Point 81: WHAT HAS PIERCING TAUGHT YOU—AN INTROSPECTIVE

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Collected by Kendra Jane B.

Body piercing and suspension have taught me that I can maintain and find my center calm in stressful situations. I can work efficiently and effective when others can’t. I’ve learned to be humble and true to myself. I have learned that people can overcome almost anything (pain, healing, criticism) that comes in their path to achieve their goals. I’ve learned that while I may just be poking holes in people, I must remember this is an experience and milestone for so many clients. I’ve learned to arrange my behaviors in such a way to make people comfortable and trust me upon the first minute of interaction. I’ve also found what makes me happy and gives me passion—Britt Riggs

I’ve learned patience and professionalism. What I’m building will never end and my skills will never be as good as they will be in the future. I’ve learned that I can completely change someone’s day and be a ray of light in their ‘story’. It’s taught me to stay humble and that I’m lucky to be in my own shoes. There are tons of people miserable in their jobs and I’m lucky to be in love with mine.-—Tyler Hamline

I already possess all the strength I need to live through anything.—Jaymes Lombardi

I have learned about my limits, and to trust my intuition. I’ve learned not to take myself too seriously, and that sometimes shit just happens. I’ve grown a thicker skin and also become a compassionate person. I’ve learned how, and the importance of, setting boundaries, and that preserving my own mental health needs to be a priority if I want to be so emotionally available for my peers and clients. And I’ve learned the power of the little things, like an extra smile or hug.—Ali Pope

That I know nothing. That being  humble goes a long way and that no matter how trivial it sometimes seems, I get to make a difference in someone’s life.—Ken Seyler

There is always more involved than just what is visible to the naked eye.—Tod Almighty

Patience, professionalism, how to have a backbone, and most of all is how beautiful people are.—Kendra Hansen

Piercing has taught me patience, kindness, to be open and to listen to others. It has taught to be kind to myself, it has shown me that everyone is different and everyone deserves to be educated and treated like it is their birthday, even if they aren’t your clients.—Nina Mikulin

That I am capable of more than I ever thought possible, how to be patient, and most of all, how absolutely beautiful people are. I’ve found so much joy, gratitude, and humbleness in this industry.—Taryn Dahlgren

I have learned how to love myself in more ways than I could explain. I grew up, toughened up, and learned how to be a light for many people. I’ve made connections deep enough to find a new meaning in what I consider a family.—Corey DeMelo

That I’m not bad at ‘physical’ or intricate work. All through growing up, I thought I was a kid who was good at things like reading and writing and bad at everything else. I found learning to pierce much more difficult than any studying I’d ever done in the past, but so much more enjoyable and rewarding, and my drive to want to do this is what pushed me forward when I found it hard. I’m constantly surprised at how quickly I can pick up new things now. Becoming a piercer has honestly raised my self esteem because until that point, other people had made me believe that I was a ‘bright kid academically who couldn’t do a good job of practical things.’—Becky Crossan

That I didn’t have to stay in the situation I was given. That dedication and strength of will can lead me to anything I want to do. That my experience of joy can also help others find their joy. It taught me patience and empathy.—Ryan Archuleta

Point 81: LEARNING STYLES

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Kendra Jane B., Point Editor

Most of us have spent the greater portion of our life up to this point on the planet learning. It may have been in the structured classroom setting of a university, or it may have been the wide open fields that come with being home schooled. No matter how we have come to where we are in our life, all of our previous experiences have been learning experiences. Learning is the process which combines action and reflection. There are many things that we can do in order to make ourselves  better learners.

The first thing to do is to have a good understanding of how you learn so that you can maximize your strengths, adapt existing strategies, and develop new techniques for yourself. One of the best ways to maximize this learning is by becoming aware of your learning style(s). Some individuals will have one dominant learning style, whereas others will have more than one area of strength. You may also find that you utilize one learning style in a particular setting while using a different one under other circumstances.

Becoming a piercer may not have the same types of learning curves that other careers have, however it is still learning-centric and most piercers take the full responsibility of learning their craft and trade on them- selves. In this article we are going to discuss one classification of learning styles, the VARK, that focuses on four specific styles in which students take in information; visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. Some students are visual learners, while others are auditory or kinesthetic learners. While students use all of their senses to take in information, they seem to have preferences in how they learn best. (Gilakjani, 2012) There are a great many resources available to read, videos to watch, podcasts to listen to, or even other piercers to shadow and learn hands-on from. Many of us will often gravitate to one of these learning styles over another, finding that it works better for us.

The VARK Questionnaire Scoring Chart

Use the following scoring chart to find the VARK category that each of your answers correspond to. Circle the letters that correspond to your answers e.g. If you answered b and c for question 3, circle V and R in the question 3 row.

It is important to remember that the results indicate a ‘rule of thumb’ and need not be rigidly applied. Remember that the questionnaire is not intended to ‘box’ respondents into a mindset that they have been ‘diagnosed’. Rather, it is designed to initiate discussion about, and reflection upon, learning preferences.

As students, we learn best by seeing the value and importance of the information we have been present- ed with. If we are not interested in the material presented, we will not want to learn it. Students learn in many different ways. Visual learners learn by viewing charts, graphs, and pictures. Auditory learners learn by listening to lectures and verbal explanations. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing and tactile practice. Students can prefer one, two, or three learning styles. (Gilakjani, 2012)

Learning styles may be defined in multiple ways, depending upon one’s perspective. Here are a few definitions of learning styles: Brown (2000) defines learning styles as the manner in which individuals perceive and process information in learning situations. He argues that learning style preference is one aspect of learning style, and refers to the choice of one learning situation or condition over another. Celcia-Murcia (2001) defines learning styles as the general approaches—for example, global or analyt- ic, auditory or visual—that students use in acquiring a new language or in learning any other subject. Learning style is sometimes defined as the characteristic cognitive, affective, social, and physiological behaviors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how learners perceive, interact  with,  and  respond to the learning environment (MacKeracher, 2004). The remainder of this article will discuss the three main learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

For our purposes, we will be consolidating the visual/ reading and kinesthetic/writing portions of VARK.

Visual

Visual learners think in pictures and learn best with visual images. They depend on the instructor’s or facilitator’s non-verbal cues such as body language to help them with understanding and comprehension. Sometimes, visual learners favor sitting in the front of the classroom. They may also take descriptive notes about the material being presented.

Someone with a Visual learning style has a preference for seen or observed things, including pictures, diagrams, demonstrations, displays, handouts, films, flip-chart, etc. These people will use phrases such as ‘show me,’ ‘let’s have a look at that,’ and will be best able to perform a new task after reading the instructions or watching someone else do it first. These are the people who will work from lists and written directions and instructions.

Visual learners will:

  • Take detailed notes rather than get involved in discussions
  • Tend to sit in the front so they can see clearly
  • Benefit from illustrations and presentations, and especially those in color
  • Make comments like:
    • “How do you see the situation?”
    • “What do you see stopping  you?”
    •  “Do you see what I am showing you?”

Auditory

These individuals discover information through lis- tening and interpreting information by the means of pitch, emphasis, and speed. Auditory learners gain knowledge from reading out loud in the classroom and may not have a full understanding of information that is written (Ldpride,n.d.).

Someone with an Auditory learning style has a preference for the transfer of information through listening; whether to the spoken word, of self or others, of sounds and noises. These people will use phrases such as ‘tell me,’ ‘let’s talk it over,’ and will be best able to perform a new task after listening to instructions from an expert. These are the people who are happy being given spoken instructions over the telephone, and can remember all the words to songs that they hear!

Auditory learners will:

  • Enjoy discussions and talking things through and listening to others
  • Acquire knowledge by reading aloud
  • Hum and/or talk to themselves
  • Make comments like:
    • “I hear you clearly.”
    • “I’m wanting you to listen.”
    • “This sounds good.”

Kinesthetic

Individuals that are kinesthetic learn best with an active “hands-on” approach. These learners favor interaction with the physical world. Most of the time kinesthetic learners have a difficult time staying on target and can become unfocused effortlessly.

Someone with a Kinesthetic learning style has a preference for physical experience – touching, feeling, holding, doing, and other practical hands-on experiences. These people will use phrases such as ‘let me try,’ ‘how do you feel,’ and will be best able to perform a new task by going ahead and trying it out, learning as they go. These are the people who like to experiment and never look at the instructions first!

Kinesthetic learners will:

  • Need lots of breaks and will want to move around
  • Speak with their hands and gestures
  • Remember what was done, but have difficulty with what was said or seen
  • Learn through doing activities
  • Make comments like:
    • “How do you feel about this?”
    • “Let’s move forward together.”
    • “Are you in touch with what I am saying?”

Previous studies concerning visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles according to Dunn and

Dunn (1978) conclude that only 20-30% of school age children appear to be auditory learners, 40% are visual learners, and 30-40% are tactile/kinesthetic or visual/ tactile learners. Barbe and Milone (1981) stated that for grade school children the most frequent modality strengths are visual (30%) or mixed (30%), followed by auditory (25%), and then by kinesthetic (15%). Price, Dunn, and Sanders (1980) found that very young chil- dren are the most tactile/kinesthetic. They concluded that there is a gradual development of visual strengths through the elementary grades, and that only in fifth or sixth grade can most youngsters learn and retain information through the auditory sense. Carbo (1983), investigating the perceptual styles of readers, found that good readers prefer to learn through their visual and auditory senses, while poor readers have a stronger preference for tactile and kinesthetic learning.

One of the most significant issues in learning to learn is an individual taking the responsibility for their own acquisition of knowledge. The individuals should know what their own learning styles are and what characteristics this style has, and that they should thereby behave according to this style. In this way, the individual can acquire the constantly changing and increasing amount of information without need for the assistance of others. When the learner takes the responsibility of their own learning, they attribute meaning to the process of learning. They develop an understanding of their own form of learning style and become much more satisfied with the environment they interact with. Every opportunity for learning is a chance for them. It is in the learner’s hand to use different methods and develop learning styles to some extent (Coffield, 2004).

There are three particularly vital reasons that understanding and utilizing learning styles are import- ant. First of all, people’s learning styles will vary because everyone is naturally different from one another. Secondly, it offers the opportunity to teach by using a wide range of methods in an effective way. Sticking to just one model will create a monotonous learning environment, so not everyone will enjoy the lesson. In other words, learning and teaching will be just words and not rooted in reality. Thirdly, we can manage many things in education and communication if we really recognize the groups we are called (Felder, Silverman, 1988; Coffield et al., 2004).

Learning style has an important place in the lives of individuals. When the individual knows their learning style, they will integrate it in the process of learning so they will learn more easily, more quickly, and be more successful. Another advantage of the identification of learning style by the student is that it will help the student to become an effective problem solver. The more successful the individual is at solving the problems they face, the more control they will take over their own life (Biggs, 2001). It is important for individuals to receive education in areas suitable for their learning styles. A person educated in an area having no relationship to their learning style may lack confidence and they may be less successful; as a result, they may become frustrated.

Knowledge of learning style also provides information to the student as to why they have learned in a different way than others. It helps to control the process of learning. As a student gains an understanding of their learning style and becomes autonomous, they will take responsibility for their own education. This has to be part of the learning process to enable the individual to obtain knowledge, which constantly shifts and changes, without any help from others. Confidence in learning will consistently rise when learners know how to learn. Learning to learn and grasping knowledge in a suitable manner will lessen the need for an overbearing control by teachers. At this point, teachers guide the students. The students take responsibility for their learning, they are at the center of the process, and everything is under their control. They search answers to the problems and benefit from their unique performances and preferences in their learning styles. Those people will identify their aims, unlike those whose learning style preferences are not identified. They know what they want to learn and “how.” This awareness will change their perspectives on learning new things (Fidan, 1986).

It is very important to understand and explore each individual’s learning style. Analyzing one’s own particular learning style can be very helpful and beneficial to the student by aiding them in becoming more focused as an attentive learner, which ultimately will increase educational success. Discovering this learning style will allow the student to determine their own personal strengths and weaknesses and learn from them.

As piercers, we should be focused on perpetually improving our knowledge and craft. Understanding the most effective learning methods for us personally will help in this pursuit. As practitioners, understanding the different learning modalities will aid in our client interactions. Catering our aftercare speeches, placement explanations, and informational discussions to the learning styles of our clients will improve their grasp and understanding. Even though we don’t work in traditional classrooms, the dissemination of knowledge is a major component of our industry.

References

Barbe, W. B., & Milone, M. N. (1981). What we know about modality strengths. Educational Leadership, 38 (5), 378-380.

Biggs, J. (2001). Enhancing Learning: A Matter of Style or Approach? Perspectives on Thinking, Learning and Cognitive Styles, R. J. Sternberg, L. F. Zhang (Eds.). Mahwah, Lawrance Erlbaum Associates, N. J.

Carbo, M. (1983). Research in reading and learning style: Implications for exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 49, 486-494. Celce-Marcia, M. (2001). Teaching English as a second or foreign language, (3rd ed.). Dewey Publishing Services: NY.

Coffield, F. (2004). Learning Styles and Pedagogy in Post-16 Learning. A Systematic and Critical Review. Learning and Skills Research Centre, London.

Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1978). Teaching Students through their Individual Learning Styles. A Practical Approach. Prentice Hall, Reston, VA.

Hyland, K. (1993). Culture and learning: a study of the learning style preferences of Japanese students. RELC Journal. Felder, R. M., & Silverman, L. K. (1988). Learning and teaching styles in engineering education. Eng.Educ.,78674-681. Fidan, N. (1986). Learning and Teaching at School, Concepts, Principles, Methods. Ankara: Publication.

Fleming, N.D. & Mills, C. (1992). Not Another Inventory, Rather a Catalyst for Reflection. To Improve the Academy, 11.

Giliakjani, Abbas Pourhossein. (2012) Visual, Auditory, kinesthetic Learning Styles and Their Impacts on English Language Teaching. Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran English Language Department, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.

MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Price, G. E., Dunn, R., & Sanders, W. (1980) Reading achievement and learning style characteristics. The Clearing House, 5.

Peyman, Hadi et al. (2014)“Using VARK Approach for Assessing Preferred Learning Styles of First Year Medical Sciences Students: A Survey from Iran.” Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research.

https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/aacc/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.aacc/files/tipsheets/

http://education.seattlepi.com/teaching-strategies-different-learning-styles-4007.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles https://wss.apan.org/jko/mls/Learning%20Content/ILS_Validation(IJEE).pdf https://web.wlu.ca/learning_resources/pdfs/Learning_Styles.pdf

http://vark-learn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-VARK-Questionnaire.pdf

Point 81: Learning Outside of Conference

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PROGRESSIVE MENTORSHIP BY RYAN OUELLETTE

While Jesse Villemaire and Efix Roy focus primarily on health and safety courses (in both English and French) in Canada, my primary focus is on techniques and their application. I offer shadowing sessions for profession- al piercers in my New Hampshire studio, Precision Body Arts. Shadowing allows a piercer to witness techniques and client interactions first hand to help expand their knowledge base. I offer short seminars annually at the Boston Tattoo Convention, but I hope to expand my USA seminar offerings to full day classes at my studio and at host studios in the USA in 2018. I also volunteer teaching time at several conferences worldwide including APP, UKAPP, BMXnet, LBP, and GEP in Brazil. I look forward to continuing volunteer instruction to bring safe practices to as many piercers as possible. I can be contacted through my website www.precisionbodyarts.com/ as well as www.progressivementorship.com.


Ryan Ouellette teaching at APP Conference 2017. Photo by Autumn Swisher
Private Classes—Jef Saunders

I provide a variety of different educational experiences. In addition to teaching for the Fakir Intensives and the Association of Professional Piercers, I have been an instructor in Mexico at LBP, in Brazil at GEP, and in Great Britain at UKAPP. I provide my own line of classes, called the Advanced Fundamentals series, and have provided these classes at several shops all over North America. Topics discussed include disposable piercing studios as well as techniques classes on specific piercings like the nostril, nipple, navel, daith, tragus, and rook. I also provide in-shop consultations. You can book me for an Advanced Fundamentals class catered to your needs or a shop consultation by contacting me at Jef@JefSaunders.com

Private Classes—Aiden Johnson

I teach classes about the various metals used for body jewellery, their pros and cons, their history and source, how they are created, and their uses within pierc- ing. I have taught at UKAPP (2015, 2017), APP (2017), and BMXnet (2017). My life before piercing was as a Mechanical Engineer for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) where I specialised in materials testing and quality control. Now I’m a professional guest artist and jewellery manufacturer. I have also taught private seminars based around increasing sales and efficiency within a studio, and I am planning a new sales seminar for UKAPP next year. I’m based in the UK, but travel for work, so the best way to contact me is through Instagram (@aidenmustdie) or Facebook (Aiden Johnson).


In-Person BBP classes (California Industry Specific)—Lee A. Ballesteros

This class is geared to anyone who is associated with the body art industry in California. The Safe Body Art Act in CA requires that all persons who are at risk of exposure to BBP undergo yearly industry specific training. This course has been crafted to expressly address all aspects of body piercing and tattoo studio regulations and precautions that will be necessary to conform to these needs. Covered topics are fully inclusive of the BBP Standard, best practices within our industry, and what the Safe Body Art Act means to us. I have built my course to seamlessly transition between the BBP Standard, which is Federal Law, and the CA Safe Body Art Act, which is for us in California studios. I cover the common sense stuff, the  hard stuff, and then delve deeper to help you discover what can be done to protect yourself and your clients. Knowledge is power and you must be familiar with all the ins and outs of the law to wield this power. If you have chosen to be in this profession, you must also make the conscious choice to be a professional about it. No other course will do this for you, and no other instructor is as committed to the personal experience as I am. Although we all have our regular BBP certification that is usually completed online, nothing can replace an in-person course with respects to understanding just how much we need to do to keep ourselves and our customers safe. Questions and discussion are immediately available. Since we do this all day, every day, we tend to become lax after a time. How much attention is paid when you do the online course? Do you find yourself tuning out? Make it a more engaging event; one that can save your life.

Lee A. Ballesteros has been a body piercer and studio owner for 25 years, and has taught her own industry specific BBP course, B.A.P., since 2011. Courses offered in the past through Coun- ty Environmental Health Departments include Sacramento County & San Joaquin County. The B.A.P. course is a recognized and approved BBP course in most California counties. This course is offered in a group setting either at your studio or through the local Health Departments.

If you would like to organize a group or host me in your studio please contact me at contactleeb@gmail.com. If you would like to ask your Health Department to offer an in person course, you can have them contact me also. Cost is $25.00 per person and includes a course booklet and certificate, good for one year. Travel time is included within an hour and a half ra- dius, while further distances are charged by the mile – so the more attendees, the less expensive it can be! The course takes approximately two and a half to three hours.

Private Educational Body Piercing Seminars—Luis Garcia

I started teaching my own educational seminars in 2014. I have enjoyed teaching for the APP and other organizations, but wanted to try a different format, more like a workshop, but with live piercing demos (which we cannot offer at APP and many other conferences). I wanted to concentrate on technique theory and technique application, which I feel can be more difficult to process in a conference environment. These ideas led to me teaching my first seminar at The Crypt in Arlington,Texas, a two-day ear project and surface piercing seminar.

The reception for the seminar was way better than I had hoped, but I knew I wanted to adjust the way I did things. I reworked a few things, and relaunched my seminars in 2016.

I prefer to concentrate on technique theory and technique application. I can do a set topic or two, as I have done for most of my seminars. With enough notice from a host shop, we can get the word out to your clients and book appointments for the piercing models. Many times, the students want to volunteer to be piercing models as well. The first half of the day is theory and lecture, then after lunch we cover the technique application and live piercing.

I can also offer a more “freeform” approach, as I did for a seminar at Amory Body Arts in San- ta Cruz, CA. They were concerned that the main topic I was teaching at the time (genital piercing) wouldn’t garner interest from potential client/piercing models, so I built a class around what piercings clients were willing to let me perform in front of my students (ironically half of the appointments were for genital piercings). The client would come in for the appointment, do their paperwork and select jewelry, then while the Statim sterilized, the client could sit in with the students on the theory presentation for the piercing they were about to get. This went well on several levels, breaking up the day a little more, and the clients absolutely loved learning about the piercing they were getting.

If anyone is interested in being a host shop for my seminars, please feel free to contact me at bodmodkub@gmail.com, or via Facebook message.

Point 81: Camp APP, 2017

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By Marina Pecorino, Photos by April Thomas

Tea and the art of decompression – taking a moment to relax amid the stresses of modern life.

On a warm week in October, in the woods of Georgia, piercer collected.  It started as a slow trickle, with the camp organizers and early arrivals. I puttered around Camp Daniel Morgan, getting familiar with my surroundings, claiming my bunk, and waiting for the others to arrive. To kill time, Shorty, John Robberson, and I took the boat out for its maiden voyage; we explored the shallows and coastlines of Lake Rutledge, making plans for fishing and island exploration. We had expectations that the boat would be mostly abandoned as it has been in past years, but to our surprise, this year it quickly became a favorite for many campers including the Boat Boys.

Quote from Olivia Theriault: “Camp was actually eye opening for me. Not in the same way as usual, with knowledge and action like Vegas. Although I learned more at Camp than I ever could in Vegas, I also connected to our industry in a deeper way than I knew possible. I found my spirit. I found a way to connect to altering bodies in a way deeper way than aesthetics. And I’m so ecstatic.”

Brian Skellie

That evening, campers arrived and we all sat together for our first communal dinner and an orientation meeting. The first class, Tinkering with Statims and Anodizing, took place after dark in the screen porch style classroom. In the days to follow, the classroom would morph into a hammock city, allowing campers a comfortable space to kick back during class. On this particular night, folks were tired from travel, but still remained attentive as Brian Skellie went over the dos and don’ts of Statim maintenance.

The next morning, we all awoke for breakfast followed by personal introductions. This is where we started really getting to know one another and reconnecting with our cross-country colleagues. More classes followed; our first day was themed around the topic of jewelry, with classes ranging from The Extra Terrestrial Origins of Body Jewelry and The Rise of Artisan Jewelry to New Materials for Initial Piercing. After dinner, we were joined by the Atlanta Astronomy Club. They shared their knowledge and telescope collection, allowing us to take a closer look at the rings of Saturn and craters of the Moon.

Our second full day of Camp started with breakfast and an introduction to genital beading by Ryan Ouellette. Below the belt talk and coffee; a great way to start the day. This was immediately followed by a class about estate planning presented by a local Attorney at Law, explaining the importance of making thorough arrangements. After lunch, the Atlanta Audubon Association led a workshop about Cultivating Outside Interests with a focus on bird- watching. The afternoon was filled with a Studio DIY class from Randy Smyre and roundtable discussions about industry terminology and involvement. I took some time to myself throughout the afternoon, reading in my hammock by the shore; it was blissful. The night culminated in a large and colorful bonfire courtesy of the fire team, with stories from around the circle. There were, of course, movies and games available in the  common  buildings as well. The final full day of classes began with First Aid Narcan Training directed by Atlanta Harm Reduction – with Members coming from all over the country, for many the opioid crisis is hitting particularly close to home. Lightening the mood, we all gathered after class for the group photo and swimming. Afternoon workshops started with Piercing Techniques, where we split up into small groups to discuss needle crushing, paired piercing placement, and genital piercings. The final Camp class was The Art of Decompression with Paul King and a traditional tea ceremony lead by John Johnson; what a perfect way to end classes and reflect on the Camp experience. After another delicious dinner from the kitchen team, we joined together in the main hall for raffle prizes provided by campers. Then we laid in a huge circle in the cool grass under the stars, sharing our closing thoughts, laughter, and tears; many of us have experienced a lot this year, and being together in the wilderness was a much needed retreat.

Our farewell breakfast had an almost somber tone, as folks prepared their belongings, getting ready to travel home and return to daily life. The bus departed for Atlanta and a small group stayed behind for final clean up. One final small group goodbye, and I was back in the car. I had a short drive to Atlanta with Brian Skellie, talking about industry history and our personal journeys. After dropping him off, I had several hours of alone time in the car, thinking back on the week of learning, networking, and nature. Feeling suddenly lonely and nostalgic, I listened to a few piercing podcasts and eagerly thought about the next time I’ll be able to spend quality time with piercing family.

Paul and Elayne share a relaxing moment
Shorty bemused

The kitchen crew hard   at work
Attendees discovering life outside the piercing studio
The group soaks up the sun river- side

Point 81: Laments for Rick Frueh

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Rick Frueh teaching at Camp APP

It is with a heavy heart we acknowledge the passing of Rick Frueh. Our organization and industry have lost a long-term and dedicated volunteer and safe piercing advocate.

In his time with the organization Rick taught dozens of classes over numerous conferences. He was part of the Curriculum Sub committee. As part of the Procedure Manual Update Committee/2013 (completed work) he saw the organizations’ Procedure Manual get a much needed update. His work with the Blood-borne Pathogens Committee helped to create the current online courses many of us have taken. Rick  also served on the Board  of Directors from 2011–2014 as the Medical Liaison. His hard work and dedication will be missed and our condolences go out to all of those who grieve his passing.

Gene Gowen

Like so many others, my family and I were grief stricken when we heard about the passing of Rick Frueh. For Cameron and me, the loss was more personal than professional. Though we both worked with Rick extensively, it was our friendship with Rick that brought Cameron and I together. So in no small way, Cameron and I credit Rick so much, with the beautiful family that we share today.

When I received the call that Rick had passed away, my heart sank. I felt what I can only describe as shame. Shame that I had taken time for granted. That I allowed myself to believe that everything would be ok until the Christmas holiday, when Cameron and I could visit with him. Shame that I didn’t take advantage of the little time that I had with my friend. Shame that I didn’t get a chance to tell him how much I appreciated his friendship and how grateful I was to count him as a friend.

There are definitely people who knew Rick longer than I. There are certainly people who can list Rick’s professional piercing achievements better than I ever could. What I can tell you is that Rick Frueh truly did embody the principle of Forever Learning. Though I worked with Rick every time I did a guest spot at 23rd Street Body Piercing, it was my time living with Rick during those trips, that I learned from him the most. Most nights after work or even on days off, I would return to the apartment to find him on the couch reading Mill Certs, pouring through MSDS manuals, or studying metallurgical reports. Always in the context of trying to learn as much as he could about what mattered most to him.

The days following Rick’s death, I thought about nothing other than what I could do to honor my friend and all that I learned from him. It took me days to get myself together enough to ask if I could contribute something to The Point, in his memory. I spent days crying over blank pages and blank screens, unable to get passed my own personal grief long enough to write anything down. The best I can do to honor Rick’s memory is to share what I learned from him, in the hopes that it helps the next person, as it did me. First, that it’s fine if you’re a stubborn student, as long as you can always remain a student. This is probably where Rick and I shared the most in common, though we might’ve both been too stubborn to admit it.

Second, if you’re lucky enough you may make actual friends  in  this industry. If you do, and you have the chance to, stand tall for your friends. Rick stood tall for me personally and professionally more than a few times. In this industry or in life, that can be a rare thing to come across, even rarer to count on. I could always count on Rick.

Third, it is easy to doubt yourself. Especially when so many make themselves feel bigger these days by causing doubt in others. But when  faced  with  the  trust of peers, coworkers, and clients, trust yourself. Trust your instincts. Trust your dedication. For so long I didn’t know how to do this and  it kept me from ever being able to breath as a piercer. Then one day at 23rd Street, as I was running from piercing to piercing, Rick grabbed me and simply said “I trust you, we trust you. We wouldn’t have asked you here if we didn’t. Trust yourself and you’ll be fine.”

These lessons have stayed with me. I hear them and see them everywhere I go. My life has forever been changed for the better because of Rick. Not because he taught me about piercing, but because he taught me how to be a piercer. Not simply because of his friendship, but because he showed me how I could be a better friend. Rick could see and believed in a version of me that I didn’t know I was capable of. If you’re reading this, I hope you have someone in your life who does the same for you. If not, I hope you have the chance to be that for someone else.

Rick presenting at the APP Conference 2013
Photo by April Thomas
Bethrah Szumski
Waiting for the Expo to open, APP Conference 2016
Photo by Autumn Swisher

It’s hard to write about someone’s passing when you’re having a hard time believing it’s real. Rick was a friend, a really good one. He had a big personality and wasn’t afraid to express his opinion, but he was soft spoken too. He loved feet, the color orange, and cats A LOT. What a weirdo; I loved him so much! All my thoughts about him go back to the personal stuff. The text or phone call I could 100% count on when things were rough. I’m not sure I ever fully understood him, but I really respected him.

People loved to hate Rick for being a dick online, but he was a realist. He wasn’t afraid to put it out there and be unpopular. I often watched that with a combination of admiration and envy. Despite what the critics had to say, he did a ton for the industry. He continually sought to further his education for the benefit of body piercing. He founded the most active social media group for us and that brought the use of good jewelry and the drive to become an APP Member forward light years. I know I’m doing this no justice, but it can’t wait for me to get my head around it enough to be articulate. I’m wrecked over this loss. So wrecked that I’m trying to pretend it’s not real for just a bit longer. Maybe it will be real at that next Banquet dinner where I think about how he would say, “It’s a formal dinner, not a costume party. I’m wearing a suit.”

Rick, Conference 2015
Photo by Autumn Swisher

Point 81: The President’s Corner

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Jef Saunders
APP President

“The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) is an international health and safety organization. It is a nonprofit voluntary alliance dedicated to the dissemination of information about body piercing. Governed by a voluntary elected Board of Directors, the APP is a united group of piercing professionals that freely shares information to help fellow members, piercers, health care professionals, legislators, health inspectors, and the general public get the best and most up-to-date information about body piercing.”

You’ve probably seen the preceding text so many times that you may  already  know it verbatim.  As a piercer interested or involved with the APP, you aren’t surprised by what our mission statement is. But have you really considered the importance of that mission? I can tell you, as a Board member, that the Mission Statement is a compass that always points to the kinds  of  decisions we should be making. The Association of Professional Piercers is a health and safety education organization. Our job is to openly share with anyone who might care to learn. This is a powerful mission, and one that touches me deeply.

Fakir Musafar speaks about body art, and body piercing specifically, in a way that few others do. To him, modification of the body isn’t just a fun thing we get to do to ourselves, it is an innate human right. That is something far deeper and far more important that can get lost in the day to day routine of a piercing shop. But I like to think about this art of ours the way Fakir taught me to think of it: a human right.

That puts our mission as an educational organization in a very unique light to me. By providing education in so many forms, we are trying to assist the entire planet to safely express themselves. What a responsibility! Yet, so many from our community rise to the occasion again and again. Some of us provide education at the Association’s annual conference, of course, but there is so much out there for piercers and the public alike. From sister organizations, to independent schools, and even online forums; our community has embraced the mission of the APP and run with it.

Imagine where we might be if the earliest members of the piercing community had attempted to keep  their  techniques  entirely secret? If they had refrained from writing magazines, publishing books, producing tutorial videos, and making piercing schools? The piercing community wouldn’t be anything like what it is today.

In this issue of The Point you will read about body piercing education not only through the APP Conference, but outside of our organization as well. To those who have given so much of their hard work to help improve the art of body piercing, we say thank you.

Post Script: I am writing this just a few days after the passing of a career-long educator, Rick Frueh. Rick was an APP Board Member, an instructor for our conference, an instructor for Health Educators, Inc., an enormous part of the 2013 APP Procedure Manual, creator of the Body Modification Learning Forum, and a friend. He’s left a legacy of body piercing education that we have all benefited from in one way or another. He will be missed.

Point 81: From the Editors: Kendra Jane B.

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Kendra Jane B.
The Point Editor

“Let the improvement of yourself keep you so busy that you have no time to criticize others.”

—Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Many piercers will tell you that once you are an apprentice you are always an apprentice; that there is always something to be learned or improved upon. Yet our career choice has an odd dichotomy that sees many of us not only as the student, but as the teacher as well, sometimes in the same day.

From our earliest school days, most of us can recall specific teachers or mentors that had a profound effect on not only our learning, but on what is the core of who we are and what we believe. Some people were simply meant to teach others, to give the knowledge that they have to the masses. The need to share what they know is in the core of who they are and how they go about their day to day business. It is their archetype.

The psychologist, Carl Gustav Jung, used the concept of archetype in his theory of the human psyche. He believed that universal, mythic characters—archetypes—are contained within the collective unconscious. Jung defined twelve primary types that symbolize basic human motivations. Each type has its own set of values, meanings, and personality traits. The ones I am most interested in currently are those that further our learning; The Mentor, The Teacher, and The Student. What I hope is that I can get each of you reading this to find the parts of yourself that identify with each of those three archetypes; embrace them. If you identify the most with the mentor, nurture that – use those traits to enhance your life and career and those around you. If you identify as the student, open your mind to all that is around you and think outside of the box to become the best that you can be.

The Mentor

The mentor archetype not only invests in the student learning certain material, but takes interest in the route the student goes with the knowledge. By definition, the mentor imparts advice.

The mentor is the person you go to for help in making a decision. An empowered mentor artfully guides the student to an authentic resolution without getting in the way. The student not only attains their answer, but understands how to get there on their own the next time.

Intimately tied with wisdom, the mentor archetype uses their experience as a teacher, showing rather than telling. They consistently encourage their mentees to try things for themselves. The enlightened mentor is able to stand aside and watch mistakes happen, because they know that their role is not to control every move made by their student. A mentor feels that their job is to help the mentee learn how to think for themselves.

The relationship between mentor and student is one-on-one. The mentor dedicates a great amount of time to taking one student under their wing, accepting responsibility for them. Thus fostering that student through the entire process of learning a craft or skill. The goal is to see students fully fledged in the world, a master in their own right and no longer in need of advice.

The Teacher

On the other hand, the teacher archetype has to do with a classroom full of students. Thus, the teaching style is more generalized than customized. This is a common point of struggle for the teacher – wanting to reach every student, but not being able to given the constraints of working with so many personalities at once.

Teachers commonly  take  students  through  a specific phase of a learning process (such as a school year), unlike the mentor who covers the beginning, middle, and end of a topic. With the teacher archetype, the focus is shifted from mastery of a subject to measurable progress in ability. Like the mentor, the teacher also prefers to teach through experience, but understands that no two students learn alike. Some students need hands on activities, others need time to read information, and others still need to talk through things.

However it is very important to remember that the teacher is a constant student in their own way. They are always learning how to read their students needs and how to better meet them. For example: learning how to manage the classroom and teach life skills alongside algebra. The balanced teacher understands that lessons of conscience are as important as grammar lectures.

The Student

The student archetype is primarily interested in learning, period. Sure, if someone wants to hear what has been learned, they will be glad to share, but they often lack the patience needed to wait for someone else to get it. The student relishes acquiring new knowledge.

For the student, good grades and being the top of the class can be everything, leaning towards being a perfectionist. The enlightened student accepts oneself as a work in progress and knows when they have enough knowledge to stand on their own two feet. A true student sees everyone as an equal regardless of who may know more or less than them. It is important for the student to understand that there are many kinds of intelligence – including emotional intelligence, common sense, and intuition – and to be open  to learning on all levels. The student must walk in the world with equal doses of confidence and humility, understanding the difference between knowledge and knowing; the difference between wisdom and information.

So whether you identify more with the student, teacher, or mentor, we are positive that this issue will hold something to grab your attention and make you want to learn something new.

Point 81: From the Editors: Marina Pecorino

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Marina Pecorino
The Point Editor

This issue of The Point is primarily focused on extended learning opportunities. Unfortunately, since I spend very little of my  life in the piercing room these days, most of my learning opportunities now present themselves in the form of a computer screen and software tutorials; databases, spreadsheets, mail merges, and the like. Oh, how my career direction has shifted in the last few years!

That being said, I had the amazing opportunity this year to attend Camp APP. Since its inception, I’ve been eager to attend, but the circumstances never quite worked out. This year, it finally happened, and as I expected, it was a revitalizing and perspective-shifting experience. Read on to find out more about my time spent in the Georgia woods.

Over the past several months, our international colleagues have also celebrated extended learning with many other seminars, including annual conferences for the UKAPP, LBP, and the 1st annual GEP Brazil. If cross-country or overseas travel is outside your current budget and schedule, don’t fear; there are still plenty of other learning opportunities, which we talk about later in this issue.

Keep in mind that even within your own studio, surrounded by your regular clients, there are a plethora of opportunities to expand your knowledge. Our industry is ever-evolving and everyone’s individual experience and perspective play an integral role in their understanding. Don’t forget to keep your mind opened and be introspective. Some of the most groundbreaking epiphanies come from within.

The Point – Issue 81

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The Point – Issue 80

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