BGirard: When I was younger I was amazed by the discovery channel and different history books about African cultures. It was crazy to me how they adorned themselves in different symbolic ways, it went from piercing nose bones to stretching ear lobes and neck rings. I was intrigued with their methods of worship.
Sheldon Thibou: What makes you want to do body modifications?
BGirard: I love being able to gain a total strangers trust! Its true I am a bit of a control freak, as well as I enjoy advancing my clients physical/mental strength levels. I’ve learned that people use piercings and tattoos as a tool to take them from one point in life to another. It’s a different feeling being chosen as the person to take them on that journey. When I was younger I used to practice my methods on myself; it was a training tool that allowed me to know what type of “pain” I was putting my clients under. I guess it’s the rush that I because attached to; it’s my drive to learn more and more each day I pierce!
Sheldon Thibou: Where in the world would you travel to if you could right now?
BGirard: Honestly, I’m where I want to be right now. I just made my complete move to Queens NY to take over management of One Stroke tattoo gallery. It’s been a wonderful experience, the artists here are amazing, not to say my old shops artists weren’t; but I feel this was the business/personal move I needed at this point in my career. My expansion from West coast to East coast has really opened a lot of doors for me. My next move will be somewhere in Europe, I believe the body modification business out that way is definitely on a different level and I can wait to soak up that information.
Sheldon Thibou: When do you think you will stop gauging your ears?
BGirard: I will probably do about 2 move gauges up then I’m finished, but I am going to pierce two more holes in them and will be gauging those as well. I won’t do those as big as my lower earlobes though I will most likely go to a 2 or 0 gauge and be done.
Sheldon Thibou: Why did you start in piercing?
BGirard: I was 14 years old, a friend of mine wanted her 2 ear hole and no one would let her do it. So we were at the house bored out of our minds and she asks me if I had a needle. I was rather confused because up to this point I had never thought about actually doing the piercings myself. She gets some ice out of the freezer and has it on her ear for about 20 minutes; then tells me she’s ready! I held a quarter on the back of her ear to give a stronger base so the needle would go through easier (or so I thought), and BAM I jabbed the safety pin straight into it. I’d never heard a scream so loud, I fell on the floor laughing because I really didn’t know what else to do. She turned red… the needle was sticking through and it was time to put jewelry in. The 2nd ear wasn’t so bad because she pretty much knew what she was in for, her ears healed up pretty well and that was the beginning of my being a certified Needle Freak. I started reading more, started visiting the local shops in the city I lived in, and because of my age I couldn’t really get any professional guidance. They told me books to read and said if I was serious I’d train myself until I turned 17 then I could come and apprentice. So that’s exactly what I did…. More of my friends let me use them as pin cushions, and as weird as it sounds my desire for their screams became my full focus.
CONTACT INFO FOR BGIRARD
One Stroke Tattoo
233-10 Merrick blvd
Queens NY 11422
(718) 276-7151
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