APP Conference 2015

From June 7 to June 12, the bulk of the Infinite staff will be at the Annual Association of Professional Piercers Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas. In this yearly pilgrimage west, we meet with other piercers, studio owners, and jewelry manufacturers — people that we communicate with all year via phone, text, or email but often don’t often get to talk to in person.

The Association of Professional Piercers is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the dissemination of vital health and safety information about body piercing to piercers, health care professionals, legislators, and the general public. The organization was formed by piercers from several different studios in California in 1994 (the same year Infinite was founded) in response to proposed body art legislation in that state. Their first members’ meeting was held at the Luxor in Las Vegas in 1995.

 

Infinite’s staff  has been involved with the APP from its early years. Our owner, James Weber, was at that first Conference. Infinite’s piercers first became business members in 1999, and all our piercers—and our studio—have met or exceeded the standards for membership since. Over the years, we’ve had a total of four current and former employees who have served on the organization’s board of directors. Eduardo Chavarria served as membership liaison from 2008 to 2011, and has continued as part of the APP’s membership committee and a conference volunteer. James Weber served as the organization’s medical liaison from 2005 to 2008, and its president from 2008 to 2011. James also edited The Point: The Journal of the APP for seven years 27 issues. After he stepped down, Kim Zapata, Infinite’s web operations manager, took over through this past January. And Infinite’s newest piercer, Andru Rogge, will be volunteering at this year’s conference too.

Infinite staff members have a long history of teaching at the APP conference as well. James and Ed have taught often through the years, lecturing on everything from piercing techniques to Spanish vocabulary for piercers. This year, Ed will be instructing for several techniques workshops, James will be part of a panel discussion 20 years: An APP Timeline, and Kellan will be the primary instructor on Female Genital Piercings: An Added Perspective, with Elayne Angel!

While the first APP conference in Las Vegas was a modest gathering, as the organization grew, so has the event. This year marks the 20th annual APP Conference. There will be five days full of classes, meetings, social events, and the jewelry vendors exposition. For those unfamiliar, this is where dozens of vendors from around the world have their best products on display, and when we get to act like “kids in a candy store” as we get to shop the best body jewelry that the world has to offer. And don’t worry; we are shopping for you and will be bringing back the best pieces for sale in the studio and on infinitebody.com!

For updates on our trip, and to be the first to preview our amazing purchases, keep an eye on our Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter pages.  And, as always, keep checking our online store to get the first pick on all of our new jewelry.

While We’re Gone
Every year we bring as many employees as we can spare to get the education offered at the APP Conference, and this year is no different. Kellan, Ed, John, and Andru will be joined by Jess, Kim, and James. While the piercers are getting the best in continuing education in the industry, the rest of the crew will be hard at work at the exposition, shopping for jewelry and working to get it up on our site. So keep on eye on our site. And to all of our peers: We’ll see you soon!

While we’re gone, piercing at the shop will be handled by the more-than-capable duo of Chris Jennings and Jay McColm. Jay is a long-time employee who will be helping out over the weekend of June 12 to 14, and Chris has guested at Infinite twice, and we’re always to have him for the entire week. If you’ve been pierced by either of them before, now’s your chance to get more work. Our regular staff will be making their way back from from the conference, jet-lagged but recharged, by Monday, June 15.

(The video below is of last year’s event. By Rob Hill at Prysm Body Piercing.)