PATRICK TIDWELL
Interview by: Sean Dowdell
Studio: Blue Star Tattoos & Piercing
City/State: Concord, CA
Number of Years Piercing: 20
Sean Dowdell: Why did you want to learn to do body piercing?
Patrick Tidwell: Ever since I was a little kid, even going back to National
Geographic, I was very intrigued by the ability to modify your body. I started
piercing myself at 13 because I thought it was punk rock and I was a
skateboarder so the two went hand in hand. This escalated into my friends
wanting me to pierce them. I didn’t want to pierce them without knowing what
I was doing, so I thought that maybe I could get into body piercing. I fell in
love with it. I never expected not only for it to become a career, but that I
would develop a family as amazing as it is, and them have the same love and
passion for body piercing. It was unexpected but the best thing that came out
of this industry for me was the family and friends that relate to being a body
modification artist.
SD: When did you start body piercing, who taught you, and where?
PT: 1995. Dallas, Texas at a shop called Primal Art. My two first mentors were
Steve Joyner and Jon Durante.
SD: What piercers do you look up to and why?
PT: Brian Skellie, Allen Faulkner, Delaney Ramsey, Steve Joyner, Zach
Zito, Scott Jania, Ruben Lew, Ron Garza, Luis Garcia, Brett Perkins. The
list can go on, but these are people that I’ve worked closely with and who
have inspired me and have helped me become a better piercer. They help
empower and motivate me to continue regardless of my struggles in this
industry.
SD: Have you ever apprenticed anyone? How did it work out for you and
them?
PT: I had one apprentice but the timing wasn’t right. As amazing as I felt they
were as a piercer, they didn’t have the confidence to want to pursue it.
SD: You are probably the fastest and most efficient piercer I have ever seen, if
you could give one piece of advice to the piercers out there, what would it be
(pertaining specifically to procedures)?
PT: So basically, speed is a by-product to my procedures. It comes with time,
patience, and experience. Confidence in your ability to do what you do will
make you fast and efficient. Confidence is what gives you the ability to have
your client trust you. First and foremost, you have to believe in yourself and
put your heart and soul into it. Always be honest and respect your client. I
guarantee you, you will surprise yourself.
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