Sean Dowdell: Why did you want to learn to do body piercing?
Courtney Jane Maxwell: My first professional piercing when I was
14 left a strong impression on me. The piercer’s bedside manner
and ability to create the feeling of a safe, controlled space was quite
inspiring. I left the studio knowing that I wanted to be that for other
people. My long standing interest in body manipulation only added to
that.
SD: When did you start body piercing, who taught you and
where?
CJM: I started piercing right after my 20th birthday, just outside of St.
Louis (where I am from originally). I am one of those oddballs that
was self-taught, aside from a little guidance from a few local
piercers - not the most glamorous answer, but the honest one. I have
to emphasize that I do not believe this is an appropriate way to start
piercing. It was unusual circumstances that allowed for it in my life,
but nonetheless, I don’t ever encourage someone to follow my example, especially at this point in history.
Luckily, for the future of my career, I started going to the annual A.P.P.
conference from the very beginning. Relentless pursuit of my continued education is the reason I made it through.
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