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#154 USA $10.00 Canada $10.00 MARCH • 2015 PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID Grand Forks ND PERMIT #322 Publications Mail Agreement #40069018 ★ MAJESTIK CREATIONS ★ BEN KELLY ★ WAR OF THE ROSES ★ issue 154 March 2015 contents 12 Point 2 Point SOM 1 16 14 staff Publisher Ralph Garza Editor-In-Chief R Cantu Art Director Bill Wetsel [email protected] Contributing Writers Elayne Angel Jay Cousins Austin Ray Darin Burt Judi Perkins Tanya Madden Ask Angel Majestik Creations Tattoo 18 APP 20 Tattoo Removal SOM 2 26-27 Best Business Card Contest Show/Expo 32 War of The Roses Tattoo Convention Account Executive Jennifer Orellana 30 Studio Yorick 28 Editor Sandy Caputo Help Wanted [email protected] [email protected] 505-332-3003 Executive Assistant Richard DePreist [email protected] 505-275-6049 38-39 Sexy Side 42, 44 Art Gallery Artist Profile 46 40 PAINful Comedy: David Cross Ben Kelly advertisers index 21 APT 5th Annual Tattoo Trade Show 2015 50 Bicknee Tattoo Supply Company 49 Body Vibe / Helix 51 Desert Palms Emu Ranch 17 Domos Tattoo Machines 20 DPS Tattoo Products 7 Dr. Piercing’s Aftercare 47 Eternal Tattoo Supply 52-Inside Back Cover Face and Body 43 Friction Wholesale Tattoo Supply 13 Galaxy Tattoo MFG. 23 H2Ocean Natural Aftercare 4, 48 Invictus Body Jewelry 5 Kingpin Tattoo Supply 9, 45 Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo 24 APP 20th Annual Conference & Expo 2015 Inside Front Cover-1, 31 Micky Sharpz USA 10 Monster Steel Back Cover North American Bancard 43 Needlejig 29 Painful Pleasures 6 Palmero Health Care 37 PPIB 33 PRIDE Aftercare 11 Rejuvi Labs 33 Tat Soul 2-3, 11, 35 Tatu Derm 37 Tattoo Goo 15, 25 Tommy’s Supplies 19 Welker Tattoo Machines Inside Back Cover Metal Mafia PAINMAGAZINE 8 PAIN Magazine 9901 Acoma Rd. SE Albuquerque, NM 87123 [email protected] General Inquiries: [email protected] www.painmag.com www.facebook.com/painmagazine Subscriptions: [email protected] Printed in Canada Publications Mail Agreement #40069018 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 737 Moray St., Winnipeg MB, Canada, R3J 3S9 contacts Fax 505-275-6510 Editorial 505-275-6049 cover sponsor Cover Sponsor: H2Ocean www.H2Ocean.com 866-420-2326 See page 4 and 48 H2Ocean specializes in developing natural products for safe and effective healing without using harmful chemicals. Copyright 2015 PAIN Magazine. All rights reserved. Published monthly by Pain, Inc. Subscriptions available for $39/year (U.S. funds). Send requests to address listed above. Please mail address changes, and include label from previous issue. For all other information call (505) 275-6049. For submission guidelines, log on to our website at www.painmag.com. Pain, Inc. assumes no responsibility for contents herein. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the writer. I t’s officially spring time Pain readers! And you know what that means…the weather is warming up, clothes are coming off and all of the hustle and bustle is headed your way. Are you prepared? Join Darin Burt this month as he guides you through part I of the hiring process. Gone are the days when you could stick a HELP WANTED sign in the front window and hire the first person that walks through the door asking for the job. Check out these tips and put them to use! Next, how familiar are you with tattoo removal? Please allow ® us to introduce to you Rejuvatek Medical Inc.’s Tatt2Away , the only in-house, non-laser, tattoo removal method that is all-natural, removes all colors and pigments, minimizes the possibility of scarring, hardly hurts, and is less expensive to have done. This product is the real deal and is taking the industry to an entirely new level! Lastly, Elayne Angel addresses Sexual Harassment (and Assertiveness) in the Studio in her Ask Angel column. This is one you don’t want to miss. And as always, we want to hear from you! Tell us what you want to see more of. And if you are a talented artist…send your work to [email protected]. Cheers! PAINMAGAZINE 10 PointToPoint Jay Cousins The Marshall Islands T he Marshall Islands are considered a United Stated territory and located in the north- west equatorial Pacific Ocean. In 1945, following Japan’s defeat in World War II, the Marshall Islands became a Trust Territory of the United States under administration by the United States. The islands include 29 atolls and five islands. The ring shaped corral islands are approximately 2600 miles southwest of Hawaii. The Marshall Islands are probably best known for the 67 atomic bomb tests that were conducted in the late 40’s and early 50’s. In 1954, a hydrogen bomb was ignited at Bikini Atoll. The test was referred to as the 15 megaton Bravo Test and was thousands of times more powerful than the atomic bomb. The hydrogen bomb vaporized the island of Elugelab. In 1956, the Atomic Energy Commission regarded the Marshall Islands as THE most contaminated place on Earth. Nuclear testing on the Marshall Islands was stopped in 1958. In the early 70‘s, U.S. government scientists declared Bikini Island safe, however, islanders were re-located again in 1978 after ingesting high levels of radiation after eating foods grown on the former nuclear test site. Two billion dollars was awarded to the Bikini Islanders in personal injury and land damage claims. Prior to extensive nuclear testing on the Marshall Islands in the 40’s and 50’s, the Japanese seized the Marshall Islands from Germany in 1914 and banned tattooing. The Japanese declared tattooing a police offense under penalty of enforced labor for a period not to exceed 30 days. It is believed this law may have been an effort to erase the physical marks of distinction separating chiefs from commoners. In less hierarchical societies such as the Marshallese culture, tattooing developed as a means to identify members of a local population with claims to contested lands such as an entire island. Body ornamentation in Marshallese culture comes in three forms; body painting, pigment tattooing and scar tattooing. Whole body painting is a reversible ornament, pigment tattooing and scar tattooing is permanent. Scar tattooing is defined on the Marshall Islands as a piercing, slicing or burning of the skin to cause a scar thus creating a three dimensional ornament. All three methods of body ornamentation are common on Oceania and especially in Micronesia, although only pigment tattooing and to a very small degree, scar tattooing were practiced in the Marshall Islands. Spiritually and conceptually, Marshallese tattoos and their motifs are firmly rooted in the marine environment. Marshallese tattooing has drawn its elements and ideas from the sea. Many designs, for example, are abstract forms of specific fish or represent canoe parts or the canoe movements. Body art regulations on the Marshall Islands loosely resemble laws of the United States. U.S. law guides and influences Marshall islands law and practice. The Republic of the Marshall Islands modeled its constitution on the United States Constitution and therefore influenced by the American legal system. In a recent development, all Marshall Islands attorneys are bound by the American Bar Association. In addition, the Marshall Islands Business and Corporations Act is applied and construed to make the laws of the Republic uniform with the laws of the State of Delaware. Tattoo and body piercing in the Marshall Islands follow cultural and traditional ideals but the shops on the islands also follow the laws of the State of Delaware in the areas of shop safety and pathogen control. Marshallese tattoo shops require all operators to demonstrate skills and knowledge in basic human anatomy, skin disorders and conditions including diabetes, hazardous waste disposal and removal, basic facility safety and sanitation and universal precautions as defined by the Centers for Disease Control. The Marshallese tattoo guidelines also require all shop owners to assume that all human blood and specified human body fluids are infectious for HIV, HBV and other blood pathogens. In addition, the Marshall Islands Rules of Civil procedure (MIRCP) are modeled after the United States Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The 2013 MIRCP were adopted on February 4, 2013 and became effective on March 4, 2013. The CDC recommends that all travelers to the Marshall Islands receive the measles- mumps-rubella vaccine, the diptheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, the chicken pox vaccine, the polio vaccine and a yearly flu shot. O Jay Cousins works for the Albuquerque Environmental Health Department. He started working for the city in 1985. In 1994 he started working for the restaurant, swimming pool, and body art inspection program. He has approximately 600 facilities in his jurisdiction, including body art establishments. He started doing body art inspections in 1999 and has conducted over 500 body art facility inspections since then. Jay is also a high school and college baseball umpire and works as a fill-in umpire for the Albuquerque Isotopes. PAINMAGAZINE 12 L B Swafford, owner and lead artist at Majestik Creations, in Moorseville, Indiana, had what you would call an old school upbringing in the tattoo industry. It was a time getting a tattoo meant living on the wild side – and owning a tattoo shop did too. “In the seventies and eighties around here it was all biker tattoo shops,” he says. “Back in the day, if somebody was found tattooing out of their house, and they got found out, there would be hands broken. It was a treacherous business. . .there were some shops that tried to open and then they were on fire.” Before opening Majestik Creations Tattoo, LB himself was living on the rougher side. Tattooing since 1996, LB managed the first licensed studio in Marion County – Dog’s Tattoo Studio, from 1999 until he went on “vacation” to the state penitentiary. But he put his time behind bars to good use, earning a bachelors degree from Ball State University. One day in business class, the question was posed – if you were going to open a business what kind would it be? continued on page 22 PAINMAGAZINE 14 Ask Elayne Angel Elayne Angel Author The Piercing Bible—The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing President, Association of Professional Piercers Sexual Harassment (and Assertiveness) in the Studio Hi Elayne, My name is F. I am a piercer in [location deleted to protect her identity] and I am an APP member, although I have not had the pleasure of attending a conference yet. I am a big fan of yours. I bought and read your book and have also purchased a few of your genital piercing videos, which have helped me so much. Maybe it’s only in my area but I have had some awful experiences from male clients and male bosses in my time in the industry. I’m not very assertive, and I’ve never really known what to do. Do you have any suggestions? Also I have seen male piercers act inappropriately to trusting female clientele and also to myself. I know other female piercers who have had similar experiences in the same shops. Does it happen often? Thanks F. Hi F., U nfortunately, sexual harassment is a widespread occurrence in general. I don’t know how prevalent it is in our industry because I am unaware of any dialogue on this subject. I believe that it should be discussed, so I intend to start a conversation here and now. A client who came to me for repiercing following a botched job divulged a shocking story: her prior piercer had inserted his ungloved finger into her vagina to “make sure her hood was in the center” before piercing it. I’m deeply disgusted by a so-called “professional” piercer who would violate a client in that way. Such blatant abuse should never be tolerated. Anyone who is sexually harassed while in a studio to be pierced should report the incident to management and possibly the authorities. Many cases are less overt, so we should identify what constitutes sexual harassment. In the US it is legally described as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that disrupts the workplace.” It could include behaviors like direct or indirect threats or bribes for sexual activity, sexual innuendos and comments, sexually suggestive jokes, and attempted or completed sexual assault. Note that the victim and harasser can be either male or female, or they could both be the same gender. Though it is common in the workplace, employees in the US and other countries do have legal protections against being sexually harassed at work. That said, a lawsuit is a pretty extreme measure, and one that most people would prefer to avoid if possible. If you feel harassed, it is reasonable to respond directly to the individual and ask them to stop. Be firm and stand up for yourself. Failing to take any action can be viewed as a silent form of permission, perpetuating the belief that their conduct is okay, and does nothing to prevent future harassment of others. You might reply to a verbal incident with a statement such as, “What you’re saying is inappropriate and makes me feel very uncomfortable. I don’t want you to talk like that to me again.” Similarly, if you are subjected to unwanted touching, make it clear that it is unacceptable, non-consensual behavior. As soon as you realize something improper has gone on, document any actions by noting what happened, who was involved, and the time and date. If the offender is a coworker with whom you feel you cannot communicate directly, go to your manager or the owner. Describe what transpired and any steps you took to address the incident. If your harasser continues to engage in the same behavior, you should file a formal report detailing the events that took place. In a best-case scenario, your superior will not stand for further problems and will discipline the individual—and dismiss them, should it happen again. If you speak to a superior and are intimidated, not taken seriously, or encouraged to “forget about it,” that should also be documented. When a proprietor tolerates (or is guilty of) serious and repeated transgressions, you should consider taking legal action. Locate and contact the agency responsible for handling such cases. Try to connect with the other victims of your harasser. You may find that they have previously lodged complaints, or that they will want to file a grievance when you do. To support your claim, secure in writing the testimony of any witnesses to the incidents. Once you start down this path, don’t give up; see it through to the end to put a stop to criminal misconduct. PAINMAGAZINE 16 Another scenario you mentioned was witnessing other piercers behaving inappropriately with the studio’s clients. If you feel that you have a good rapport, you may want to try resolving the problem directly with the offenders. Otherwise, this would also be an issue you should bring to management. An ethical business owner would never sanction harassment on their premises and would want to rectify the situation immediately. When I teach piercing seminars I advise students to be careful with their use of humor in the procedure room. This is especially relevant when piercing nipples and genitals. Opinions on what is funny are subjective and vary widely, so jokes can end up coming across in a way that is quite different from how they were meant. I had a wonderful employee who would never intentionally upset, insult, or harass anyone. But his sense of humor was a bit odd, and I became aware that he was making jokes that could be taken the wrong way, so I had to talk with him about changing his approach— and he complied. Because piercers deal with the human body and nudity is required for certain procedures, this could potentially make appropriate boundaries between piercer and client somewhat trickier to discern. But the piercing room is one place in which you really do hold the power, so don’t let anyone take it away from you. I recall a middle-aged man who came in for a Prince Albert piercing early in my career. He undressed and then said, “Well, I took off my clothes; aren’t you going to take off yours?” I explained that he had come to me for a professional service that necessitated his disrobing, but that it was not appropriate for him to make such a statement. Also, I expressed my doubt that he’d say the same thing to a female healthcare professional in a medical setting. I was stern but not unforgiving, and after he apologized the rest of the appointment went just fine. Use this take-charge approach any time a customer or piercee misbehaves. If speaking up doesn’t come easily to you, practice in the mirror or try some role-play rehearsals with a friend or colleague. You must be assertive and leave no room for doubt about who is in control. If you do your best to handle the situation but still feel uncomfortable, you should be able to refuse service or request that another piercer take care of the client. If necessary, take the matter to the manager or owner. There are numerous potential scenarios and circumstances in which sexual harassment abuse could take place within a body art studio. Be assured that you should not have to endure any unwelcome advances; stand up for yourself, attempt to enlist those in charge when necessary, and if all else fails seek resolution through legal channels. V i U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov/index.cfm ii Information for business owners: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/preventing-sexual-harassment-workplace-29851.html Elayne Angel; Mérida, Mexico in the Yucatán! Have questions about piercing? Have Photos? Need info? E-mail her at: [email protected], www.piercingbible.com. Subject Pain Mag. or [email protected] PAINMAG.COM APP COME CELEBRATE TWENTY YEARS OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & SAFETY WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL PIERCERS O ur 20th Annual Conference and Exposition will be at Bally’s in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 7-12, 2015. Our classrooms will once again fill with attendees from all over the world. Piercers, Studio Owners, Vendors, and Health Inspectors will all come together for a week of education and peer-to-peer sharing. Whether you are an experienced practitioner or a new piercer, you will be able to learn core requirements for a successful piercing career or update your skills and ensure your knowledge is current. You do not have to be an APP member to attend the Conference, although some restrictions apply to the Exposition and Members Only & Piercing Technique courses/roundtables. You must be a piercer in order to attend Piercer Technique courses and must prove industry affiliation in order to access the Expo. The Exposition is the only one of its kind in this country. Nowhere else can you find this range of great jewelry, products, and body piercing related services all in one spot. At the 2015 Conference we expect that our Vendors will donate generously (as in past years) to our Raffle – in past years, total value of prizes have exceeded $60,000; with more than 200 individual prizes donated. Social events for the week include an Opening Party, a Banquet Dinner, Yoga, and more… WHAT IS THE CONFERENCE? The conference is a week long educational event for professional piercers. It consists of classes, workshops, round table discussions, meetings, the Expo, and has two main scheduled social events: the Opening Party & the Banquet. There are often additional smaller events or presentations which vary from year to year. EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES The APP provides ample course selections for both the new attendee and our returning piercers. The APP restricts Piercing Technique (advanced) courses to professional level piercers (piercers with a year or more experience). We encourage new piercers or piercers new to our Conference to start with our more basic courses. We also offer a Mentor program for those that are new to Conference and feel they would like guidance on course selection and/or extra support throughout the week. 2015 CLASS & ROUNDTABLE LIST CORE CLASSES Aftercare: Rethinking Our Approach Aftercare: Troubleshooting Piercing Problems Aftercare: Wound Healing Dynamics Anatomy of the Body for Safe & Successful Piercings Basic Steel & Titanium Becoming Jedi: Grounding, Bedside Manner, and Using the Force. OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens 2015 Initial Jewelry: The “Rules” (and when to break them) Medical Considerations for Body Piercing Oro-Facial Anatomy for Safe & Successful Piercings Studio Documentation: Putting the Paper to Work ELECTIVE CLASSES: 20 Years: An APP Timeline Apprenticeships “But I Don’t Want to Be a Piercer…” (Non-Piercer Careers in the Industry) Communication: It’s Not All About What is Said Creating Your Market The Ear: Beauty in Simplicity Female Genital Piercings: An Added Perspective Flesh and Stone: A Course on Lapidary Anthropology How to Use a Statim Awesome and Effective Jewelry Displays Needles: the Cutting Edge Piercing as a Lifetime Career Portfolio Presentation Recovering History of Western Body Piercing from the 1890s to the 1990s. Scratching the Surface (Jewelry Polishing/Finishes) Stretching Dynamics: Not Just Earlobes Studio Analysis Successful Surface Piercing Suspension: Analyzing the Attraction SPECIAL GUESTS: ELDERLORE: Concepts and Trends in the Early Industry Days by Blake Perlingieri The Early APP: How We All Got Here by David Vidra Tribal Rites to Industry: Our Journey by Fakir ROOTS by Jim Ward WORKSHOPS: Basic Technique Fundamentals Safe Practices in the Piercing Room Safe Practices in the Sterilization Room Strategic Marking Workshop ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS: APP Membership Community Outreach: Sharing the Safe Piercing Message Disorders in the Industry Implementing Change in the Studio The Jewelry Monster Won’t Back Down Legislation Shop Owners Transgendered Effect OVERALL CONFERENCE ACCESS The APP’s Conference is an industry specific continuing education conference designed for professional piercers. While the APP allows non-industry attendees to attend classes, the Conference is not designed for them. Appropriate reasons to attend classes as a non-industry person are: Work in an adjunct field (Suspension, Health Inspector, etc.) Taking a specific class for other professions/education, not offered elsewhere (Anthropology, BBP) Preparing for a professional apprenticeship Unless you are taking classes or you are a guest (spouse, child/parent, significant other) of a professional piercer, we ask that you respect that our Conference is not open to the general public. Our social events are open only to Attendees/Vendors and their guests. Please see our 20th Annual Conference & Exposition website for additional details and policies. The Conference site can be accessed at APP safepiercing.org. “…that’s really what the conference boils down to, the fact that we all get to come together, from everywhere in the world, with different backgrounds and knowledge levels, and just share ideas. Our industry came from cut-throat practices and has evolved into something that no one could call anything less than a family.”-Attendee Nate Grosvenor PAINMAGAZINE 18 The mission of the Association of Professional Piercers is to circulate vital health, safety, and education information to the professional piercing industry, health care providers and the general public. 1-888-888-1277 www.safepiercing.org SmartThinking Rejuvatek Medical Inc.’s Tatt2Away®…Leading the way! TATTOO REMOvAL W by Judi Perkins ashing machines. Automobiles. iPods. Cell phones. CDs and DVDs. All life changing ideas that have rendered their previous method secondary or obsolete. And now, to that list, add Rejuvatek Medical Inc.’s Tatt2Away®, the only in-house, non-laser, tattoo removal method that is all-natural, removes all colors and pigments, minimizes the possibility of scarring, hardly hurts, and is less expensive to have done. No longer must the tattoo – and flexibility of the client dictate the cover up. Good-bye lasers. And all other methods, self-induced or otherwise, that are currently used to remove a tattoo. “Tatt2Away allows the artist to manage the end product,” said Diana Tucker, the company’s Director of Marketing. “If an existing tattoo needs to be lightened, the artist has to let go of control while the client gets lasered, and then work with whatever results come back.” Tatt2Away eliminates the disconnect by bringing the removal in-house. “Professional tattoo artists take great pride in their work. Tatt2Away allows them to manage the entire process, better meeting their vision and the client’s need. “ And adding revenue to the studio. Think of it as un-doing the tattoo. Tatt2Away is the patented result from years of careful research. A machine similar to a tattoo machine is used to inject a natural solution into the skin, which draws the ink to the surface. Two scabs appear: first for the ink, then for the wound. “It evokes the body’s wound healing response to essentially expel the pigment from the body,” said CEO Jack Savage. “Wounds heal from the bottom up, so as the area heals, it’s pushing the pigment out. This is very different pigment absorbing the laser and then exploding into smaller molecules which are dissipated and absorbed into the body.” In other words, the ink is left to roam through the body and perhaps be channeled and expelled via lymph nodes and liver. Considering the contents of some inks….very unhealthy. Treatments max at five but can be as few as three. The secret is the patented template, a scientifically-spaced dot pattern which allows for treating segmented areas in a methodical manner, maximizing healing and minimizing the likelihood of scarring, depending on the tattoo’s location and patient compliance. Said Savage, “It’s very important that the template treatment pattern is used, because that’s about as big as you can go, or as small as you can go, to get that correct type of effect.” continued on page 25 PAINMAGAZINE 20 PAINMAGAZINE 22 “I decided to open a tattoo studio. I’d done the paperwork, and when I got out, I made it happen,” LB says. “Tattooing and art is my love, and being with a mark on you after being incarcerated, it’s difficult to get a job even sweeping floors. Luckily, I had the trade of tattooing, I work hard and I don’t let anyone tell me I can’t do something.” There’s still a stigma where tattoo shops are concerned, but LB has tried to change that outlaw perception, by offering professional, friendly service in a welcoming environment. “I wanted people to come in and feel like they’re part of something,” LB says. “People come in, and we cut up and have a blast, but we also give them a top-quality tattoo or body piercing, and make their day.” Majestic Creations can tackle just about any request. If a customer wants something off the flash wall, the artists are happy to do it; if a custom design is desired, they can do that too. LB prides himself of no-line color portraits and Japanese traditional style; Christoper “Tank” Price is a tattooer and piercer with nearly two decades experience, who produces some amazingly crisp line work; Joe “Jo Jo” Kline specializes in color pieces, portraiture and black & grey. “It doesn’t matter what it is – we can do anything from American traditional to color portraits and anything in between,” LB says. “Flash, though, represents history. A tattoo studio needs to have flash,” LB adds. “I’ve had custom artists who have worked for me, and they were amazing, but you tell them to do a piece off the flash rack and they drop the ball. They might be able to do a piece off their own drawing without making any mistakes, but they need to be able to reproduce something as simple as a horseshoe, nautical star, or basic script names. . .it’s tattooing 101.” The guys at Majestik Creations are exploring the realms of tattooing from machine building to developing a line of natural aftercare products to expanding their techniques with oil painting and charcoal drawings. LB has certainly seen tattoos evolve into a legitimate business and art form. “Before, it was just a bunch of old bikers who couldn’t really tattoo that well. . .most of their tattoos looked terrible. Back then, if somebody had suggested tattooing without a liner, I would have thought they were crazier than hell,” LB says. “Nowadays, we’re breaking all the rules.” O Majestik Creations Tattoo Mooresville, Indiana PAINMAG.COM Tattoo Removal continued An area of skin is treated only once. “Each treatment uses the template to treat between the previous treatment dots,” said Savage. “As the treatments progress, the treatment area gets smaller. The final treatment might be more like a touch up. “ Tatt2Away is founded on Savage’s background in medical device lasers. Although he loves lasers, he realized there was a more natural solution to the widespread problem of unwanted tattoos. “This approach solves a lot of the issues that lasers don’t address,” said Savage. “It works on all colors; the laser doesn’t. It will work in fewer treatments, which is less disruptive to the dermis. It’s less painful, and it’s less expensive, because it takes fewer treatments.” Not only that, the system is also less expensive for the studio. And no doctor needed. It’s new to the states but well established in Australia, where it was first marketed and where award-winning tattoo artist, Dave Lukeson, and his wife Melissa, came across it. They were considering buying a laser for their studio to expand revenue, but when they discovered Tatt2Away, the laser was forgotten. “There were so many things about it that made sense. It’s one-third of the cost, and we didn’t need a physician,” said Melissa, who conducts the training session for studios who have recognized the opportunity of becoming Tatt2Away centers. “One gentleman wanted everything on his forearm removed and then had the entire forearm redone,” said Melissa. More often than not, however, it’s about cover ups, and Tatt2Away allows their studio to keep the communication, and thus the control, in house. Melissa said an artist may want a pattern broken up, rather than entirely removed. The artist marks it; she removes it. “It’s a great addition for revenue, but not just from doing the treatments. Sometimes a client comes in for removal, and we can do a cover up without the removal. But they’re still a tattoo client, and we’d never have gotten that customer had they not come in for removal.” Interestingly enough, Tatt2Away is not interested in placing thousands of units in studios across the country. Instead, they’re looking for a select group of studios who understand the concept and how it revolutionizes the studio, tattoo removal, and the tattooing profession. That means a degree of exclusivity to a studio using the system. “They’ll receive an enormous amount of notoriety, because they’re one of the few studios or the only studio in a given area that may have this,” said Savage. “And not everyone in an area is going to be able to have it.” Certification comes with becoming a Tatt2Away center and is a three-day process, intensive for a method so akin to what a studio is already doing. But skilled tattooing isn’t learned in a year, nor is skilled un-tattooing simply plugging a machine into a wall. “We see this as such an important addition to the studio, and we want to make sure the training is absolutely spot on,” said Savage, “and more than that, we want to make sure they’re successful.” Day one involves classroom time: theory and medical lectures. Days two and three are hands-on experience doing removals. Certainly some studio owners will ignore the ease and beauty of how Tatt2Away works and how their studio can benefit. But the cultural impact of talking pictures and daguerreotypes wasn’t initially recognized either. O For more information, visit www.Tatt2Away.com PAINMAG.COM I taly is an old-fashioned country, especially the central area, but despite of this, enthusiasm for ’’body art’’ is ever growing. Unfortunately, potential employers often frown upon tattoos that are visible. With the financial crisis and the level of unemployment, I often see people who are forced to ‘’hide’’ their tattoos, choosing less visible places to have them. I am Ukrainian, born in Russia, and I still remember the communist regime, where tattoos symbolized criminality and time in prison, but upon comparing that situation with that in Italy, my country of origin has quickly changed mentality after the fall of the Soviet Union. I hope that soon in Italy, tattoos will be viewed as an expression of art and not an obstacle to overcome in the job world. In the expanse of short time a lot of studios have opened. Now many educational courses have taken foot for tattoo artists, which are mandatory to open a tattoo studio. There, you are provided with information about sanitary and hygiene laws and a short course in dermatology – there are also hygiene companies that do periodic evaluations. Let’s just that in Italy, there is a lot of monitoring that, in the end, are positive for the client and for the tattoo artists. “In reality there isn’t much of a story behind me,” says Yuliya Volpe. “I frequented art school in Kiev (in the Ukraine) concentrating on figurative painting, and where I established myself as a painter, and worked for 18 years as graphic artist.” Because of her talent for drawing, she often tried her hand at tattooing, but she never dreamed of becoming a tattoo artist and used to mock her friends in college who would secretly tattoo their friends, saying that such a thing could never become a ‘’real job’’. “Back then I couldn’t even imagine that 20 years later I would eventually leave my job as Graphic publicist, to pursue a career as a painter, on a human body no less,” Yuliya says. continued on page 36 PAINMAGAZINE 26 TattooExpo PAINMAGAZINE 28 T he War of the Roses Tattoo Convention started as a good natured bet between Jessie Kline and fiance Amanda Nixdorf. The couple had gone to another convention, and as they left the event, Jesse turned Amanda and bragged that he could put on a better convention. One thing Jesse planned to do better was to keep his show to a manageable size. And rather than pocketing the proceeds, the convention would serve as a fundraiser for the ARK Angel Foundation, a non-profit organization for the research and awareness for children with a brain malformation called Schizencephaly. It a personal connection for Jesse as his daughter is challenged by the rare condition. Now in its third year, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania convention has grown in popularity, but remained intentionally limited in attendance with some 100 artists representing close to 20 studios. “The first two years, we had a lot of local artists, but as our rep has grown, we now have artists from all over the country,” Jesse says. “We keep the show small and invitational; kind of like a high school reunion, but where you actually like the people. It’s been more of a family thing – we don’t do egos and it’s really cool.” continued on page 34 PAINMAG.COM To enter your business card in our monthly Best Business Card Contest, simply mail your card to PAIN Magazine, 9901 Acoma Rd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123. Cards are selected based on what we think is cool, creative, or otherwise worthy of attention. All cards will be entered into a contest for “Card of the Year” in 2015. The owner of the card selected by our distinguished panel of judges will win $100. Winner will be notified by mail. PAINMAGAZINE 30 Business Wise G one are the days when you could stick a HELP WANTED sign in the front window and hire the first person that walks through the door asking for the job. If you're trying to hire someone to work in your business, you want someone who's smart and responsible. What you don’t want is somebody who could turn into a big, hairy problem and bring drama and unwanted tension into your otherwise cool studio. If you want someone who can educate customers on using products, then say that. If you’re looking for somebody who has a passion for creative street marketing, put it that way. Listing some of the benefits that go with the job is another way to grab attention. Do you provide supplies? If you are willing to bring in artists from out of town, are you paying relocation costs or offering a place to crash while they're finding a new home? These are things to be sure to mention. Don’t be shy about listing the name and location of your business. Some employers run "blind ads,” where the company information is left out because they don’t want a million phone calls, or because they don’t want their current staff to know about the opening (somebody may be about to get the axe). Many people won't respond to blind ads, though, reasoning that if they are giving personal information to someone, they want to know where they're sending it. Being upfront shows that you’re legit. Before you can even start to put together a job posting, you need to figure out what goal you’re trying to achieve by filling the position. Are you simply looking for somebody to run the cash register or stock shelves? Unless the job is operating a nuclear reactor, the new wave in hiring practices is to look first for potential employees who fit smoothly within your company culture, and then focus on those with specific skills or who can be trained for the job. Making Contact End your ad by telling applicants how to apply. You should specify if you want them to send their resume and cover letter by snail mail or through the internet. To keep responses organized and prevent applications from being lost in your junk mail, you should create a unique email account for your hiring process. Rather than having artists send multiple photos of their work, you might ask for links to their online portfolio – not only will this reduce the amount of material you'll need to sort through, but it will also help you separate the wannabes and rookies from those at the top of their game. How can your expect to attract the big fish when your first cast into the talent pool is an uninspiring list of job requirements? Simply put - to hook a marlin rather than a trout you need the sparkliest lure in your tackle box. As Matt Linder man writes in the blog “Signal v. Noise”, the kind of ad you write can help determine what kind of applicants you get. Write an honest, thoughtful, clear ad and you’re more likely to hear from candidates with those qualities. Spout a lot of buzzwordy nonsense and you’ll attract people fluent in bullshit. Sell the Job The first step to advertising your opening is to create a solid and enticing description of the job. According to the employment site TheLadders, candidates spend an average of only 76.7 seconds reading job ads before they decide to apply or move on. Keep it brief but compelling. You're in a creative business, so be creative about selling your business and the job that goes with it. Make it so that job seekers can imagine themselves doing the job rather than making sure they meet all of the qualifications. Along with a short list of must have skills and requirements, such as licenses and experience, an effective help wanted ad should include active phrases that describe what the person will be doing. Place Your Ad There are a lot of people looking for jobs, and they’re not all looking in the same place. Your goal should be to put your ad in front of the people you want to attract. Unless you are looking for a national sales rep, it’s likely you're reaching out to people in your local community. Newspaper classifieds are the traditional place to post job openings. Since you're a counter-culture type business, it makes sense to go straight for the alternative tabloids rather than the business journal. The Internet has opened up even more doors to qualified applications with websites such as Craigslist, LinkedIn, Simply Hired, and Yahoo! jobs. If you really want to target your ad, you can join Facebook groups for people with specific interests. Don’t forget to post the job on your own social media feed and website— your most adamant fans may turn into your best employees. O PAINMAGAZINE 32 PAINMAG.COM TattooExpo Tattoo contests are held each day, with the winners of each “Tattoo of the Day” competing for the O’Reilly Cup – named for New York tattoo artist Samuel O’Reilly who invented the electric tattooing machine in 1891. Tattoo artist and horror master Bill Atkinson, of Hallows Eve Tattoo, Palmyra, PA, took home the trophy for the third year in a row. His winning piece was a full-color portrait of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Atkinson shared his techniques in a color portrait seminar, and tattoo artist and machine builder Paco Rollins traveled cross-country from Washington State to put on a workshop in tattoo machine tuning and tinkering. Add live music, burlesque shows and unique vendors to a line-up of talented tattoo artists – all helping a great cause, and we’d say Jesse won the bet. “People came out to get tattooed. . .they weren’t here just to kick tires,” Jesse says. “As long as the artists are busy and everyone has a great time, that’s what it’s all about.” O PAINMAGAZINE 34 “It may seem odd, but one day I decided to start practicing the art of tattooing. After a year of practice I opened my own studio thanks to the help of my name as a painter. I must say that I found peace almost right away in this line of work, I felt happy and satisfied to hear about and transform my client’s thoughts, emotions, experiences, angst and happiness into tattoos.” In creating the studio, Yuliya wanted something a little different from the usual. “Even though it is a very humble studio, it’s built with much love,” she says. “The tattoo room is absolute white, and I created the furniture with recycled plumbing pipes. Everything was built and created by my husband, his father and me. I also learned to solder. . . that way I can add another profession to my curriculum.” Yuliya’s vast knowledge in art allows her to explore new tattoo styles, and satisfy client’s requests. Her personal preference, though, is realistic drawing or watercolor style, and she draws everything by hand or uses digital graphics. She also collaborates with studios in Treviso and Rome, which opens her eyes to even more styles. “It’s nice to see, even in the round of a couple of years, that the requests of the clients have changed from the simple things that I had in the beginning to more complex things like tresh polka, realistic style, and watercolor,” Yuliya says. “Even if you wanted to, you are never able to do the same design twice – they will always be different and that is a wonderful thing.” “I don’t know If I could call ‘Studio Yorick, unique,” Yuliya adds, “but here every client and their story become the only protagonists of an art that transforms them into a permanent mark on their skin.” O PAINMAGAZINE 36 PAINMAG.COM PAINMAG.COM PAINMAGAZINE 40 PAINMAG.COM Spooks Joya Pride N Envy Tattoos Kissimmee, FL Alayna Magnan Art & Soul Tattoo Co. Los Angeles, CA Bobby Tinker Black Hand Tattoo Chattanooga, TN Wes Moore Time-Honored Tattoo Stafford, Va PAINMAGAZINE 42 PAINMAG.COM Sarah Miller Wyld Chyld Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA Carlos Duenas Taboo Tattoo Dallas, TX Candice Costa Treasure Coast Tattoo Co Jensen Beach, FL Monty Siam The Honorable Society Tattoo Parlour and Lounge West Hollywood, CA PAINMAGAZINE 44 “The only thing that was kind of manufactured, with an eye toward ‘This is something we can make fun of,’ was the molecular gastronomy thing,” Cross says. “We chose molecular gastronomy for exactly [that reason]: It would be funny to make fun of that. But it’s not a commentary where we’re like, ‘This is bullshit.’ It’s just something that’s easy and fun to make fun of.” Cross cast Will Arnett as Margaret’s London boss, who, like many characters in the series, ends up being more interesting than his surface reveals at the outset. “IFC said—and it’s totally their place—‘Listen, we’re putting in this extra money for you to do this show; it would help us to market and promote the show if you wrote something, or a cameo, for one of your big-time celebrity friends,’” Cross says. “So that’s what we did.” David Cross T here are plenty of reasons to admire The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, the IFC sitcom co-created and co-written by David Cross, which aired from 2010-2012, and will have a third season later in 2015. Margaret is a go-nowhere dolt working in the U.S. who is inexplicably promoted to run a London sales team promoting an energy drink called Thunder Muscle. Through a series of—you guessed it—increasingly poor decisions, that the viewer only learns about over time as they occur, he slowly gets into deeper and deeper trouble, while the worst decision seems to have been made by whoever promoted him to London in the first place. Each episode begins with a courtroom scene which presumably exists at a time in the future where Margaret is getting his comeuppance, the judge reading off a ridiculous list of charges that, even after a few episodes’ worth of watching Margaret bumble around, lie and generally mess everything up (albeit, usually with pretty good intentions), are still pretty insane. Meanwhile, Todd Margaret is more than happy to take the piss out of particularly overwrought and ridiculous humans you interact with every day. From pretentious indie-movie nerds to foodies to Scientologists, no one is safe, but then again, no one is exactly targeted either. That is, except molecular gastronomists. PAINMAGAZINE 46 Although it sounds like he was working outside of his comfort zone, he was actually hemmed in by several factors that he had no control over. Organized chaos, as it were. “It was the only time I’ve ever really done anything this way, which was when these guys approached me with the possibility of doing a show in the U.K. with U.K. writers for me to be in to air on the U.K. and potentially, hopefully selling it to the States and getting a co-production in the States,” Cross says. “Initially we did the pilot for Channel 4 in the U.K. before it had any American co-production or funding or anything like that,” he continues. “We shot the pilot and you can see, maybe you can’t see it now, but trust me, once you see the 12 episodes, you’ll see that there’s stuff in the very beginning—in the pilot, the first episode—that pays off in episode 12. So, we had to have the whole story, I always knew before I wrote a word what the beginning, and some of the middle and what the end would be. I always knew what the end was.” Thankfully, no one seems to know where Cross’ artistic end will come, least of all the 47-year-old funnyman. Quite the contrary, in fact: It feels like Cross’ time has come. Much like Louis C.K., another comedian who has paid more than his share of dues, Cross might finally be reaping the benefits of a life of hard work. He’s done brilliant work on shows such as Mr. Show and Arrested Development, under-heralded work on any number of less-known ventures (Freak Show, Paid Programming, David’s Situation), made brief appearances and plenty of great shows due to his legendary stature (Modern Family, Tim & Eric, Archer, etc.) and paid his bills with movies like the Kung Fu Panda franchise or the much-gossiped-about Alvin and the Chipmunks threequel, all while underscoring this with perhaps his one true love: a 30-year career in stand up comedy that will go down as one of the best when he finally hangs up the microphone. O THE WORLD’S FIRST h>ͳW>E BAL ANCING SYSTEM