used for its antibacterial activity; and platinum-group metals (Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh) are used in electrodes.”

1 Biomaterials science: an introduction to materials in medicine, Buddy D. Ratner https://books.google.com/books?id=Uzmrq7LO7loC  page 434

For this reason, and historical antecedents we feel comfortable with some gold alloys for initial piercing jewelry. Most of our evidence related to gold for use in jewelry is based upon historical, that is to say experiential and anecdotal sources. Gold has been used in jewelry fabrication since prehistoric times, and has had a similar length of history in surgical and dental applications.

Gold implants are used in various medical procedures, including reconstructive surgery of the middle ear, upper lid closure in facial nerve paresis-induced lagophthalmos, drug delivery microchips, antitumor treatment, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, use on the surface of voice prostheses, and endovascular stents, with sound clinical results.

2 Demann, Eric TK, Pamela S. Stein, and James E. Haubenreich. “Gold as an implant in medicine and dentistry.” Journal of long-term effects of medical implants 15.6 (2005). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16393135

Who should understand our jewelry standards?

Our standards are necessary for jewelers and regulators as well as piercers, healthcare professionals, and the public. APP publications have previously addressed the general public as the primary audience for our jewelry standards. Our simplified explanation of the rationale for our jewelry standards is helpful for clients, but not specific enough for regulators, and missing information for jewelers. We have chosen to rely firmly upon specifications that have been pulled from medical and dental implant sciences, and voted to allow to permit the use of certain traditional jewelry materials that are composed of biocompatible elements which seem to demonstrate an acceptable response in the body. This represents two categories of materials: specified and agreed upon.

The specified biomaterials are exact standards for materials that can be purchased ready to use for making body jewelry based on evidence that meets CDC recommendation Category IA: Strongly recommended for implementation and strongly supported by well-designed experimental, clinical, or epidemiologic studies.

This would include all biomaterials which have been developed using ASTM and ISO standard specifications for implantation.

The agreed upon materials of gold and platinum alloys, niobium, and fused quartz, soda lime, and borosilicate glass are within the ideal of CDC recommendation Category II: Suggested for implementation and supported by suggestive clinical or epidemiologic studies or by a theoretical rationale. For example, there is strong evidence that the pure elemental form of each of these materials are well accepted by the body, and they should retain that quality when alloyed until a threshold level of sensitizing or toxic elements are added to the mix. ASTM F2999 and F2923 limit the harmful levels of toxins based on California Prop 65.

Why are material standards important to understand?

Our standards are based on utility rather than our own invention. We use existing medical and dental expertise for materials that are currently being used in human implants and prosthesis. We rely upon a body of evidence and experimentation that we as an industry have not yet become capable of doing ourselves. For this reason, it is important for us to find and understand reliable information from other fields that can be applied to our own.

Why is the language we use important to describe standards to the public, jewelers, and regulatory authorities?

Simple descriptions should be clear for the biomaterials we choose for body jewelry. Existing materials which are made to ASTM and ISO implant specifications are tested according to consensus based scientific standards to ensure long term safety in the body. We choose these material specifications to avoid reinventing the wheel, and the ISO 10993 series of tests for those new wheels can be prohibitively expensive. We use the specifications F67, F136, F138, F1295 etc as a summation of what we need for safe materials, before they are formed into jewelry. We should not have to elaborate the minutiae of these specifications to know that they are applicable and achievable for our purposes. Can get away with less precision? Not without introducing high levels of risk.

Understanding biomaterials is one of my goals as both an experienced professional piercer and long time member of ASTM Committee F04 on Medical and Surgical Materials and Devices. I hope that some of the information we have to share is helpful to you.

Footnotes:

1 Biomaterials Science: an Introduction to Materials in Medicine, Buddy D. Ratner http://books.google.com/books?id=Uzmrq7LO7loC page 434

2 Demann, Eric TK, Pamela S. Stein, and James E. Haubenreich. “Gold as an implant in medicine and dentistry.” Journal of long-term effects of medical implants 15.6 (2005). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16393135

Point 86: Studio Building & Renovation Basics

Comments Off on Point 86: Studio Building & Renovation Basics read Business Practices, Features, Issue 86

by Gene Gowen

Cold River Piercing & Fine Jewelry, Albany NY

It is a privilege to contribute to the first issue of The Point for 2019, and to lend my experience to the theme of “Our Future” as an industry.

This is an industry of small businesses and entrepreneurs, and with small business and the entrepreneurial spirit comes the possibility of ownership and the hope of deciding one’s own fate. For many, that means building or renovating your own work space, sometimes needing to meet specific building codes, or perhaps to meet APP environmental criteria for membership.

Cold River Piercing & Fine Jewelry, Albany NY, main showroom under construction.

Whatever small business experience you’re coming from or going to as a piercer—opening your own free-standing studio or developing space in a tattoo shop—hopefully this article serves as a useful guide. You will learn what can be expected, as well as some things to remember in building out a commercial space. Opening and closing tattoo and piercing studios is nothing new, and I’m sure there are those currently with multiple locations who could speak on this. In this article, I will be focused more on speaking to those who are branching out on their own, whether it is renovating their own piercing room or attempting their first studio space.

I have renovated and built out tattoo and piercing businesses of all shapes and sizes in both Connecticut and New York. My background was in building trades. I worked as a builder full time for more than 12 years before taking up piercing. I am trained and have worked in all forms of residential and commercial roofing, asbestos and lead abatement, custom high end deck and patio construction, residential and commercial building/additions/renovations, restorations, and residential/commercial property management and maintenance. These experiences served to help me as I prepared to build my own studio space. I am confident that they will also help you.

Cold River Piercing & Fine Jewelry, Albany NY, main showroom ready for business.

PLAN AHEAD:

Even if you end up throwing out your plan the night before you start building, plan ahead anyway. Plan for every single thing as much as you can. No detail is too small to include in your plan.

•  Plan your budget

Building costs, inventory budgets, licenses, fees, insurance, cash for your register, living expenses during start-up time are just a few of the things to think about. While these are some of the financial concerns you’ll want to plan for, sticking to them is the hard part. Building costs will likely require an experienced contractor to estimate. Your build-out budge will vary based on the amount of work you want/need to do.

•  Plan your time of year

The time of year you renovate or build your business can affect a lot of other factors. Are you building during your slow time? Is it going to cut short your cash resources? Are you scheduled to open during your slow time? Will it hamper initial success? Are you attempting major exterior work with winter approaching?

•  Plan your work

Projects can run-away from you fast. Get accurate estimates on an accurate amount of work. Stick to the work you’ve planned. Don’t just plan what work you will do, but also your timeline and order of work. Don’t have people sheetrock and cover walls before you have your electrical done. Keeping to a planned timeline, when possible, will help prevent doing the same jobs over again.

•  Plan for success

Whether it’s planning your budget, your inventory, or your build out, leave room for success. Jewelry inventories can be modest when first starting; make sure you have room to accommodate the natural increase in inventory selection that will occur as you are open longer. Having all the jewelry will matter little if you have no place to put it. You can use your initial budget to help you increase your inventory selection over time, simply by being judicious with your initial inventory orders.

Essential documentation

LOCATION:

Choose your location carefully; you’ll likely be there for awhile. There are a number of factors you should consider when picking a good potential location, whether for your own shop, or inside an existing business. Population and demographics for the area1, amount of foot traffic, and access to parking are important for both situations. Leasing costs will be necessary whether you lease your own space or sublet. Bear in mind most commercial real estate is not a simple monthly rental fee. There are often NET2 costs and CAM charges3. These fees may exist in addition to your monthly lease.

Piercing room under construction
Piercing room ready for clients

BUILDING/ZONING CODES & PERMITS:

Zoning codes will dictate whether or not your business can even exist in the location you’ve chosen, so it is best to look into this during the beginning of your process. Building codes will dictate what changes you can and can’t make, and the manner you are allowed to do them in. Codes will vary depending on area and building type. For example, a studio opening in a residential building might be able to use wood framing lumber, while something in a strip mall will likely require steel framing. The cost difference between these materials is substantial and can drastically change your build out capital requirements. These building codes not only stipulate material types and uses, but also govern handicap accessibility, historical restrictions, and acceptable and unacceptable mechanical4 conditions. A large portion of all of this work will require permits. Generally speaking only licensed contractors can pull a permit, if the work you need requires one. Permits and the subsequent inspections to verify the work are lengthy processes. In my experience, required permits and inspections can be the things that most commonly cause delays in a project.

AVOID SURPRISES:

Surprises will always arise with any building project. The goal is to eliminate as many surprises as possible beforehand. The story of building your own business changes rapidly when you unexpectedly find termite damage, asbestos wrapped pipes, or some other hidden detriment that will cost thousands of dollars and weeks of time to mitigate. A thorough property assessment by a qualified contractor including a hazardous materials survey and a EUL Report (Expected Useful Life) on mechanicals can save time and money! Even after you’ve checked for surprises, and eliminated as many variables as possible, plan a little extra time for your project as a precaution!

If you are lucky, your new studio space will require very little work. Hopefully all you need to do is some minor upgrades and a few coats of paint. Regardless of the size of your studio project, do thorough research and thoughtful planning on everything, not just your jewelry inventory and piercing supplies. I hope this article helps you on your journey, and that you are able to successfully build your own studio space. Plan carefully and thoroughly. Look for a location as objectively and as informed as you can. Follow through with the appropriate civic departments. Expect the unexpected. These are just some of the basic fundamentals of commercial building projects. Keep them in mind and it will make every step of the process easier.

Footnotes:
1 Population & Demographics: Population numbers, median age, median income, population density, education data, average debt, common professions. All of this is easily accessible information that can be found online. All of which can help inform your decisions about the area you are considering opening in. The US Census Bureau is a great place to start.
2 NET Lease: In a NET Lease, the landlord charges a lower base rent for commercial space, plus some or all of their “usual costs”, which are expenses associated with operations.
In a single net lease, renters are required to pay the base rent plus a portion of the property taxes for the building. Double net leases require the renter to pay the base rent plus taxes and property insurance costs; this is beyond your own business insurance. Triple net leases require the renter to pay base rent plus taxes, insurance, and CAM (Common Area Maintenance ) charges.
3 CAM Charges: Common Area Maintenance are expenses incurred in shared, common area, such as utilities, sidewalk maintenance, snow removal, etc.
4 Mechanicals: Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC (Heating/Venting/Air Conditioning) would be your mechanical systems. Each system has specialty contractors who works solely within their discipline and area of expertise.