Las Vegas, Sin City: the place you go for a weekend you’ll never remember. This is what most people think of when they think of the strip. For me, there is a drastic difference. Vegas is a place of knowledge for those who have no outlet of their own, a place for community with a family you never knew you had and above all else a place to continue to move a growing industry out of the dark and into the light.
I can’t even begin to describe the impact the 2016 APP Conference had on me and my career, so I’ll start back one year prior, back to 2015 when I had exhausted my resources at a previous studio I had been working at.
Having always heard from my peers how amazing Conference was and how much they learned and bonded with others in the industry, my mind was blown that something like this actually existed. A place that we could all be one big family and help each other move forward in our own personal journeys. I had to be a part of this, take the next step in my career, and get over this rut I had been stuck in for so long. Unfortunately, finances are always a deciding factor and things at the shop weren’t too busy, so I turned to scholarship opportunities.
I applied to the Al D. Scholarship and No-Excuse Scholarship in hopes that 2015 would be the year I took that next big leap in my journey. Once it was all said and done I didn’t end up receiving one and it left me really bummed for months to follow. I felt as if I had missed out on knowledge and opportunities to move forward, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. It was then I decided to do whatever I needed in order to make it to Conference the following year, no matter how difficult it seemed.
This year my dreams came true. As soon as scholarship applications were up I jumped on them to make sure I got the best use of my time and the opportunities set out in front of me. Not only did I apply to the Al D. and No Excuses, but I had also put in for Club Tattoo’s scholarship; I wasn’t going to let any of these pass me by. After months of waiting and anticipating the outcome I received a phone call from the ever so amazing Christina Shull saying that I would be receiving the No Excuses Scholarship and that I would be going to Conference! It felt so surreal, like I was dreaming. It was finally happening and I couldn’t believe it.
From start to finish Conference was nothing like I had expected. Everything from the cross country road trip to get there to waiting in lines for check in and getting my badge, it was a dream come true. Upon arrival, I had no clue what to expect. My main goal was to not die in the desert heat and definitely to not make a fool of myself in my first year; this was all made way easier by the awesome folks involved in the mentor program. Even though I didn’t ask a whole lot of questions to my mentor, Tyler McClure, he was still there to help me with anything I needed and for that I will always be grateful. Everyone was so welcoming and happy to be there it was for sure an amazing start to the week.
I had a full schedule of classes throughout the week from various lectures and slideshow presentations to hands on workshops which really helped to visualize each piercers’ unique approach and concepts. Out of all of the classes I took I would have to say that the most beneficial to me were the Strategic Marking workshop, Male Genital Piercing, and APP Talk: Personal Journeys.
Having four instructors for the Strategic Marking workshop was extremely beneficial. It put into perspective how different an approach can be from piercer to piercer to achieve the same end goal. Rob Hill really helped with his explanation of placements and execution order for not only traditional industrials but also for multi-point industrials. I also found Courtney Maxwell’s approach helpful when marking paired nostrils on less than ideal anatomy. If marking is one of your weak points, I would highly recommend checking out this class in future years; you won’t be disappointed.
The Male Genital class not only put me in a good position to understand ideal placements on areas that have drastic changes in shape and size, but also helped me to understand what is ideal to pierce and how to allow for a nice smooth process. Male genital work isn’t something I had ever offered due to lack of knowledge and training, but I do look forward to being able to add some to my portfolio.
To round out the end of my week I finished with stories of personal journeys within the piercing industry and how some got their start. Everyone has their own journey and have had to deal with various obstacles along the way, but with enough passion, dedication, and hard work they were able to overcome those milestones in their careers to get them to where they are now. One important lesson I took from this class was that sometimes you’ll be put in less than ideal situations, whether it be with a client, co-worker or employer, or even a peer in the industry. With the right attitude and knowledge you can overcome it and move on towards the next challenge that needs to be tackled.
We all know that knowledge is valuable and will help us all move forward, but I would have to say the best part of this experience – what I’ll carry with me for the rest of my journey – is the sense of community and family that was present from the moment we got to Bally’s. I can’t remember the last time I had this great of an experience. After meeting peers that I have followed on social media for years, I realized they are regular people just like me! Everyone was down to Earth and extremely helpful even if they didn’t know who you were.
Not only was I able to interact and bond with fellow piercers from my home state of Michigan, I was also able to spend a lot of time with a couple piercers from Alaska, Indiana, California and even several from out of the country. This was a valuable tool that I have never had access to in the past; Conference was there to help bridge that gap.
All in all I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity I was given and will always remember my first year at Conference. I highly encourage anyone looking to continue moving forward to attend Conference. If money is the deciding factor, there are plenty of scholarship opportunities to apply for and being a scholar makes bridging those awkward “meeting new people” moments much more bearable. I can’t wait to go back and see our community continue to grow into a bright and happy future.
Thank you APP for making this Conference possible. Thank you to all the piercers who put forth money out of their own pockets to make this opportunity available for us scholars; you are the real heroes here.