photo by: kinawilliams.com

dork butch working class scorpio perv beardo scar tat spokes big f#%&! ear scary goomba shy hopeless romantic lezzie titty poker (n other parts) dog fan beardedlady bad speller rowdy latent jew cartoon fun shit starter star fucker wandering jew chubster chub chaser brat dog goofball late nite burner dead funny.

I like poking/perforating/puncturing/piercing/bejeweling becuz it is a powerful and humbling experience to help people simultanously face pain and beauty in a heartbeat. We are all having a human experience, some folk get pierced for aesthetics and this is good and fine I like shiny things too. Some come for reclaiming and taking their body back from others imprinting, some of us love a good ritual. Some to make themselves pretty against and in spite what society sez surrounding the acceptable "beauty standards". Others still want to wear a jewel that belonged to a loved one. It's a declaration of independence at any age. Control of one's own not just destiny but body.

My formal training as a piercer began with a course with teachers Fakir Musafar, Ken Coyete, Erik Dakota and Idexa. This course covered material concerning over 30 piercings, ritual piercings, cultural origins of piercing, aftercare, anatomy, placement, jewelry and tool implementation, proper cleaning and sterilization, and shop management.

I also had the opportunity to observe Raelyn Gallina doing piercing, cutting, and branding work. This period of observation compounded the knowledge learned with Fakir and help to actualize the practice of piercing. I am ever grateful for learning with Raelyn and honors her as my sensei (one who goes first).