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Point 80: Piercing: Erik Dakota

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Interview by Sean Dowdell, City/State: Santa Cruz, CA

THE PIERCER THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT, BUT DOESN’T

Sean Dowdell: Erik, let me start by saying that it is a huge honor to do this interview with you. You have given me and the piercing industry a lot of insightful and innovative years. It has bothered me  for several years at this point in my career when I speak to young piercers and most don’t know your name or the incredible contributions and impact you made on our industry.

I have looked up to your work for my entire career and you are honestly one of the most inspirational figures in my piercing world. I feel that this interview is an important part of our industry’s history that   I would like my colleagues and peers to read and know.

Can you give us a little background as to how you came to be interested in piercing?

Erik Dakota: I lived and grew up in Santa Cruz, CA. I was going to school for mechanical engineering when piercing started to creep into my life. Early 1980s, Gauntlet was the only real studio on the   West Coast. I was using Silver Anchor, non-annealed jewelry and it was loads of fun, haha! I got excited about piercing and seeing what the mind and body was able to overcome. I was very experimental in different communities such as the punk and gothic scenes, and the “nerd” and “BDSM” culture seemed to come together very naturally in my world of friends. I am straight. However, a lot of my friends and their friends were in the LGBT communities and I was immersed at least on the fringes of that lifestyle. I enjoyed the “Body Play” and seeing what the body was capable of accomplishing and enduring.

There were really no piercing studios at this time other than Gauntlet and everything was really expensive. At the time, us college students couldn’t really afford to play in the piercing world as often as we had wished, so I started getting into manufacturing jewelry myself. I wasn’t around any other actual piercers yet, so I started experimenting on myself and friends by piercing everyone. I wanted  to learn more about the technical aspects.

Gregorio Gus had arranged for me and him to watch Elayne Angel pierce down in LA at Gauntlet for the day. This was really my first block of actual piercing knowledge. She was very kind and insightful as to how to perform certain techniques and was extremely helpful. Elayne was really impressed    and thrown back because I had actually had my rook pierced and she had never seen one before. Apparently, I invented it which was a shock to me as well. I always assumed someone else had done this, but apparently not!

Sean Dowdell: I think you were a disrupter in the piercing industry and you have pushed the boundaries further than most people know. How do you think that came about?

Erik Dakota: Alan Falkner and I were hanging out and he was a great supporter of mine in pushing me into the field more and more (this was before Alan actually got involved  in piercing). This was a really exciting time for me and all of us! Alan eventually went on to be one of the top suspension artists in the world as well. With friends like Alan supporting me and several others, I started to feel more confident about my abilities not only with piercing but with the design and manufacturing of jewelry.

Sean Dowdell: How did you work around the issues of not having standardized jewelry at the time of your learning in the 1980’s?

Erik Dakota: By working with Silver Anchor, I realized that there were so many areas that it could improve the design. I wanted to pierce full time and design jewelry.

Needles at the time were horrible, we were better off using a 16 penny nail. Gauntlet had their own needles on the market and I didn’t like the style of needle that they offered. It was simply not sharp and really difficult to use. So… I started developing my own needle designs and introducing them to the industry. Back in this time, it was so hard to find a simple good needle and today it’s almost hard to find a bad one.

Sean Dowdell: Weren’t you involved in creating some of the jewelry standards?

Erik Dakota: Yes, when I started making barbells, I noticed that there were gaps between the barbell shaft and ball, so I designed  a countersunk ball. It got rid of issues with fluids and debris getting caught in the gap.

I was the first to introduce the ASTM standards to the industry in my catalog and created lot numbers for full traceability with stainless steel and titanium. I was also the first to “passivate” my stainless steel lots (this means that any deposits left on the steel from the tooling, and improved the overall metal surface; while manufacturing it would be removed). I knew within the medical implants field, the need for this when using ASTM stainless yet sometimes the SS would get rust deposits on it.

Sean Dowdell: Did you ever own a studio and where?

Erik Dakota: I opened the first piercing shop called Anubis Warpus in Santa Cruz and (I didn’t own it, however I helped open it around 1982). This was the same year the Body Manipulations opened in San Francisco as well. I never owned a studio myself; I was much more into the jewelry company Dakota Steel. I had to make  a decision by going all in with piercing or all in with jewelry. I chose the jewelry company and decided to pierce on the side.

Dakota Steel did well for quite a few years until I decided that things weren’t going the way I had hoped in my life and the company’s direction was far from what I wanted. I tenured my resignation to Dakota Steel (a company that I founded and poured my life and  soul into) in 2000 and founded (Noble Industries) DBA: Lotus Body Jewelry on my own. Around 2008, I decided I had my fill of the jewelry industry. I love piercing, I love making jewelry but at the time I was just over it.

Sean Dowdell: Who was most influential to you in the early years and why?

Erik Dakota: Jim Ward was an enormous inspiration. I was actually able to purchase my first set of Pennington forceps from Jim personally and I thought he was a god.

Sean Dowdell: What type of things did you invent in the 90s that most piercers wouldn’t know?

Erik Dakota: The big 3 were: the Rook piercing, the Daith piercing, and the development of a lot of tools such as small jaw Penningtons, fine tooth serrations on Foerster forceps, ring expanders, and slotted septum clamps.

Sean Dowdell: The Industrial piercing. Yes, for all of you youngsters out there this man invented all of these!

What do you remember about coming up with the Daith piercing and are you surprised by the popularity of something you created?

Erik Dakota: I think that it is all about the jewelry choices that are available now. That has made these specific piercings as popular as they are right now.

Sean Dowdell: What are your current interests and hobbies?

Erik Dakota: I still love to pierce, and cutting and suspension, as much as I can.

Sean Dowdell: What do you think your greatest contribution to the industry has been and why?

Erik Dakota: ASTM Certification for jewelry in our field.

Sean Dowdell: Do you have any regrets?

Erik Dakota: Yes, every day. I think about the industry all time. I felt like I was pushed out and if I had the funding I would get back into it in a heartbeat.

Sean Dowdell: What are you doing now?

Erik Dakota: I went into medical manufacturing. I used everything that I was doing in the jewelry industry and easily moved into the manufacturing departments for a couple of companies. I’m glad to have been a part of the industry for so long and hope it continues to grow.

Point 80: BPA Fundraising Auction

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Gene Gowen
Body Piercing Archives Fundraising Coordinator

I would like to start by thanking everyone who contributed to this year’s Body Piercing Archive Fund- raising Auction. Your donations went towards the preservation of our living history and the history of those who helped us all get here.

Going into this year’s Conference, I again wanted to come up with items that were functional. For the last several years, I have carried my own jewelry in a protective book for safe and easy transport. When brainstorming ideas for this year’s project, I began to think of all the Conference attendees leaving Vegas with their precious new jewelry acquisitions. So with this year’s donations of shirts, we made jewelry travel cases.

Different from last year, this year’s items were conceived to connect us not just with studios and companies but with our jewelry itself. As sort of a self effacing reminder of the inexorable tie that binds us all. Studios can open and close, piercers may move all over the world, companies may fade into obscurity. Come what may, however we find ourselves in this industry, we are all bound and driven by the jewelry.

This year’s BPA exhibit featured gonzo photographer Charles Gatewood. Photos by Kendra Jane B.

Looking ahead, we have already begun the process of creating fundraising donations for the 2018 Conference. The collection of iconic studio and company shirts from this year yielded more than enough material for next year’s project. We’ll be returning with some of the items that were so popular at last year’s Conference, but we will have plenty of other new creations with us as well.


This year’s BPA exhibit featured gonzo photographer Charles Gatewood. Photos by Kendra Jane B.

I am thankful to everyone who has made a purchase or donation on behalf of the BPA. There is no amount of money nor is there any amount of effort that is insignificant in the scramble to save our past before it eludes us. I would like to once again express my gratitude to the Archives Committee for allowing me the opportunity to be of help, however rudimentary it may be, to the APP and its membership.

Yours in service.

Point 80: The BPA Jewelry Exhibit

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Matte Erickson
The Body Piercing Archive
(All photos taken by the Author)

In June of 2016 I was tasked with a project. That project was to curate an exhibit of vintage body jewelry companies and designs. I was both excited and terrified at the same time. This was to be the first project that was solely on my shoulders, but I had the confidence, drive, and belief in this project and myself to know I could do a good job. I also knew I would have to rely on people, which is something I am not very good at.

I decided that the APP Conference in 2016 was the best time to put the word out and   try to get people interested. In the following months, there seemed to be little interest, but I pressed on. The Point staff was kind enough to run the advertisement in every issue. At this point I was raiding my own archives; documenting, photographing, and inventorying as much as possible.

In September, I got a message from Paul King about reaching out to Josh Warner from Good Art HLYWD. I emailed Josh and he wanted to gift us with old Good Art items, however, he was moving to a new shop and was going to be unavailable for a few months. This allowed me to start reaching out to anyone I could think of that was involved in manufacturing. In December I got a message from Anne Ott about the Anti-Bling eyelets; seriously one of the “Holy Grail” pieces from Custom Steel.

As January approached, I had booked a flight to Los Angeles and secured an appointment with Josh Warner. While in LA, I was meeting Anne to pick up the Anti-Bling eyelets before heading over to Good Art HLYWD. Upon arrival I was met by a grizzly, bearded man with a cheerful disposition. This is Josh. We jump right into old stories and a quick tour of his new shop. Thankfully, I had my GoPro with me and caught it all on video. After about an hour of him telling stories of how it all evolved and who the key players were, he presents a large folder full of vintage Good Art memorabilia and said, “take what you want”. I was like a kid in a candy store. I managed to fill my carry-on bag and still had to send 2 packages to my shop with all the items.

As I was heading to one of my favorite food destinations (Jerry’s Deli in Studio City), I got a call from John Kittell from NeoMetal. He was sending out some items with my next order for the exhibit. At this point, I felt the momentum growing. I also felt my hunger growing and Jerry’s was getting closer. When I got there I ordered 8 deconstructed Reuben sandwiches. I ate one (minus the cheese and Russian dressing) on the way to LAX. The other seven were packed in my bag. You know something? TSA looks at you really strangely when you are delivering sandwiches from LA to Sacramento.

That next week, I received the packages I sent from Good Art and the first Neometal shipment. The next few weeks were filled with photographing, cataloging, organizing, and making museum cards for each piece. During this time, I had sent the Anti-Bling eyelets back to Pat Pruitt for repair and restoration, and kept reaching out to other companies. I had also started teaching myself video editing and how to create intro and outro graphics. Just as I was finishing up with my deliveries, I received another box from Neometal and I got word that I had a box on the way from Body Circle Design. By the time I had receive these next items, I had my process streamlined fairly well. Good thing, because Dallas Suscon was right around the corner. Upon returning from Dallas I started wrapping up all the pieces.

May was filled with building display items and totally stressing out. I also managed to secure (thank you Sean Dowdell) a meeting/interview with Erik Dakota, so off to Santa Cruz I went. During my visit he also presented me with a stack of old catalogs and a few great stories. When I returned to my shop, I spent several days editing video and putting together the graphics. I actually had to redo this four

times! The last time it was all rendered properly and I found a typo. UGH! This project was starting to take its toll on me, but upward I pushed.

June came, there was light at the end of the tunnel. I had reserved a trailer and maintenance on the truck was done. Finally I got word from Becky Dill that the Charles Gatewood exhibit boxes were ready to pick up. I headed down to Concord, CA. It was now a few days before Conference, and during all this I was still receiving little packages here and there. The Friday before Conference I finally heard from Pat Pruitt about the eyelets. He was shipping them directly to Las Vegas!

Saturday, the day before I had to leave for Las Vegas, I had the bright idea to go photograph the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic. It was being held about an hour away, and I had to be there by 5 a.m. I went and shot the balloons then headed home, picked up the trailer, and was off to work. Most of the day was spent loading the trailer and finishing up details. I finished up at 7:30 p.m. (we close at 8:00 p.m.). My stress levels were at their peak. Did I have enough stuff? Did I do it justice? I ended up getting to bed around midnight.

I was back up at 3:30 a.m. and ready for the road. The trip was as uneventful as usual. A little slower maybe, since I was pulling a trailer, but still uneventful. I finally arrived in Las Vegas at around 3:00 p.m.  Unloading was expedient, which was good because I was exhausted. You know, there is something strange that happens at Conference. I was exhausted and road weary, but once I saw the first few people, I felt a second wind come over me and I was ready to press on into the night.

With Monday came setup  and all was going well. The stress was draining away with every piece I put out. At least until I set the TV up. I had purchased it about a month prior and I told the guy at Best Buy that I needed to  stream  video off a flash drive. He assured me that   it would. Well, when I set it up, it would run pictures off a flash drive but not video. Back to stress mode. After a quick run to Walmart for an HDMI cable, I hooked up my trusty laptop to the TV and it worked. Crisis averted.

Tuesday was the first day of the Expo. I picked up my last package from the business center on the way and the first visitors came by to see what we had for sale. They quickly learned we weren’t selling, just displaying. As the week went on, more and more people came by to see the relics. The enthusiasm was intoxicating! So many people had questions and stories. It was educational on both sides.

The highlight of Conference this year, however, came by text. I was having dinner and Becky texted me and said I had won the “Best Multiple Booth” award. I was blown away. I thought I had done a pretty good job, but obviously I wasn’t the only one. I am so thankful to all those that voted for my exhibit, loaned items for display, and supported me while I put this all together. I would also like to give special thanks to Josh Warner (Good Art HLYWD), John Kittell (NeoMetal), Gale Shub (Body Circle Design), Pat Pruitt (Custom Steel/Pat Pruitt Metalsmith), and Erik Dakota for taking the time and effort to gather and donate items. I would also like to thank my family for putting up with me being stressed and cranky for so long. Hard work always pays off!

Point 80: The Banquet & Raffle

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Paul Rainer
Bound for Glory

It was simultaneously the best and the worst week of my life. And as enticing as it would be to redo some of the worst parts of that week, I probably wouldn’t be writing this article if things had gone differently. As it turned out, the series of unfortunate events that led up to, and overlapped Conference, would leave me the most fortunate piercer in the industry.

But first, a fun little flashback to my first Conference in 2015. I was lucky enough to be selected as an Al D scholar and recall watching as Ryan Ouellette won the Anatometal top prize in the raffle that year. My head spun as Tod and Barry offered up four more top prizes. With odds like that, I thought, I could really win. I left the Banquet that night inspired to try to make it happen.

For the next 2 years I saved. Every extra penny I came across got set aside with the intention of making it to Conference in 2017. Conference was to double as my family’s vacation. As Conference neared, fate intervened throwing a wrench in our plans. Just 4 days before the family was set to head to Vegas, I ended up needing emergency dental work. The dentist’s bill left us faced with a decision to make: does my family still come with me, or do I use the family’s saved travel money on the raffle? We decided on the latter as it would be much more life-changing if we could pull off a win.

I arrived at Conference and I was in a good deal of pain. I’ve dealt with tooth pain for years though, so I kept telling myself that it’s only a couple of days. I repeated a familiar mantra to myself over and over: “It will all be worth it when I win Anatometal.” By Wednesday, my wife and I, nervous that I may not win by going ‘all-in’ on Thursday’s raffle, called an audible. We decided I should split the tickets up between Wednesday’s and Thursday’s raffles. Again, fate had a different plan. By midday Wednesday I was in excruciating pain and honestly considered going home. Brian Moeller knew I was in a bad way and got Betsy Reynolds to convince me to see a dentist immediately. Quite reluctantly, I got into an Uber and went to the dentist in Vegas. “Oh, great, the dentist. Again. This time, in Vegas!” This was not my plan. I felt myself unraveling. I repeat the mantra: “This will all be worth it when I win Anatometal.” Soon, I was finished at the dentist (thanks Brian and Betsy) and I got back to my volunteer responsibilities. I received   a few much-needed hugs from my volunteer buddies and got back to my room to write my info on my raffle tickets. At 7:07pm, I went back downstairs with 200 tickets in my hand. I figured, at least I’ll go home with “something” by placing them in Wednesday’s raffle. Yet another change of plans! I missed the raffle by seven minutes. I thought the last entry was 8 pm, but now I was seven minutes late.

I remember panicking to my wife on the phone “what if I don’t win on Thursday? I think I may have just wasted a lot of money.” She just kept assuring me, “This will all be worth it when you win Anatometal tomorrow.” I took a deep breath and hoped she was right. That night, I went to bed with my raffle tickets under my pillow, telling them we were destined for great things.  I woke up on Thursday, set-up my classes (as part of my AV responsibilities), did some other things with the tickets that I won’t mention for superstitious reasons, and then went to the Expo floor. As I dropped all of my tickets in the spinning acrylic raffle drum, my head was reeling with all the other things that money could have gone to. The car, the groceries, the rent. I forced those thoughts aside and continued on with my day. As I walked into the Banquet I heard the sounds of Jamiro- quai and immediately started dancing. It may have looked like I was enjoying myself, but I was legitimately going crazy in my head trying to work out the probability that I would win. One thing was certain: gambling is not for the faint-of-heart.

Just like that, it was raffle time! I started a video chat with my wife because it was important to me that she was included, since she had made the sacrifice not to come. When they called my name for the first prize I honestly thought I was dreaming. I had envisioned this moment daily for months on end during every drive into work. This was really happening! I was celebrating so hard with the volunteers around me and my wife over the phone, that in all the chaos I didn’t even know that they were calling other tickets. The second winner was apparently chosen, but I was still screaming. Crying. Trying to wrap my head around what was happening. Then, it happened again. I heard my name, but it wasn’t processing. I was looking around for help. “What does that mean?” I was asking, frantically, shouting even! Jason Heeney confirmed what I thought I heard, in fact, the second prize was mine too. In response, I seriously lost my shit. I was so thrilled and shocked. There was a high- pitched tone that grew louder and louder in my head. I was going deaf and couldn’t see. I was seconds from passing out.

The next thing I remember was being leaned up against the back wall with a glass of water in my hand, surrounded by all the volunteers; my wife still on my phone in our video chat. I looked around at everyone and felt so much love at this moment. Suddenly, the whole banquet hall went quiet and I thought I was about to pass out again. I guess everyone was just as shocked as me to hear my name called a THIRD time. What. The. F#@?

I am literally the luckiest piercer alive right now. Just like that, I went from being a nobody, to being a nobody with a ton of Anatometal. Thank goodness for changed plans, running late, and yes, even for excruciating tooth pain. As it turns out, it was all worth it when I won not one, not two, but THREE of the grand prizes from Anatometal.

I can’t help but feel like the whole experience was made more special because it marked the 10 year anniversary of Josh Prentice’s passing. While I didn’t know Josh personally, the volunteers who were fortunate enough to work with him are profoundly affected by his memory. I’m honored to be a Conference volunteer. Thank you Caitlin, for this continued opportunity and to all of the other volunteers for your genuine love. I am so fortunate to be able to surround myself with such amazing people each year at Conference and am honored to call you my friends.

It goes without saying that I can’t thank Anatometal enough for donating these prizes. They have changed my entire life, both on a professional and a personal level.

Point 80: Choosing the President’s Award Recipient

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Jef Saunders
APP President
Derek Lowe
Photo by Matte Erickson

Deciding on who should receive the President’s Award seemed like a daunting task to me, until I realized that Derek Lowe hadn’t yet been a recipient of it. I cannot imagine the Association of Professional Piercers without Derek. I believe that one of the reasons the Conference Committee had chosen Derek Lowe as the speaker for our Conference’s Orientation for so long is that Derek embodies so many qualities that we want our organization to represent: strong, rational, mature, friendly and always there when you need him. Derek is a member of the Oversight Committee, and in that position is a resource to the Board offering historical context and insight when necessary. He has been an enormous influence on me as a person, a piercer, and an APP Member. It was truly an honor to be able to present the award to him, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to do so.

Derek Lowe & Mark Montgomery
Photos by Matte Erickson

Point 80: Creative Innovator Award

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Tether Jewelry & Other Couture for the “Olympica” Design

The Award winning Olympica design

At this year’s Exposition, Tether Jewelry & Other Couture won the Creative Innovator’s Award with their “Olympica” design. This design is available in yellow and rose gold, naked, and obsidian as part of Tether’s Noachis Terra collection. I had the opportunity to interview Paul Shinichi from Tether about this design and his experiences in the Expo.

Marina: This is your second year as a vendor at Conference. How were the two experiences different?

Tether Jewelry: It felt really good my second year to have studios and piercers come to our booth the first day specifically seeking us out, eager & excited to see the new collection. It makes me extremely happy knowing some- thing I designed is bringing someone joy and excitement when they wear it. It feels like I’m on the right path.

Last year I was so nervous, honestly now it is a giant blur. I made some rookie mistakes, but I definitely learned a lot! From a logistics standpoint, just knowing what to expect this year made it so much easier. We bring quite a bit of inventory to the Expo, so studios can take all the jewels home with them. This year, I had one person specifically handling all jewelry operations and that made everything smoother and quicker. Actually, I would like to shout out to my crew for making this year’s experience amazing. Eleni Evangelatos, Lilly O’Neill, and Sara Martin—y’all are magnificent!

Marina: You were awarded the Creative Innovator Award last year as well. How did that influence your submission in 2017?

Tether Jewelry: I really wanted to collaborate with someone for this year’s entry. Mike Knight, owner, designer, and jeweler for Other Couture, and I had been sharing little sneak peeks at what we had been working on in months previous. He is someone I have a lot of respect for, and he always pushes to do more innovative and detail oriented work, super inspiring stuff. So it just made sense to work together.

Paul Shinichi of Tether and Michael Knight of Other Couture were awarded the Creative Innovator Award. Photo by Autumn Swisher

Marina: Tell us about the Olympica design. What makes it so special?

Tether Jewelry: I’ve been wanting to design a large gauge hidden hinge ring for quite some time. I just thought ‘wouldn’t it be cool if it was one continuous design and you almost can’t figure out where the seam is, almost like a puzzle!?’ After many failed attempts, I finally got it. This design in particular had several iterations because steel is so difficult to work with, especially when you are casting it. What works in gold and silver might not work in steel. It’s a great design idea and I’m already planning more larger-gauge hidden-hinge concepts for next year!

Marina: Aside from the Olympica design, do you have a personal favorite in this year’s collection?

Tether Jewelry: I’m a big fan of the Vitae design. I’m actually wearing them right now. That’s one of the perks of being a designer, designing things for yourself! This design is a nod to my love of marquise cut stones.

Marina: Last year, we asked if you had words of wisdom to share with small manufacturers getting their start in the body modification industry. You answered to “plan for the long game.” Can you expand on that advice?

Tether Jewelry: I am the new guy and I’m still learning how to run this business the best that I can. However, I’m not new to the industry. I’m putting in the time to Tether, much like I did in my piercing career. You need to put in as much time as possible, and just make it work. It can be super challenging at times. I mean, I still drive for Uber on the weekends. Also, it’s not always about designing jewelry. It’s about learning the business side too. I read and listen to a crazy amount of entrepreneurial articles, books, and podcasts. I can make a pretty decent customized spreadsheet now!

The definition of success can vary dramatically from one artist to the next. For me it has changed and evolved over time.

The long game is complicated. Most makers don’t want to make production pieces or outsource and I completely understand why. The long game, in my opinion, rests on the success of brick and mortar studios. If more makers in our industry build interesting products that will sustain a reselling market it’s a win/win. I think there is a huge void in our industry of mid-range retail products that are well made, interesting, and made from steel alloys.

The biggest hurdle for me as a designer was switching my mindset from “I want to make the best quality, most bad-ass jewelry ever” to “I want to make well built, bad-ass jewelry, that studios can sell to a wider audience.”

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

Tether Jewelry: Do more 14 gauge piercings!

Point 80: Volunteer Thank You & Josh Prentice Award

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By Caitlin McDiarmid, APP Administrator

Once again the Volunteers did what they needed to in order to provide excellent customer service to our attendees, and perform the tasks  so that we could have a successful Conference. Our Al D.’s came in to the Conference pretty nervous, maybe more nervous than any other year, but the volunteer group worked it’s magic and soon they were having fun and relaxing along with their fellow volunteers. They worked hard this week and gained new insights and made new friends in the process.

Our Al D. Scholars this year were:

  • Alicia Lowe (Canada)
  • Cas Willems (Netherlands)
  • Erica Martin (Florida)
  • Jess Farrar (England)
  • Michelle Rose (Tennessee)
  • Nina Rennie (Canada)
  • Renee McKeith (Michigan)
  • Saku Penttilä (Finland)

The APP thanks LeRoi and Intrinsic Body, Inc. for contributing to the Al D. Scholarship fund; and PunkMedics for sponsoring three  full scholarships.*

Once again Piercers in our community joined together and contributed to the No Excuses scholarship fund and sent Vicente Aguilar-Ferrell, Misty Alford, Garrett Craven, Kirsten Janusewski, Rachel Hawley, and Rogan Watral to the Conference.

This year we invited back a few of the scholars from previous years who had received outstanding reviews: Dae Jedic, Jose Carlos Salgado, Logan Wright, Hika K, Zach Fitzgerald, Charlie LeBeau, Jane Absinth, Hannah Bough, Jamie Biggers, Jason Heeney, Maree Fowler, Loreia Bürgen.

Our AV crew was in the classrooms all week: Brian Moeller, Allen Falkner, Aiden Johnson, Paul Rainer, and Shana Gyure. The shifts might be short, but these folks handle one of the most pressure filled roles of the Conference and we thank them for their hard work.

Our community should thank Julie Taylor who heads up our Welcoming and Line Wrangling group – having her smiling face and her team greet the incoming attendees really sets the tone for the week.

The Super Volunteers are our most experienced volunteers. They continue to sacrifice time and energy to this event and the Association, not just at Conference, but largely year round. We try to find the best place to use their set of skills and promote the very best of them.

Our Classroom Supers:

  • Seven Wolfe
  • Ryan Clark
  • Mike Mc

Our Booth Supers:

  • Casey Hosch
  • Danny Greenwood
  • Monica Sabin
  • Mark Montgomery
  • Ken Seyler
  • Dianna Brown
  • Andru Rogge
  • John Robberson
  • Marita Wikström
  • Andre Berg
  • Jezebel Voulé

Our Registration Supers:

  • Kendra Berndt
  • Theo Sheffler
  • Anna York
  • Badur Ramji
  • Tiana McGuire
  • David Kelso
  • Marina Pecorino
  • Stephanie Hill
  • Ismael Vargas

This was our third year utilizing an onsite app—Shorty assisted this year with the development of the app, launched the Game, took Attendees’ emails, messages, and calls. Cale Belford not only managed the Mentors, but this year set up the Click game on the app. Thanks to both of these volunteers for helping our Conference transition from paper to tech and for helping the Attendees to get the most out of the app.

Our Conference Managers: Will Spencer, Sarah Wooten, and Gus Diamond help me manage the Conference onsite. They are members of the Conference Committee who participate in the planning and implementation of Conference and then work in the trenches along side all the volunteers who help make Conference what it is today.

We thank Megan Naito and Sydney Harbaugh for managing the Volunteer Underground this year – whether they are line wrangling or taking a moment to relieve a volunteer these unofficial volunteers are a critical part of Conference.

It seems like Ed Chavarria and Luis Garcia have always been by my side working in some capacity since I started with the APP. As Vendor Liaisons they take on a huge task, but as volunteers – whether a Board Member or not – they’ve always helped me and stepped in when I and the Conference needed them. Special thanks to a volunteer who often gets missed. Darren Walters has been helping out in a wide variety of roles over the years and this year wasn’t any different. Thank you Darren for bringing us our final handouts and Ronald’s Donuts daily; for always, every year— pitching in whenever and wherever asked.

Our Mentor Team worked hard this year to improve contact with their mentees and the APP wants to make sure we recognize both the organizers and those being Mentors –

  • Adam Aman
  • Alan Dumond
  • Andre Nalin
  • Becky Dill
  • Bethrah Szumski
  • Billy Wood Jr.
  • Blake Williams
  • Boge Gonzalez
  • Cale Belford
  • Cozmo Whitest
  • Dorian McCarron
  • Fernando Chavez
  • Gigi Gits
  • Gus Diamond
  • Harley Plamandon
  • Hika Keirkenupp
  • Jake Hardman
  • Jane Marie Ravelo
  • Jeremiah Goodlife
  • Johnny Segreto
  • Johnny Velez
  • Johnross Switz
  • Josh Harmon
  • Josh Parkhurst
  • Julie Taylor
  • Kelly Carvara
  • Kris Hemming
  • Mark Montgomery
  • Matte Erickson
  • Megan Naito
  • Melinda Hupy
  • Mick Swan
  • Mike Mc
  • Nathaniel Tinker
  • Pablo Perelmuter
  • Pat Pierce
  • Perry Doig
  • Rich Hartwick
  • Rivka McCormick
  • Rob Gold
  • Rob Hill
  • Ryan Archuletta
  • Ryan Clark
  • Tanner Bennett
  • Tee Miller
  • Tobias Vallone
  • Tyler McClure
  • Whitney Thompson
  • Will VonDoome

Special thanks go to Marina Pecorino and Kendra Jane. They’ve both taken on part of my former responsibilities. Not only does this benefit the Association, but for me personally their contribution has allowed me to continue working for the Association, continue working on the Conference, and continue to work with the industry that I love.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Josh Prentice’s death. Badur from PunkMedics commented to me that to many attendees Josh was more than just a memory or an award—he was a young kid, lost before his time. This year we memorialized Josh’s passing with a special pin and a toast at the Banquet dinner.

People say that I always give the volunteer award to not just a volunteer, but to a person who has affected me personally. In that context—Seven Wolfe has shown to me that being cheerful—a happy person—can still be cool and even a little sexy.

Seven has been taking care of us all ever since he’s been coming to Conference. Whether it is the contagious smiles and good cheer that trails after him like rainbows and moonbeams or the spiritual grounding of meditation, or the energizing and physical well being of Yoga he’s been there supporting anyone and everyone.

Having him smile and wave, provide that hug, or offer you some fresh veggies instead of that greasy pizza, it’s all part of an unsaid mission—provide support, love, care, change the negative into the positive. Provide energy instead of drain

He’s become an integral part of our team and seems to have an  unending supply of energy, happiness, and laughter.

Right now in our industry, we could ALL use more people like him. Right now in this industry we should be aspiring to be more like him. Right now we in this community of Conference Attendees need to be our own form of a very special unicorn. I was deeply honored to present the 2017 Josh Prentice Volunteer Award to Seven Wolfe.

JOSH PRENTICE AWARD WINNER – SHANE SEVEN WOLFE

Surrounded by 90s themed attire at this year’s Banquet Dinner, I received the Josh A. Prentice Award. Winning an award named after someone that is so loved and revered by so many is a true honor. It has inspired me to dive deeper into this work. I am elated and humbled.

I have volunteered since the first year I attended Conference. I quickly learned that volunteering was an important part of my experience. I wanted to offer my service to such an important event for professional body piercers. Being a part of the volunteer family has taught me the importance of working together, how fulfilling it is to work as a team (as cliche as it sounds), and the love I have for our volunteers. My volunteer work for the APP ranges from helping edit teachr handouts before Conference, helping pack in, managing the classroom door volunteers, offering meditation, teaching yoga, and packing up Conference.

I offer meditation and yoga as a reminder to our community to look within. I believe part of being the best piercer you can be is knowing yourself and the Magick you hold within yourself. That Magick passes from us, to the needle, into the jewelry, and finally to the person receiving the piercing. Both the piercer and the client are forever changed by the ritual.

I hold this award, though for me, many people are deserving of this award: Caitlin, the Super Volunteers, the Al D. Volunteers, all the volunteers who help make the Conference. We work together to create this awesome environment every year. We create a safe, uplifting, inspiring, educational space for all to feel welcome. Every year the APP Conference continues to grow. As we grow may we continue to learn, create, inspire, and find balance. We can count on Conference to bring us  all together, from all corners of the Earth, to learn, pass on knowledge, and even share hugs. Thank you to all the ducklings and Mama Duck for all the hard work, effort, and love. I feel grateful and I am honored to be a part of this family.

Point 80: Meet Some of the No-Excuses Scholars

Comments Off on Point 80: Meet Some of the No-Excuses Scholars read Conference, Events, Issue 80
Cas Willems, Al D. Scholar, scans an Attendee’s badge
Photo by Autumn Swisher

KIRSTEN JANUSEWSKI—NO EXCUSES SCHOLAR

The 2017 APP Conference was the best learning and personal development experience that I have had the pleasure of taking part in. Along with five other Scholars, I was awarded the No Excuses Scholarship which was such a memorable, life changing opportunity.

Since starting my latest apprenticeship in March 2016, my goal has been to attend Conference again, but this time with a little more knowledge and confidence. I attended APP Conference for the first time in 2014 and because I lived in Las Vegas, I simply went to classes and went straight home. There was lit- tle to no interaction with anyone and I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing out on a major part of my community’s biggest gathering. This year, I made sure to step out of my comfort zone so I could really embrace the community surrounding me and all of the knowledge they were going to pass along. At first, being around so many professional piercers, who I’ve followed for years on social media, was quite intimidating. Although, knowing that I wanted a much richer experience than my first, I had to overcome some personal social struggles. So to break the ice, I made sure to smile and wave at anyone I saw, as well as introduce myself. Everyone was just as nice and receptive to meeting a fellow piercer.

One of the best parts about my week in Vegas was realizing I wasn’t alone and that no matter how early I was in my career, my peers were there to support me. They made me feel so comfortable and allowed me to pick their brains any chance I got, whether we were sitting by the pool, in a hotel room, or standing by the elevators waiting to go to our next class. Some of my favorite classes this year was Strategic Marking, Navel Piercing: Advanced Fundamentals, and Planning for Success. I also enjoyed the APP Membership Roundtable which answered a lot of questions about becoming a Member and specifications on the requirements.

Coming back to New York to the normal hustle and bustle was a bittersweet feeling. I couldn’t wait to get back and share all the new information and knowledge with my peers and better assist my clients. I was also eager to practice some advanced techniques and improve on current ones. On the other hand, I truly missed everyone I just spent the last week with bonding, swapping stories, and sharing techniques. It is an indescribable comfort to be around so many other like-minded, expressive friends. We all came together to support our industry and expand our knowledge as a collective team. Thank you all for making the 2017 APP Conference unforgettable!

RACHEL HAWLEY—NO EXCUSES SCHOLAR

I want to start off by saying thank you for choosing me for the scholarship. I feel so privileged to have been selected. I took home so much from Conference this year—from the helpful tongue piercing techniques by Ryan Ouellette and his beard-net GoPro ensemble, to Rob Hill’s nonchalant industrial piercing magic. The love and compassion for the industry shown by Elayne Angel and Betsy Reynolds was overwhelming. Alicia Cardenas brought me back to my roots in remembering we are like modern shaman guiding people through their experience or spiritual journey. Being reminded to keep mundane facts interesting for clients was also helpful. Jaymes Lombardi’s speech really hit me hard. I go to work with an entirely different outlook on my job and what it means.

After a week in Las Vegas you’d think I’d come home exhausted, right? WRONG! I was recharged!! Knowing I am not alone and am a part of something HUGE. Much bigger than any one person. The resources are all there and I now know where to get them. I have a huge list of improvements that I’m excited to make!! Not only did I learn so much in class, but from my peers as well. People I never would’ve met otherwise have expanded my friend circle clear to Croatia!! I plan to set up some trips to go visit my peers and learn from them. If it weren’t for the No Excuses Scholarship I wouldn’t have had these opportunities. I really cannot say thank you enough!

ROGAN WATRAL—NO EXCUSES SCHOLAR

It was somehow the longest, and the shortest week of my year. Also, quite possibly the best week I’ve had all year. I urge anyone who has dreamed of going to the APP Conference as I did, to do whatever’s necessary to make sure you attend as soon as possible. Even if it means selling a kidney (ahaha jk please don’t sue me). Everyone will tell you how life changing it is, but you really can’t understand the weight of that statement until you’re there. Even more so, once you start meeting all the wonderful people who attend this event. I met new faces everywhere! In the halls, classes, elevators, by the bar etc. To finally meet some of the people who shaped this industry was something I’ll remember and look forward too forever. Hopefully this next year I’ll be able to donate and give back so that others can be so fortunate.

I’m very grateful to have been chosen as a recipient of the No Excuses Scholarship. The amount  of  knowledge and  experience I gained is priceless. I came back with a renewed sense of energy that I desperately needed. I began new friendships that made me feel like I was with old friends. I can’t wait to see what the coming years at Conference can do for my career and the comfort of my clients. I’m already planning on being back next year.

MISTY ALFORD—NO EXCUSES SCHOLAR

Being accepted as a No Excuses Scholarship for Conference was absolutely the most amazing and life changing experience in my career. This scholarship allowed me to attend several classes. These classes helped me to understand where I needed to implement or update new ways of doing things in different areas of my procedures.

Being able to attend Conference on the No Excuses Scholarship allowed me to network with other piercers from all over the world.   I was able to talk to them about their techniques and why they do things certain ways.

This scholarship allowed me to take a few classes with one of my biggest role models in the piercing industry, Elayne Angel. I was also able to have a few conversations with my other role model, Shorty. He has an amazing amount of knowledge.

I would like to thank Christina Shull and all of the donors that made this opportunity a reality for all of the scholarship recipients.

VICENTE AGUILAR-FERRELL—NO EXCUSES SCHOLAR

 A year ago I began my pursuit to become a professional body piercer at Blue Star. When I began my journey I had already heard of the APP with its Annual Conference and had already decided it to be one of my goals to aid my learning. Fortunately with the generosity of the No Excuses Scholarship sponsors along with what I was able to save, I was able to finally make it to my first Conference. I was excited for the opportunity I had to help me gain more knowledge.

Being at Conference for the first few days almost seemed unreal. Here I was being given the tools to apply to my career which is being organized by people who have the same goals. Then the same people who organized the event are also the instructors for the classes, there was a definite sense of community while I was there even though many including myself were first timers. The classes were very informative and I can’t wait to apply my ideas at the shop and help it and myself grow.

The events that were held after class, especially the ATTB, were a great idea. It gave people the opportunity to spend time and connect with our fellow peers. It was a great way to save money and made sure people didn’t feel like they had to drink just because we were in Vegas. The Banquet was amazing! Seeing everyone dressed up with their fancy jewelry was like prom, but actually fun, plus the food was amazing.

By the end of the week I didn’t want to go home, it almost seemed like the week had flown by. I did want to stop learning. I wanted to keep meeting new people and obviously the pool was a nice to stay at. I hope to be able to make it again and see everyone together again.

Garrett Craven
No-Excuses Scholar
Photo by Autumn Swisher

GARRETT CRAVEN—NO EXCUSES SCHOLAR

It was my first time attending and also my first experience of anything of this kind. I was also fortunate enough to be accepted as a recipient for the No Excuses Scholarship.

A lot of stress led up to the moment of leaving home and embarking on this adventure. Several people offered their time to try and help prepare me for what lay ahead. It certainly helped paint a picture for me and allowed me to prepare for several things I had not thought of such as maps of the hotel, a re-usable water bottle (necessity!) and a hoodie for inside the hotel.

Upon arriving I was overwhelmed with confusion and the task of getting situated. Almost immediately I started meeting people which helped assure me I wasn’t alone. The amount of people who were welcoming and inviting was more than I’ve ever encountered in my entire life. That played a large role in calming my nerves as I arrived there not knowing a single person in real life and I’ve never been in that situation before. Without that I feel the week would have been hell. I would have been overwhelmed with the Vegas environment and the chaos of getting from class to class.

As each day passed my notebook became flooded with scratchy notes as I couldn’t quite write fast enough trying to get every critical word and bit of information that was new to me. I made sure to download the handout from the app as soon as I arrived in each class so when I got back home I could pair that with my notes to really be able to retain all the information. There were so many great classes that I couldn’t pick one which was most helpful. It was literally information overload. I’ve since then printed out all the handouts (and a few from classes I wasn’t able to attend) and paired them with my notes to have a “go-to” or just a refresher here and there. It was truly an unforgettable experience that has changed the way I do almost everything. Jesse Villemaire mentioned something in the sterilization class that hit me then but struck even harder after getting home, “You’ll want to burn the place down and start from scratch, but just start slow with one change at a time.” Couldn’t be more accurate.

In closing, this Conference is something I am striving to attend for the remainder of my career. Whether to obtain knowledge or meet amazing people you can’t go wrong. When I am able to I will surely donate to any scholarship I can if even just a few dollars. I fear that the people who made it possible for me to attend will never truly know how grateful I am for their donations. It’s hard to even really put to words. I guess it could be somewhat related to someone running up to you and hugging you so tight that you can’t breathe and feel uncomfortable and they give you a big smooch right on the cheek with a huge grin on their face and you’re not really sure why. That’d be my gratitude. Thank you.