Episode 45 – Clay as a Body Jewelry Material: Putting it all on the Slab

In this episode,we take some time to discuss something, frankly, I’m quite excited for. In our industry, new materials for body jewelry are not something that happens every day. Therefore, when something does come across the horizon, it is a cause for excitement and more importantly, a time to ask questions.

We sit down with former guest and jewelry maker, Jared Karnes of Onetribe Jewelry. Jared and I discuss how his new line of jewelry coming out is made of a material we don’t see very often. That material is Clay. We discuss the concerns I / we as a community have with the announcement of the material, and the history of it within our industry.

So without further ado, listen in as we ask what really goes into developing a new material for body jewelry, hear about how much math it takes to produce a single pair of plugs and my own personal experiences with clay plugs.

Jared can be found on his Instagram. Please also make sure to check out his jewelry company, Onetribe on Instagram and their website to sign up for their mailing list to get a sneak peek at their new product line.

This episode sponsored by Amory Body Arts.

Episode 45 – Clay as a Body Jewelry Material: Putting it all on the Slab

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Episode 44 – Supporting Those That Support Us: A Community Conversation

Welcome back everyone, for this episode we are going to start with a quote from a member of the piercing community. “As the piercing industry hits peak commercial exploitation, please make sure that you’re spending your money at companies who choose to give back to the industry as a whole, and not ones who simply do nothing more than take with zero regard.”

So as an industry should we support companies that support us back? What about new companies who have not had the chance to support us yet? What about new businesses that cant afford to purchase from “premium” companies? Are you a person that blindly follows the “Cult of Cool” and does what popular folks do? Have you had a problem with a company and don’t feel they deserve? Or do you just not care at all because it doesn’t affect your day to day?

This quote can mean many things to many different people but on this episode, we are going to ask our community, what it means to them.

So without further ado, listen in as we hear from the community itself, we hear if backgrounds have influenced responses and how what we do today can shape tomorrow.

The following people who contributed to this episode have been listed below. I have made sure to include their names and locations. Please take a moment to follow them or visit their places of employment.

Jen Kristoff – Brilliance Piercing – Instagram

Luis Garcia – NoKaOi Tiki Tattoo – Instagram

Jake Hardman – Drift Piercing – Instagram

Cassi Lopez-March – So Gold Studios – Instagram

Matt Ronin – Doorway Beyond Piercing Studio – Facebook

This episode sponsored by Amory Body Arts and Jewelry This Way.

Episode 44 – Supporting Those That Support Us: A Community Conversation

Episode 43 – Helping the Masses: The AAPP forum

In this episode, were going back to our roots to talk about the same topic we discussed in episode 1 when we were first dipping our toe into the pod casting game. Now even though this is the same topic, we are attacking it from a different angle since it has been a little over two years. The topic we are discussing is the Ask a Professional Piercer group on Facebook. This time we will be looking at it again, in retrospect since its massive surge in growth but also from what it takes to run it properly, the work of the volunteers and moderators and the toll it takes on them.

We have a round table with members of the AAPP group; A.J Goldman of 12oz Studios, founder of the group and long time admin chimes in with the stresses and hardships that have come with the growth of the group. Derek Lowe of Saint Sabrina’s, discuss his new role as an admin and how to correctly ask questions for quick responses. Lastly, we have Ali Pope of Native Rituals; they share with us how they keep such a positive outlook in responses and explains how we do not like telling people things they don’t want to hear.

So without further ado, listen in as we talk about why piercer’s volunteer their time, why people recommend who they do and how the toll of helping out others can weigh heavy on your conscience.

A.J, Derek and Ali can be found on their Instagrams or in their studios respectively. Please make sure to give them a follow.

This episode sponsored by Amory Body Arts and Jewelry This Way.

Episode 43 – Helping the Masses: The AAPP forum

Episode 42 –A Jewelry Company within a Studio

In this episode, we sit down with two of my favorite people within the industry to talk about a very unique system they have within their studio. Very few studios, not only across the country but also around the world, have a jewelry company in their building. This is something that could change the way your business operates and separate you from your peers. Bella Fine Jewelry in Asheville, North Carolina is one of those studios and within it lies Origins Handmade.

We sit down with owners of each part of the studio respectively. Nic Fox, owner of Bella Fine Jewelry & Piercing, discusses how the community has responded to their business practice of being both a piercing studio and custom jewelry maker under one roof. While Alan Vedge, owner of Origins Handmade and piercer at Bella, discusses how learning everything on your own can result in a unique style all of your own when it comes to jewelry.

So without further ado, listen in as we talk about doing jewelry repairs in the time it takes to get a cup of coffee, how it can prevent burnout and how the community responds to your business.

Alan and Nic can be found on their Instagrams or in their studio respectively. Please also make sure to check out their jewelry company, Origins Handmade.

This episode sponsored by Amory Body Arts and Jewelry This Way.

Episode 42 –A Jewelry Company within a Studio

Episode 41 – Community Outreach: Working within your Area

In this week’s episode; we wanted to focus on a topic that I am very passionate about. It is something that when done correctly, can have a ripple effect of positivity in your community. The topic at hand is that of Community Outreach. This can mean something different to every individual but this episode is going to focus on the act of helping and providing services or acts of kindness to the population that can do good within your community. However, as businesses how do you know if what you are doing is actually not only helping the community but also helping your livelihood?

I sit across the virtual table with my longtime friend, Woodstock Bader. A man of many hats. Piercer, Tattooer, Scarification Artist, and shop owner of The Crow’s Nest and Retrospect Tattoo Removal in Iowa.Woodstock has done some amazing work within his community. We felt he was the perfect guest to discuss how important helping people truly is.

So without further ado, listen in as we talk about the effect of kindness can have, how to break the mold of being “that business” in your community and how not to donate yourself out of business.

Woodstock and his businesses can all be found on their Instagram or on their studios websites respectively.  If you want to ask him questions about his work within the community, you can email him directly at Woodstock_Bader@yahoo.com.

This episode is sponsored by  Jewelry This Way and Amory Body Arts.

Episode 41 – Community Outreach: Working within your Area

Episode 40 – Apprenticeships

In this week’s episode, we talk about one of the most requested topics since I started this podcast. It seems that every week, I get messages and emails asking for advice about it. Not only do I get questions about how to get one but also if individuals are getting the most out of them. We are going to be discussing Apprenticeships.

We sit down with my longtime friend, Jef Saunders of Gamma Piercing in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jef was a perfect choice for this episode. His many years as a shop owner, training several apprentices and helping to develop things within the Association of Professional Piercers has made him a wealth of information on the topic. In addition to that, his body piercing blog, piercingnerd.com, had a well-written description about what an individual such as himself looks for in an apprentice. Covering training, attributes and the such. Jef and I go over this and what we both find desirable. We also discuss other difficult to discuss aspects for those already with apprenticeships, such as is the apprenticeship worth your time and energy and should you just start over?

Listen is as we talk about the attributes the industry looks for in apprentices, why Instagram messages are the worst form of communication and what things you should look for in a good teacher.

Jef can be found on his Instagram, his blog, or at his place of business, Gamma Piercing.

This episode sponsored by Amory Body Arts and Jewelry This Way.

Episode 40 – Apprenticeships

Proudly announcing our new Sponsor…

I would like to proudly announce our newest sponsor of the podcast

Jewelry This Way.

Jewelry This Way is a gold only jewelry company that offers handmade jewelry made in good ole Tennessee. The jewelry is made by piercers for piercers, paying attention to the detail that we all look for. However, that is not the best part about them, the best part is that when you peruse their stock on their website, jewelrythisway.com, you will only see their current stock levels of products. That means zero turnaround time, just click, buy and wait for your jewelry to show up in the next few days. For most of us, the wait for jewelry is a constant struggle but with Jewelry This Way’s system, you can only order what’s made. This is great for when those summer rushes for when seam rings and daiths deplete your stock.

Jewelry This Way is also offering our listeners an awesome chance to try them out or if you are a current customer, a thank you for listening to this podcast. Next time you make a purchase on Jewelrythisway.com, use the code “RealTalk” to save 5% on your total purchase.  That is as easy as it comes to save a little bit of money while trying something new.  Check them out and help us support the sponsors that support the message that our podcast provides.

Episode 38 – APP Conference 2019: Planet Hollywood Edition

In this week’s episode, we cover our favorite thing every year, the annual Association of Professional Piercer’s convention in Las Vegas. This year marks the 24 year of this event. It also marks a change of venue from Bally’s to The Planet Hollywood Casino and with that comes a whole bunch of new and exciting things.

We sit down with one of my dearest friends and honorary co-host for these conference episodes. Cale Belford, owner of Uzu Organics and Oleander piercing joins us again to tell us all about the new hotness that conference has and to go over how to survive a week long convention.

So without further ado, listen in as we talk about how to survive for first timers, what’s new for repeat attendees and what amazing things are in store for you.

Cale can all be found on her personal Instagram, her jewelry company or in her studio.

Links from this weeks episode:

Official Site for 24 Annual Conference & Checklist

APP Conference Attendees Group on Facebook

This episode sponsored by Amory Body Arts and Jewelry This Way.

Episode 38 – APP Conference 2019: Planet Hollywood Edition

Episode 37 – Smashing the Mirror: Being True to our Online Personas

In this week’s episode we decided to go against our usual style of the podcast. This episode is a frank and honest discussion between friends about a topic that is an ever-constant thing within our industry. We decided to do this format for this roundtable because myself and our guests have been friends for numerous years and it’s something that deserves brutal honesty to show our listeners that they aren’t alone in their feelings. So what are we talking about then? Internet personas and representations of character, both in person and on social media. With these, we have positives and negatives but which is which? Are we doing more harm than good?

We sit down with some longtime friends, all providing a different perspective on this honest discussion. Former guest, Colin O of Laughing Buddha, joins us again to give a viewpoint on how his persona is handled radically different depending on the platform. Former sponsor and owner of Other Couture Jewelry, Mike Knight, weighs in on his work with celebrities hasn’t changed his lifestyle or business and  lastly, Perry Doig of Rose Gold San Francisco asks some questions that really make you think about your situation.

So without further ado, listen in as we talk about how the way you present yourself could actually be hurting you as a professional, how amazing breakfast casseroles are and how your image is not your reputation.

Colin O, Perry Doig and Mike Knight can all be found on their Instagrams or in their studios respectively.

This episode is sponsored by Amory Body Arts.

Episode 37 – Smashing the Mirror: Being True to our Online Personas

Episode 36 – All of us have a place in history: The Body Piercing Archive

In this week’s episode, we decided to talk about something that means a lot to me personally. This episodes discussion is about something that has affected each and every one of us in this career. It is something that without, we would not be where we are today. As people, as artists, or even as a society. Today’s topic is history, and more specifically the Body Piercing Archive.

The Body Piercing Archive is a committee within the Association of Professional Piercers that is tasked with researching, collecting, preserving and informing our industry for not only the current generation but also for future generations to come. We sit down with the forever-charming Paul King, former APP board member and piercer at Cold Steel America in San Francisco, California and Devin Ruiz-Altamura, committee member of the Body Piercing Archive. Many know that our industries roots are ones that stem from different subcultures and were also hidden out of public view but not many know the work it takes to find that information decades later.

So without further ado, listen in as we talk about the mission of the archive itself, how I now imagine Paul as the “Indiana Jones of Porn” and the future of the body piercing archive.

*Contains Spoilers for APP 2019 Piercing Archive Exhibit.*

Paul and Devin can be found on their Instagrams or at their studio, Cold Steel America in San Francisco, California. 

This episode sponsored by  Amory Body Arts.

Episode 36 – All of us have a place in history: The Body Piercing Archive