Photos by Jodi Harris
Point 84: Memories of Las Vegas
Posts tagged 2018 Conference
Point 84: Volunteer Thank You
by Caitlin McDiarmid, APP Administrator
2018 is over and the planning for 2019 is well underway, with only 10 months between conferences.
I was extremely proud of this year’s crop of Al D. Scholars. Not only were they exceptional workers, but they really crammed in as much education as possible with their busy schedules. They made friends with each other and with the larger volunteer group. By the end of the week, they understood fully the gift of service and working with a team which had now become their family.
Our Al D. Scholars this year were: Anji Amarjargal (San Francisco, CA/Mongolia); Àngel Armengol Docio (Barcelona, Spain); Zakk Boyer (Fayetteville, NC); Becky Crossan (Stockton-on-Tees, UK); Txas Norris (Oviedo, Spain); Debbie Moore (Cork Ireland); Jon Salzer (Atlantic Beach, FL), and Daniel Wright (Liverpool, UK). Thank you for your courageous work and your willingness to be open to what seems like a chaotic mess (the volunteer experience), but has its own rhythm and makes beautiful music if you let it.
I want to thank LeRoi and Tether for contributing to the Al D. Scholarship fund; and PunkMedics for sponsoring five full “Forever Learning” Scholarships in Rick Frueh’s name; and NeoMetal for sponsoring one “Live Long and Prosper” Scholarship in Mark Siekierski’s name.
Once again Piercers contributed to the No Excuses fund and sent Maggie Kellett and Victoria Rothman to Conference.
This year we invited back a few of the scholars from previous years who had received outstanding reviews: Jess Farrar, Nicole Holmes, Alicia Lowe, Erica Martin, Saku Penttilä, Michelle Rose, Cas Willems
We had volunteers, who have been with us for a bit, return to continue in service: Dae Jedic, José Carlos Calvo, Charlie LeBeau, James Biggers, Jason Heeney, Nathan Lee Grosvenor
The following love volunteers completed training, enabling them to become official volunteers this year: Megan Naito & Vivi Madero
Our AV crew was: Brian Moeller, Allen Falkner, Lani Soleil, Jesse Enz, Aiden Johnson, Paul Rainer, Shana Gyure, Michelle Rose
The AV shifts might be short but these folks handle one of the most pressure filled roles of Conference and we thank them for their hard work.
Julie Taylor had some additional challenges with the new location of our Registration. She met them head on, and along with the Volunteer Underground and other volunteers, was successful at getting both new and returning attend- ees down to the Event Center on our busy first days.
The Super Volunteers are our most experienced volunteers – and it shows. I am continuously impressed how fast they breakdown the 10 plus pallets and get everything sorted and organized for Conference. I’m continuously so happy that I don’t have to micromanage my team – that they have grown into brilliant mentors in their own right.
Our Classroom Supers: Seven Wolfe, Ryan Clark, Mike Mc, Marita Wikström, Zach Fitzgerald
Our Booth Supers: Casey Hosch, Danny Greenwood, Mark Montgomery, Ken Seyler, Dianna Brown, Andru Rogge, John Robberson, Andre Berg, Jezebel Voulé, Jacob Spjut, Kenny Hughes, Luz de Luna Duran
Our Registration Supers: Kendra Jane B., Theo Sheffler, Anna York, Badur Ramji, Stephanie Hill, Ismael Vargas Guerrero, Logan Wright (trainee)
Shorty is both a general volunteer and is the exclusive assist on the app. This year was the first that we didn’t have a paper program and Shorty’s an integral part of the success of the app.
I need to thank my Conference Managers: Will Spencer & Gus Diamond they were exceptional and took on even more work – as we all missed having Sarah Wooten as part of the mix.
Thank you Rob Gold for managing the Volunteer Underground this year – it’s a lovely thing to see how many different ways people can be of service.
Ed Chavarria and Luis Garcia – you continue to serve this organization in many ways and I consider you my friends and mentors.
Special thanks to Darrin Walters for not only bringing and paying for Ronald’s Donuts every morning… but taking me to the doctor to check my peepers.
Cale Belford is the Mentor to the Mentors – the leader of the group and the Mentor Program – and continues to do an amazing job. I heard more positive comments about the Mentors this year than ever before – thank you for making Conference a more welcoming and supportive event. A special thank you to Cale Belford for giving her all to the program.
This years’ Mentors were:
Aaron Solomon, Adam Richins, Aiden Johnson, Anna Beall, William Barron, Becky Dill, Blake Williams, Boge Gonzales, Cale Belford, Christy Lillard, Cozmo Whitest, Desi Arellano, Devyn Porter, Fernando Chavez, Gregory Charles, Hall Boyer, Jeremiah Currier, John Robberson, Johnny Velez, Josh Parkhurst, Julie Taylor, Kelly Carvara, Kris Heming, Krystal Klos, Lena Cemal, Mark Montgomery, Matte Erickson, Mike Mc, Nathaniel Tinker, Pablo Perelmuter, Pat Pierce, Perry Doig, Rich Hartwick, Rob Gold, Rob Hill, Ryan Clark, Shawn Porter, Shelby Richins, Jay “Stray” Johnson, Tanner Bennett, Tobias Vallone, Vanessa Jo, Whitney Thompson.
To John Johnson, I am not sure how the Conference Committee will do with- out you, but I am happy to have you back in the trenches. You did all the crappy off-site stuff this year – thank you, thank you, thank you.
To Jezebel Voulé, thanks for doing all the extras – your help keeps me sane and your friendship means more than you know.
Everyday I thank my blessings and two of those are Kendra Jane B. and Marina Pecorino. Without their work for the APP I would be drowning and unhappy and so incredibly tired. This year I came into Conference well rested and with an ease I haven’t experienced in a long time and it was largely because of these two lovely women.
Next year we move to a new hotel and I was thinking about how most of the volunteers have never known anything other than Bally’s. This pondering led me to look at a short list of volunteers who have volunteered for ten years or more for the APP. I was happy to honor the following people at the Banquet Dinner: John Johnson, Tiana McGuire, Jezebel Voulé, Anna York, Will Spencer, Gus Diamond, Seven Wolfe, Mark Montgomery, Ed Chavarria, Elayne Angel, Bethrah Szumski, Paul King, Darrin Walters, David Kelso, Sarah Wooten
They have served the APP for 10 years or more as Volunteers, as Committee Members, and as Board Members. I honor you. I thank you. And the whole of the organization has benefited from your dedication and service. The 10 year volunteer pin presented to you at Conference is a token of our appreciation.
Point 84: Creative Innovator Award: Onetribe’s “Topo” Design
by Marina Pecorino, The Point co-editor
Photo by John Joyce.
Jared Karnes of Onetribe took home this year’s Creative Innovator Award for his “Topo” design ear weights. I had the pleasure of interviewing him about his customer-centric business model, love of metallurgy and gemology, and the design to manufacturing process.
Marina Pecorino: Tell us a little about the history and philosophy of Onetribe.
Jared Karnes: I started Onetribe at the end of 2002 after realizing there was an open niche for a retail store with a well organized, user-friendly website and jewelry more unique than what was available wholesale. I had been looking for personal jewelry and became frustrated with the selection of styles and materials, and how the industry seemed to be stuck in the 90’s concerning web best practices.
After several years of production in Indonesia, I set up a personal workshop to prototype, use new materials, and troubleshoot issues my artisans were having. This allowed me to teach new techniques and solutions to keep our production running smoothly. I had been coordinating design and sourcing materials for years, but the new direction of putting my hands on materials and troubleshooting processes became a turning point for both myself and the business. I fell in love with the meditative act of making, and particularly with the process and history behind creating artwork from stone. At its peak, Onetribe had many employees, products, and projects both at home and abroad. As I became more invested in making jewelry with my own hands, it was challenging to manage all of those things, and I began to let them go. My philosophy going forward is one of embracing simplicity and play. I intend to cultivate joy in myself and others by using my work to honor the time people spend changing their bodies.
MP: What was the inspiration behind the “Topo” design? What makes this design unique?
JK: Topo is inspired by mountains and rivers, and how we translate those environments into maps. I became obsessed with how to make a river valley with elevations and water that looked as if it was a three-dimensional section from a topographical map. It was also exciting to create something way outside of current body jewelry trends.
A few details that make Topo unique are the rear set stone, a hallmark of mine over the last few years, and the stone shape itself. The stone is tallest at the center of the valley and lowest toward the edges as it disappears into the background. This gives depth and helps reinforce the visual feel of a river. I put a lot of thought into how the design would appear from multiple angles and it is particularly well suited for my recent experimentation with doublets, laminations of two or more stones to create a new aesthetic. That process worked remarkably well for creating a water effect.
MP: Can you tell us about the development and manufacturing process for the “Topo” design? Approximately how many hours go into crafting one pair?
JK: Most of the work for a style like Topo happens before any metal is melted. The process of refining a design from drawing to paper model, handmade metal model, 3D printed model, mold, and then final metal master took months and it’s still not finished. I’m redesigning the setting due to some production issues and that’s why I only had a handful of pairs for Conference. Because the bulk of the work is done up front, an estimate can be misleading. With that said, depending on whether it’s the small or large size, the hardness or difficulty of the stone, and whether it is a solid stone or a doublet, the stone carving process takes between one and four hours for a pair. The setting takes on average an hour and a half, and clean up about the same. This works out to between four and seven hours of hands-on time for each pair, not counting the pre-production work.
MP: Many of the items available from Onetribe are made to order and customized for the wearer. Can you explain your rationale for this business model?
JK: There are two reasons for this. The first is that I like things to fit correctly and be special for the customer. If I can easily accommodate sizing or aesthetic specifications, then that customer has helped create their own jewelry. The second reason is that it’s a risk making stock using time-consuming processes and materials where every cut is unique. I can make ten pairs of plugs or weights this week, and two or ten may sell. It may be a month before any sell. It takes a predictable income to run a business and make sure that bills get paid on time. Relying on the unpredictable nature of one person with the right aesthetic, size requirements, and budget to find and buy that one product is not a stable business model. That model is better suited to businesses who are buying wholesale or mass manufacturing.
There is a big caveat here, and it’s that running a standing production queue for years on end is mentally and physically tiring because there is always something due. Each order is paid in advance, and thus the queue is also a huge business liability. It’s not a perfect system and I have some ideas for refining it. I would like to move to more of a balance between stock and custom work and involve customers in selecting what styles, materials, sizes, and price points are stocked and available for immediate purchase.
MP: Your website says that you’re “perfectly content being nerds about beautiful woods and stones and coming up with new ways to make them wearable.” What is your favorite material to work with and why? What are some of the characteristics of the materials you choose?
JK: Choosing a single material has become difficult as I use stone in different ways beyond simple solid plugs. Recently I have been super into searching out specific colors in stone. I get excited about combinations of bright colors like Chrysoprase (think mineral-pool green) and Turkish Purple Jade. I also get weak in the knees for pastels, and I have been looking for rare colors like pale pink, peach, lavender, and cool grays in Botswana Agate. Nodular agates like Botswana are unique because they tend to occur in small pieces that look like eggs, and due to the exterior skin it’s not possible to tell what’s going on until it is cut. Searching for a specific color means cutting open many nodules to see what I’ve got to work with, and then narrowing down what’s useful now or inspiring for later. I cut down over 20 nodules to find the handful of small pastel pieces I used in a recent pair of my Moon hoops. I’ve started to think about stones as a palette and not just individual entities, and it’s opening up some exciting possibilities for future work.
MP: At the 2016 APP Conference & Expo, you took home the Creative Innovator Award for your “Ghost in the Shell” design. Did that win influence your submission for this year at all?
JK: It did! Up to that point, I had been mostly focusing on technical work such as new setting methods and modernized historical jewelry. Ghost in the Shell was one of the first designs to reflect my personal aesthetic. It is not ornate, but it has thoughtful attention to line quality and light play and huge personality when you pay attention. I actually did not plan to enter anything that year, but someone at Conference suggested I submit GitS while I was setting up my booth. Winning the Creative Innovator Award for that style was confirmation that my design aesthetic is valid and that I shouldn’t worry so much about what’s trending. I had no idea how Topo was going to be received this year but I decided if I am going to continue to try and do new things, I gotta go for it despite my insecurities.
MP: As a well-known and established jewelry company, do you have any words of wisdom you’d like to share with up-and-coming artisan jewelers in our industry?
JK: I’ll never forget Keith Alexander telling me right at the beginning of my business that it wasn’t worth it, because the industry was too saturated. I took this statement to mean “do it better, or there’s no reason to do it at all.” He may not have meant it that way, but a few years later he congratulated me on building something special and that made me very happy. I used to have the opinion that saturation is killing the jewelry industry, then I realized that a more accurate assessment is that saturation only happens when there’s little to get excited about. So please, make things! Bring it, but bring originality and do it well so we can all get hyped on creativity and innovation, and push ourselves and each other onward and upward.
Point 84: Volunteer Appreciation Award: Theo Sheffler
by Caitlin McDiarmid, APP Administrator
Photo by Autumn Swisher
The 2018 Josh A. Prentice Volunteer Award winner was Theo Sheffler.
Photo by Shanna Hutchins
I love this man and my man loves him too. Theo is one of those volunteers that has been quietly serving our Conference and may not get noticed by many of the Attendees. He is one of the friendly faces behind the Registration Desk, but does so much more for our Conference.
He makes me laugh more than anyone else at Conference and although I don’t see him but once a year, he’s always there for me to give me a hug, make me look at some stupid video, or have a deep conversation about life, love, and chickens. He gets rated as one of the friendliest and most helpful volunteers from year to year by attendees and volunteers alike. He’s humble and reminds everyone always to take things less seriously. Before Theo asks me for something the first words that come out of his mouth are “Is there anything you need?” In some ways, Theo epitomizes the word “service.” This year someone put Theo in charge at Registration, and while I have been teasing him about it, the fact is that he’s perfect to be the Registration Manager. He’s kind and polite, knows how to diffuse frustration with humor and has an amazing work ethic.
He’s been volunteering since we were at the Tropicana and has not missed a single year. I was so happy to honor my friend and colleague, Theo Sheffler with this year’s volunteer appreciation award.
Point 84: The Banquet
By Kendra Jane B.
Photos by Shanna Hutchins
Banquet is always a bitter sweet evening for me. On one hand it is finally a chance to relax and enjoy the company of my friends and piercer family usually I have been too busy to get more than a passing hug from them until this point in the week. On the other hand it means in a mere 24 hours everything is over; the boxes packed, the booths gone, everything seemingly vanishes in a blink of an eye until the next year. So let’s relive the golden highlights just one more time as we take a look back at this year’s banquet dinner.
The few hours that we all spend gathered in one room each year changes lives, solidifies relationships, and acts as the culminating event of our Conference. Every year we take a moment in our evening to celebrate those who have joined our piercing family as well as to remember those that have passed on. This year that climax of our days together held special meaning for me. With the abundance of loss and grief for many of us, this year I chose to make a personal tribute to that loss by donating just over 26” of my hair. A special thank you to everyone that celebrated that with me.
We use our Banquet Dinner to honor some of the deserving souls in our industry. This made it an extra special place to honor a new me. We also take time to celebrate all of the new Members since the last Conference, and to thank all of our volunteers for their hard work throughout the year. We celebrate and acknowledge those vendors that are leading our industry with both technical and creative innovations. I would also like to take a moment to thank our Sponsors once again that make our grand prize raffle draws at Banquet a highlight for the entire week.
- Anatometal
- Sleeping Goddess Jewelry
- Industrial Strength Body Jewelry
- Piercers.com
- Auris Jewelry
- Gold Heart Woodworks
- NeoMetal, Inc
- Alchemy Adornment
- LeRoi Inc.
- Glasswear Studios
We would also like to thank our Banquet Sponsors; Alchemy Adornment, Industrial Strength Body Jewelry, LeRoi Inc., and Steri-Wash.
All of that plus the chance to take some great pictures in the photo booth or belt out a tune at karaoke! This year’s party was one that will not be quickly forgotten. It truly was a golden night.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
Some of the top prize raffle winners:
Mark Montgomery, Christina Blossey, Tommy Mocek,
Theo Williams & Derek Lowe
Point 84: The BPA Exhibit Assorted Panels
Photos by Kendra Jane B.
Exhibition Panel Design by Becky Dill
Point 84: The Al D. Scholars
ANJI AMARJARGAL
I was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the eight Al. D Scholars this year. Just accepting the fact that I was actually going to be attending Conference was beyond belief. For someone coming from a country where there’s no community for piercers, I would get to attend seminars, meet my idols, and make new friends who have the same passion for body piercing. It is the biggest thing that has happen in my career as a piercer. Needless to say, the fact that I’ve never been to Las Vegas made it even more exciting.
The biggest advantage of being a scholar— which I never would have realized beforehand—is that you will become part of a big family and the best group of people, the Volunteer group. I was so naive to think the APP was this huge organization and Conference just happens. In reality what makes Conference happen is the amazing people in the Volunteer group. Just thinking I was there to help make this big event take place makes me very happy. Also my heart wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I went without mentioning my appreciation for Caitlin, who is the hardest working bee there is. Being the head of the Volunteers, she did an outstanding job on managing us from the very beginning and making sure we stayed sane through the busy week of working and learning.
The week was an emotional rollercoaster as the things I used to pray for were actually happening. When you’re from somewhere as remote as Mongolia, Las Vegas and the APP seem like a million miles away, something unattainable, yet there I was in Las Vegas at the APP Conference meeting Elayne Angel, Jim Ward, and many other amazing industry professionals from all over the globe. Caitlin made sure we, the Scholars, got to attend classes in addition to our work; they truly care about people who want to learn, improve, and sharpen their skill-sets related to body piercing. A huge thank you goes out to Badur Ramji from PunkMedics, who helped the Al.D Scholars make our dreams come true with his donations.
This week is going to be my highlight each year going forward. After everything I have witnessed there is no way I want to miss out on it again. Classes were well organized and were exceptionally interesting. The effort speakers put into teaching was very inspirational, for no reason other than sharing knowledge and helping us broaden our horizons, it was so heartwarming.
What I have gained after the week is gratitude, knowledge, and more love for the art of body piercing. For anyone out there who has never been to Conference, I would highly recommend going! They say it’s life-changing, but you never truly understand how until you experience it yourself. I would call it The week of self polishing.
BECKY CROSSAN
Before getting on the plane, and even during the journey, coming to Vegas for Conference had an unreal quality to it, as though it wasn’t something I was really brave enough to do. I’d thought about applying for years previously, but had always found a reason to miss the deadline and put it off for another year. This year I was fortunate enough to have the support and encouragement of some friends who are previous Scholars and I finally set myself the challenge of sending the application in.
Until I actually arrived though, and started to meet people in person who I had previously only interacted with online, the whole thing felt dream-like. It’s difficult to put into words what this experience has meant to me. It has been transformative, not just in how I approach things as a piercer as I return home to my studio, but also in how I perceive myself. There’s been so much to learn and so much work to do, but what has really made Conference truly special has been the people.
I’ve met some amazing and inspiring people throughout this week and I feel very fortunate and honoured to call them my friends. It sounds cliché, but I tend to think that people in our community often feel like outsiders and like they don’t really quite fit in. For me, attending Conference felt like a homecoming and a sense of belonging to a community of people who understand.
As I reflect on this experience I want to say thank you to everyone who made it possible and everyone who made it so wonderful. This whole experience has shaped my confidence, happiness, and sense of self worth in more ways than you could ever know.
Photo by Al D. Scholar Zakk Boyer.
DANIEL WRIGHT
In today’s booming world of piercings, it’s easy to get bogged down looking at Instagram and Facebook only to see piercers from all over the globe going to big conferences, expanding their knowledge, networking and picking up the best jewellery money can offer. You, meanwhile, are left checking your bank balance and quietly accepting that you will never be one of those people…the Al. D Scholarship can change this.
As a recipient of this scholarship, I was given an opportunity that most people can only dream of and that was to leave my little English city and attend the most well known and respected conference in the piercing world: The Association of Professional Piercers Conference in Las Vegas, USA.
Upon arriving I was thrown straight into the mix, sharing a room with someone I had never met and put into a large group of other volunteers.
My feelings quickly changed from apprehension to sheer excitement as it became evident that these were the friendliest, most dedicated members of the piercing community. They give up their own time each year to set up and run Conference and have formed a family which they accepted me into with open arms.
Over the course of the five days I was running around, checking badges here, working the door there, all the while being given the opportunity to sit in seminars and classes with some of the most knowledgeable professionals around today. I can’t say it went down without a hitch; on the first time working on the door of a class with a fellow Scholar, the network went down on the scanning devices. Although I felt as if the world was going to swallow me up, as over a hundred pairs of eyes gazed at me patiently waiting to enter the classroom, all of the Volunteers in the area banded together, jogging off to the office, telling those in line that there has been a delay and mentally supporting the two newcomers. Within minutes the problem was sorted, finished off with a pat on the back and the reassurance that it is all okay.
Early mornings turned into late nights and the day were filled with friendly demands from others such as “Drink more water!” and “You look hungry, go and eat!” The support was invaluable along with the experience, and within the blink of an eye it was all over. Going from a nervous piercer, alone in a massive city not even in my own country, still trying to come to terms with the fact I (over other people) had been gifted this amazing opportunity, to being completely inducted into my new family. I left with my head held high, brain brimming with all of the knowledge I had gained, and a tear for the new friends I would have to leave.
So this goes out to anybody considering applying. Even if you don’t think you stand a chance or even if, for some crazy reason, you think you don’t deserve it, APPLY! There is value in everyone and this whole experience is something I wouldn’t trade for the world. It will completely change your outlook on your professional life as well as your personal one.
I applied to the scholarship with a day or 2 left before applications closed and didn’t for one second think I would get it, I put it to the back of my mind and figured that if I just forgot about it, I would escape disappointment. Yet here I am now, writing about my experience. I need to finish this with a massive shout out to Caitlin McDiarmid for being Mama Duck to all of us ducklings and the unshakable support and dedication she puts into Conference each year, also to Badur Ramji of PunkMedics for funding my Scholarship as the real life Willy Wonka. You made all my dreams come true and more. Without you, people like me would never have gotten the chance to travel out to Conference. Thank you for your continuous hard work in keeping Rick Frueh’s name alive. Forever Learning.
DEBBIE MOORE
I remember the day that Caitlin told me I would be going to Las Vegas; there was a blizzard happening in Ireland. Everyone I knew was enjoying and playing in the snow, but I was so nervous awaiting Caitlin’s call that I could do nothing but sit and anxiously wait. The time came and when Caitlin called she simply said “so… you wanna come to Vegas?”
I was so happy I cried and replied “yes of course, thank you!” while my Girlfriend danced around our kitchen screaming with excitement! That’s how much it meant to me and my loved ones. To be the second Irish piercer to attend the Conference and be an Al D. Scholar was such a huge honour!
When the day finally came I must admit I had reservations stepping onto the plane as it was so daunting being in the company of so many piercers I admire and aspire to. But stepping into that first meeting with everyone clapping and welcoming us and when Caitlin gave me my badge it was such an amazing feeling! Something I’ve wanted for so long was actually happening!
Were the work days long, and was it stressful at times? Yes. But through these stressful long days there was Mama Duck herself, Caitlin, the person that made this possible and the other Volunteers checking that we were ok, that we had food or water, and if we needed rest. We were and are a family! Getting to be a part of this family, taking classes, and meeting legends such as Elayne Angel and Jim Ward made it a life changing experience, one I hope to repeat again next year.
JON SALZAR
I had my Piercer awakening back in 2014 when I attended the Fakir Intensives and learned some very vital information about autoclaves and their effectiveness on luminous objects, why you want quality jewelry with internal threading and much more. I was given a piece of advice, “you need to make it out to Conference,” and decided that was my next goal.
The next few years were spent moving shops to be able to work with quality jewelry and sterilization equipment, so I could ethically stand behind my work and not knowingly cause unnecessary harm to someone. I became an APP Member, then ran into a weird work environment which forced me to take a year sabbatical and figure out if we were going to leave my home town or stay and try to build a better piercing culture for ourselves and our customers. We chose to stay and build a new business with all of its hurdles, but we made it and had the studio meeting environmental standards within the first year. I also wanted to try and make it to Conference this year, seeing as I had missed three years since my time at the Intensives. I felt like I was missing out on my need for continuous learning.
When I applied for the Al D. Scholarship I had no idea that I was going to get it. It was more like a shot in the dark and hope for the best. My partner the whole time kept saying “you got this babe” and I would respond “you never know, it’s anyone’s game.” I am grateful for the time that Caitlin, Cale, and Ryan all put into the selection process. These amazing people volunteer their time so fortunate piercers like me can have an opportunity to learn and grow as an individual.
When Cale called to announce the winners I was stunned and started to freak out because I had admitted to them during interviews that even with the scholarship I didn’t know if we could afford to get me out to Las Vegas.
We found the money to get a ticket (I should also mention that I work two days a week painting houses and three nights as a bouncer at a bar. I’ll sleep when I’m dead right?) so it was going to happen! I picked my classes and went through the volunteer training online. I freaked out a few times before coming, thinking that this was not happening or “how am I going to be received by these amazing people at Conference?” Then the day came and I reluctantly left my family. I’ve never spent more than four days away from my partner in ten years and that only happened once. I got on the plane and flew out to meet Gus Diamond and Ken Seyler at the airport to split a cab.
My idea of what I was going to get out of this trip was to soak up as much knowledge as I possibly could in the week’s time I was there and to network. I wasn’t sure what networking meant, expected it to be something along that lines of meeting the man that sold me and everyone else their autoclave, Brian Skellie.
I landed and met up with Caitlin to touch base and that’s when it began. I met the sweet Kendra Jane who basically offered me cookies as a greeting and Badur Ramji (the awesome man behind funding a good number of us Scholars to be there in the first place) and from there it just kept on going. I met up with Shorty and John Robberson, fellow Florida piercers, and we ended up taking a valuable tour of the hotel and surrounding area to get a lay of the land and a feel for Vegas. 2 o’clock in the morning rolls around and I’m like “oh man, I have to be at volunteer training so early tomorrow,” so my bad decisions of not wanting to miss out probably started that night (and it had been less than 6 hours.)
In the training meetings I started to meet the enormous team of volunteers that help make Conference happen and started forming friendships and mentors that all truly turned into family by the end. They broke down the walls of that feeling of being the new kid at school and just acted like I’d been part of the class the whole time. Zach Fitzgerald (or loud Al D. Scholar from 2014) was always there to check I had my water and was staying hydrated. Alicia Lowe was always there in the sea of people at the bar having fun, but still looking out for us new people.
It was nice to know that support was just a few steps away with any of the Volunteers and that they had your back in a place so foreign and overwhelming. This comradery was not only shared with the Volunteers though, it was anyone and everyone that had come to attend Conference. No one passes judgment and we all just get along. We are all there for the good of our industry and that truly is what I got from Conference. We are all awkward people and that’s cool, we are also an ever-growing family of piercers and that’s even cooler.
Thank you to everyone that I met and had a chance to connect with, this opportunity felt like a dream, but the connections that I made and the new family that I have at the end of this trip makes me know that it wasn’t a dream at all. Thank you again Caitlin for everything!!! And thank you to my partner for always believing in me and making this happen even though we couldn’t afford it. I can’t wait to introduce you to our new extended family next year.
Clockwise from the top, Àngel Armengol Docio, Daniel Wright, Nici Holmes (returning new volunteer), Alicia Lowe (returning new volunteer), Anji Amarjargal, Becky Crossan, Txas Norris, Debbie Moore, Zakk Boyer, Jon Salzer [all 2018 Al D. Scholars except Nici & Alicia]. Photo by Anji Amarjargal
ZAKK BOYER
As I sit here in the airport surrounded by people with no names and just faces, I can’t help but think back to my amazing week. To those of you who are reading this, remember I am just a message away. You can call on me for any reason and I will do my best to help you.
I can’t thank the following people enough from the bottom of my heart. First and foremost Caitlin McDiarmid; you, ma’am, are the backbone of the APP. I am so proud to say that I was one of your Scholars, one of your ducklings, and now one of your volunteer children. You give the best hugs and have made me feel accepted from the start of the whole process. Badur Ramji, what can I say about this man? He gave me and others one of the best weeks of our lives. If it wasn’t for you I would not have had this opportunity. You, sir, are one of the biggest supporters of this industry and the APP. You give a ragtag bunch of outcasts an opportunity to grow and succeed. You have given me more fuel to continue my beloved piercing career. I will be forever grateful and in your debt. I will always remember you and what you have done for me and the other Al D. Scholars. Without these two people I would not be writing this today. They are both amazing from the tips of their toes to the tips of their noses and have two of the biggest hearts I have ever encountered.
Moving on to my fellow volunteer family members. There are too many of you to name and thank for showing me so much support and so much love, excitement, encouragement, and for welcoming me into your family with open arms. I have never felt so welcomed and not like an outsider in my life, I love each and every one of you and I cannot wait to see and hug each of you at next year’s Conference. You guys and gals are some of the best people and I know that I will always have you in my corner and hope that you all realize that I am in yours as well.
To my fellow Al D. Scholars of 2018 WE DID IT! We did it and survived. If there was a test, I am sure we all would have passed. You guys are awesome. You’re special. You’re beautiful. And you are all my family. I am glad to have met all you guys and have you in my life. We came, we saw, and we conquered. I am proud to call all of you my friends.
My experience as an Al D. was probably one of the single handed best experiences of my professional piercing career. It was a lot of hard work, but worth every second. We all had breakdowns, but brought each other back up. I can’t say enough how grateful I am to everyone involved with this experience.
The whole week of Conference was such an amazing and surreal experience, from meeting some of the founding Members to the man himself, Jim Ward. This is not an experience that I have taken lightly. It has done so many things for me, from opening doors, to opening my eyes. It has helped me set new amazing goals for myself and my current studio. I had so many highlights, it is really hard to pick one of my favorite moments or people. The friends and family I have made through this experience are mind blowing. Now, being home and back to work, I am getting my feet back under me, and it is time to get to work.
For those of you new and scared of going to Conference, please read these words and know that you can do it. Apply for the scholarship, ask to shadow, ask for help, get critiques, and always remember we are just as scared as you. When you do go to Conference it will change you in the best ways possible and if you see me there, don’t hesitate to come up to me and ask me anything or to introduce you to someone. This is what we all strive for and this is what it’s all about; learning, growing, and being forced out of our comfort zones. YOU CAN DO IT!! To all reading this I leave you with these words. You are awesome. You are beautiful. You are special. And you are important. Do not let anyone take away from what you strive to be, for you may be your own worst enemy, but we are your support and we are here for you.
Point 84: The Opening Pool Party – in photos
Photos by Shana Hutchins
Point 84: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino
by Marina Pecorino, Point Editor
Starting from the time my shoes touch the Vegas cement several days before the attendees arrive, the week of Conference is usually a blur for me. This year had the added complexities of new motherhood; extra calls home and using my breaks to pump breast milk made my already busy schedule even more packed.
Much of my work happens after classes end and most attendees head to the bar. Unfortunately, my workload and late hours meant that I missed many of the extracurricular activities this year, including the Opening Pool Party at the Flamingo, most of the Banquet (which featured attendee karaoke and a special visit from Elvis), and all the Alternative To The Bar activities. Thankfully, I still found time to take a guided tour through the Body Piercing Archive Exhibit and make a few quick passes through the Expo.
By the end of the week, as usual I was both exhausted and revitalized. Conference provides a chance to develop professionally and personally, and although classes are no longer my personal focus during the week, I always glean new knowledge from the overall experience. I was able to attend a few classes and they were wonderful, led by a range of speakers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. It seems that every year, our class offerings provide an ever-expanding range of topics, from technical, to analytical, to anthropological. Every year, it seems that the week has an unnatural momentum; starting out steady, but somehow quickening the closer we get to the end, until suddenly the week is over. This year, that progression seemed even more spectacular than usual. The final flurry of activity comes during pack out, which the Volunteer team managed to accomplish in record time this year. That evening culminates with one last “family” dinner, after which we gather for speeches, allowing the Volunteers to speak from the heart about their experience. This is one of my favorite times during Conference, hearing how each individual will go home changed in some way with a renewed sense of themselves and their connection to the industry and our community. We all come together in the same city for the same event, but the week alters each person in their own unique way.
After dinner and speeches this year, I made it back to my room just in time to see the Bellagio fountains erupting. I stood at the window in welcomed silence, watching the colored water and lights dance amid the city of sin and excess. In that post-Conference quiet, I took a few moments to mentally prepare for reintegrating with normal life; it is amazing how different life can feel during Conference week. It will take many of us time to decompress, organize, and fully understand our experience, so if you had the opportunity to attend, I hope you take the time to reflect and share your thoughts. If you were not able to attend this year, consider joining us for our first year at Planet Hollywood for the 24th Annual Conference and Exposition May 12-17, 2019.
Point 84: From the Editors – Kendra Jane B.
By Kendra Jane B. , Point Editor
In our last issue of The Point, I spoke to being mindful in your preparation for Conference. I said I was going into it knowing what I wanted to get out of it. I had hoped to find a renewed connection, a connection with the people of our industry. Instead what I found was a renewed connection with myself.
This year was a wash of emotions, so here’s your warning; emotions ahead.
I sat in my room and contemplated all that was Conference. I had arrived 10 days prior and, man, was I ready to go home. Conference is a special place filled with the most special people, but it also comes with sacrifices of sleep, water, sleep, raw fresh vegetables, oh and did I mention sleep? So this year on my last night I decided to do something a bit different. I took myself out on a date. That’s right a me party, party of one. For most of my life I did not feel like I could be my true self, and as such I never wanted to spend time with myself. Through my journey within this industry and the past eight Conferences, I am so very happy to say I am 100% happy with who I am, what I believe, and where I have drawn my boundaries. This wouldn’t have been possible without the people I have met because of Conference. So at the end of this year’s very hectic week I celebrated myself and all I have accomplished with dim sum, hand pulled noodles, and mochi. I finally know what my truth is and I hope that your journey through the piercing community and Conference allows you to find your truths.
I hope you enjoy this look back through this year’s Conference.