EVOLUTION EVOLUTION EVOLUTION
Lobez:	Could you tell us your name please?			:zeboL
Joe:	Joseph Yglesias, I own Evolution Providence and Evolution Woonsocket. Evolution Providence is located at 151 Weybosset St. Downtown, Providence, Rhode Island. Evolution Woonsocket, is 285 Main St. Woonsocket, Rhode island; right next to Renaissance Tattoo.			:eoJ
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Lobez:	Are you a Rhode Island resident?			:zeboL
Joe:	Yes.			:eoJ
Lobez:	I understand that here in Rhode Island they will be requiring Rhode Island piercers to have piercing licenses. How will this affect you?			:zeboL
Joe:	Everything that's in the regulations we're already doing. Evolution essentially is the model shop for the standards that are being set for R.I.. Although I feel that the testing procedures will be insufficient. R.I. Health Department will only require the "piercer" to have the proper equipment in place as opposed to the "piercer" showing that they can perform the procedure in an antiseptic technique.			:eoJ
Lobez:	What type of roll did you play that the state will be doing licensing and what type of roll did you play in the creation of the laws?			:zeboL
Joe:	I had been pushing towards the advancement of piercing laws in Rhode Island for a long time coming now. After a few years of talk the consideration has finally been given to the idea of licensing piercers. It has been a long process, but things are finally now in motion. I had a long sit down with the head of the department of regulations. We had two-hour informal meeting about what should and should not be on the bill. He gave me the first draft of it. We went through it and made some alterations. There was a group meeting and most of the predominant piercers in Rhode Island were invited and attended. The draft you received at the group meeting was either the second or third draft. This was after he and I already talked. A lot of stuff on there is taken directly from notes taken while we were speaking.			:eoJ
Lobez:	What do you think needs to be done with the bill to fully satisfy the sanitary needs of Rhode islands piercing clientele.			:zeboL
Joe:	Its unfortunate that the department of health doesn't feel that the standard ear-piercing gun issues need to be contended with. According to the R.I. Department of Health it's too much time and energy. It's an invasive procedure no matter how you look at it. We all know piercing guns are not safe and cannot be sterilized. It will limit it if legally only lobes can be done with them but they still need to supervise that more. If they are going to allow them to use the gun they should use a single use one-shot gun. It is not as clean as a procedure and it is not as smooth as a proper piercing, and the public should know that. At least it would give some level of sanitation to it that it does not have right now. That would not be cost affective to department stores, so they will not make that to happen. I am hoping it raises the bar for the level of sanitation. Hopefully on the level of skill that piercers have to adhere to in order to be able to legally work. It's going to take it out of the back room and make it more acceptable and respected in the way I am seeing it.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Do you plan on branching out beyond Rhode Island any time soon?			:zeboL
Joe:	In the long term, I am planning on doing something in Worcester Massachusetts. I also plan on doing something in Boston.			:eoJ
Lobez:	The Woonsocket shop is a more suburban area correct?			:zeboL
Joe:	We get a lot of people from the suburbs, Jason Pond deals more with the clientele at that shop.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Having both a downtown shop and a suburban shop, how do these clientele differ?			:zeboL
Joe:	We get a lot of clientele that go back and fourth between the shops based on whatever jewelry, or piercer they want. We have three piercers on staff: Chantal De Loincourt, Jason Pond and Myself. Downtown, of course, we have quite a few students because there are more colleges locally. Down here we also get our share of business people. Both spots have the suit and tie crowd that comes in on their lunch breaks.			:eoJ
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Lobez:	Now tell me a little bit about the Joseph Y / Evolution Following? Do you feel your more secure opening up a new shop now since you have the devoted clientele?			:zeboL
Joe:	I do have a very strong client base that very much trusts me. I appreciate that more than I have words to say.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Lets just say, you did a piercing for someone that is technically and aesthetically well done. It turns out its just not the right thing for them, and they remove it; how does that make you feel?			:zeboL
Joe:	I have run into people who in a few days, or a few months, or even a year later decided that a certain piercing doesn't suit their body, lifestyle, job situation or even relationship etc. Some people take their piercing out in those situations.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Does that affect you personally in any way?			:zeboL
Joe:	If it's a piercing that aesthetically looks perfect on a client. It is doing what its supposed to do. When they do not want it because of someone else influencing that decision; it makes me sad. If it's something that the client has gotten past, and they have grown; it's not a bad thing. It does not affect me in a negative way at all. I of course love to see people decorated, and I love to see people happy with what they are doing with their bodies.			:eoJ
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Lobez:	So how long have you been piercing?			:zeboL
Joe:	Almost nine years.			:eoJ
Lobez:	What really influenced you to decide that you wanted to become a piercer, do it as a career, and make it your life?			:zeboL
Joe:	Piercings were something I enjoyed getting. The opportunity to learn basic techniques had come up from Mike O. He taught me the basics and I took everything from there and developed my own techniques. From day one, it became incredibly natural to me. It just felt right having that needle in my hand. I felt just right guiding people through that experience. It honestly makes me feel complete, knowing I am helping people to on an aesthetic level decorate their bodies. In some cases, it is also on a spiritual level to take their bodies further.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Joe, You pierced for a few years, and then decided to go to the Fakir Intensive. Why did you decide to go after years of piercing professionally?			:zeboL
Joe:	After my apprenticeship, I started working on friends. Then I brought it up from something I enjoyed to doing it for money on other people. I still felt there was more I needed to know. I still think nine years later there are still things I need to learn. I am never done learning. The day I say I am done learning, is probably the day I should quit the business. It was formalizing my education and fine-tuning my skills. It just seemed like the natural progression to go with, as I wanted to take myself to higher and higher levels. I wanted to improve myself on both physical and psychological levels. When I say physically, I am talking about my ability to pierce. Psychologically refers to how deep I go into my clients mind. I think its important to be in tune with what they need in conjunction with what I am doing on the physical plane.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Explain the experience of attending the intensive.			:zeboL
Joe:	I think Fakirs was a great experience because it brought my actual skill levels up quite a few notches. I gained a more intuitive understanding of who my clients are. Although, I already have a degree in psychology, it still had not clicked in thoroughly how well I could use that working with my clients. Its not that Fakir showed me; but he made me realize how to incorporate the disciplines. He explained how he was spiritually connecting with the energy. About how it flows, and how you can direct the energy into a very positive experience from piercing. I started incorporating that much more into what I am doing. When I first started my piercing career, it felt as if all that time I had spent in school was for nothing. Then everything started to make sense, and everything started to flow together. I have delved into trying to explain it to people. It doesn't cover the experience accurately because I knew piercing was a very spiritual thing before I went, but I didn't realize how much until it hit me when I was there. It's not just one specific religion taught and its not all spiritual.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Who influenced you there? Anyone specifically you want to talk about?			:zeboL
Joe:	Erik Dakota, as well as Alan Falkner. Erik impressed and inspired me with just how smooth he was. I was inspired by his flow through the procedure. If anything that's what I got the most out of by going to the Fakir Intensive. Just trying to be that smooth and flowing. I use it as I am working on a client. It's not only the point of just doing the actual piercing itself smoothly and quickly; it's the point of the entire procedure being this whole smooth transfer of energy including the transfer of jewelry.			:eoJ
Lobez:	How have you expanded in the realm of body modification?			:zeboL
Joe:	I do brandings, and scarification. I also do some implants. The branding, scarification, and implant work; I will only do on regular clients. I know they are going to take care of it. I also need assurance that they will deal with what they are getting done in a healthy manner. As far as brands and scars are concerned, I have turned down people because I did not like the design. I keep it on a very artistic level. I do not charge what most branding and scarification artists charge for those particular services. I am for the most part doing it on people that I've transcended the client artist relationship with and I consider them friends.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Is branding, scarification and implanting more fulfilling than piercing?			:zeboL
Joe:	Piercing in a commercial environment, you're dealing with people who the majority of just want a decoration; not a deep meaningful spiritual experience out of it. Outwardly, they just want a piercing. They want to be thoroughly told how to take care of it and they want it to be a clean, smooth, sterile operation. Which is wonderful, I love making people happy on that level even if its subconsciously. I've changed their outlook in some way. People I am doing branding and scarification it's a whole other world because these people are friends. They are people I generally care about. I become so much more involved in the procedure and I put more of myself into it.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Are their minds made up about their design, how much freedom do you have in it?			:zeboL
Joe:	Generally I get very little freedom. If it's the case where someone who comes in with a branding design that's too tight or too detailed it will not translate well into a brand. Then we will work back and fourth until we come up with something that is within the confines of what they originally wanted but is more simplified for the sake of the spreading result that occurs when the skin is burned. These types of clientele have researched it more. Most of them have put their hearts and soul into it on a level that is more so than the average person. Just like people get custom tattoos verses people getting off the wall flash design. I know that there are some flash pieces that mean a lot to people, but people who get a thought out planned custom piece generally have more deep feelings about the piece in the long run. I want to make it clear about that interaction with regular clients and talking about having that deep connection. I want to clarify that it does not lessen the amount of feeling I get out of that first time client that walks through the door. There can be a very strong bond or experience happen then. Its not meant to belittle people who are just getting their first couple piercings done. I am not trying to make it seem like what they are doing with their bodies is less important. It's not less meaningful than someone who is ready for a 4 gauge to 5/8ths ear scalpeling, or someone who is doing a 37 strike brand. It doesn't make it any more or less intense for the person going through it. Everyone has their own level in their mind of how high or low intensity it will be for them. I do not want to sound elitist in any way. It's a very huge step for the first time client. I need to take extra minutes just breathing them down. I need to spend more time getting them into the right state of mind to get pierced. Whereas, some whom I have worked on four or five times; they will come in and we will just be talking through it like old friends. We chat through the entire procedure. I really do not want to belittle the meaningful experience of choosing to decorate, adorn, or modify their bodies in any way.			:eoJ
Lobez:	How is it to be a type of urban shaman? To be the one to mark that bad break up or whatever the case may be?			:zeboL
Joe:	I think that people should have more control than that of their own body. I have already touched on how it irks me when someone is taking out a piercing due to an outside influence. Outside influences meaning: a job, mate, school or anything of that nature. People should have control of their own body especially on a physical level. How your decorated does not affect what kind of person you are. It doesn't affect your ability to do any task in any way. I had a situation today. This girl came in to get her eyebrow pierced and she had just broken up with her boyfriend. She is a regular client of mine. She did not have any facial because he wouldn't "let her". They broke up over Christmas. She came in, and she was almost visibly in tears and we started talking. We talked for about 25 minutes before we pierced. She walked out of here beaming with a huge smile on her face and a brand new piece of metal in her eyebrow. Those moments may sound small, but they remind me why I am here. Its not just the act of piercing, it's the surrounding moments too. It was a very nice experience knowing it helped her get beyond what he put her through. It made me feel good knowing I was ushering her to get to a new point in her life.			:eoJ
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Lobez:	What do you think draws people to the more extreme body modifications?			:zeboL
Joe:	I see it as a natural progression. Once someone starts getting a lot of basic bod mods done they tend to branch out. There is more out there than just having your tongue or navel pierced. We started delving deeper into what's possible after getting the standard piercings. The more I can expand the medium of being trapped in the flesh, the more appealing it is. I enjoy a thrill of moving forward by challenging myself with more advanced modifications. The challenge is part of the appeal for my clients and others as well. All of us have our own reasoning. We take things to the chosen levels where we as individuals decide how far to go. We all have our own levels; it just varies. That's something I can only speak for myself on. I am one of the people who are reaching out to a new level of flesh; the reasons are unlimited. The endorphin rush is a choice factor; some need to feel the boost of endorphins kick in more like it did during their first piercing. In order to create that, the body and mind has to be driven harder and farther.			:eoJ
Lobez:	What is the balance of healthy pain verses unhealthy choice of pain?			:zeboL
Joe:	I think a lot of people who could fall into the unhealthy category are just searching themselves out. They may be using body modification as a way of trying to figure out where they are in life. I never had anyone who came and said they would want something that would make them feel low or bad about themselves. Most people really seem to have it mindfully in a very positive perspective. Whether they are trying to search themselves out or not.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Tell me a little about you and the S&M scene.			:zeboL
Joe:	I have many clients involved in the S&M and Dom/Sub lifestyle. I often have requests for "scene" piercings. Providing that I have full consultation with both partners, and I feel that the submissive partner is 100% willing participant. I allow them to come to the studio in "gear' or whatever they see fit and act out their scenarios. The piercing itself is basically a ritual piercing on a very sexual level. I make sure that they know beforehand that I will have no involvement in the scenario itself. I let them know that I will only demonstrate the piercing. I do not allow any actual sexual contact inside the studio. I view this as a professional service and I under no circumstances do more than the requested professional service. These people are always very happy that I allow them to receive their piercings in a situation that is satisfying to their lifestyle, as well as, in a safe, sterile, and professional environment.			:eoJ
Lobez:	You have spoken about controlled environment "scene style" piercing. Do your clients request play piercings as well?			:zeboL
Joe:	Play piercing has existed in the S&M community for years. I have done seminars at local organization meetings on "safe" play piercing do's and don'ts. I also give demos. I explain what is and is not safe. I go through proper skin preparation. I also talk about what to do in the event of a needle stick and proper disposal of sharps. The term play piercing here is being used to describe a temporary done for the sensation of the needle. Jewelry is usually not installed because the needles are "usually" too thin (22 gauge on average).			:eoJ
Lobez:	Do you incorporate your S&M enjoyment into your daily work?			:zeboL
Joe:	Absolutely NOT! I would never cause a client any discomfort apart from the minimal amount that occurs during piercing. I try to be as gentle as I can at all times while I am while I am working on a client. I keep my personal likings to myself and my partners.			:eoJ
Lobez:	Consent is key, but what about the people who believe differently?			:zeboL
Joe:	Non-consensual relationships that can be considered unhealthy are rare but I have had that type of situation in the shop. A guy came in with his girlfriend and he wanted to have her nipples done. She didn't want them; I could tell. I felt it would have been a very negative thing for her if she had gone through with it. I don't think that I could have that on my conscience. I would not be happy knowing I did something that had a negative outcome. Basically, I could tell that she was not into it by she was behaving. She was not looking at jewelry. She had not involved herself in jewelry selection and the question asking process. I took her inside the studio saying I was going to explain the instructions to her in private. I talked to her for a few minutes and it was obvious that she was just going along with what he wanted. I basically told him that I examined her nipples and they were unpierceable. I am sure they were probably just fine, but I did not want him to take it out on her. I just thought that would be a good way to get her off the hook without incurring anything negative from him. Hopefully he did not continue his quest in modifying her when she was not entirely well or entirely willing. Another situation worthy of mention would be a woman from Nigeria whom came into the shop recently. The first thing I noticed was her facial scars (on both cheeks). At first she was uncomfortable about asking questions. Then she started to explain that while still living in Nigeria she had unwillingly at the age of 14 undergone a female circumcision. They removed both the clitoris and the clitoral hood. She had gone to a plastic surgeon that quoted her a huge sum to reconstruct her genitalia. Then she explained to him that she wanted sensation more than aesthetics. He suggested that she consider piercing as the option if she were not going to do the reconstructive surgery. I examined her, and I was shocked at the butcher job that had been done to her. She was very heavily scarred. She also had some keloid tissue from the "surgery". I examined her to determine if there was anything that could be done to help her. She had enough tissue behind the scar from the remnants of her clitoris for a triangle. I then explained that in the worst-case scenario, it would do nothing for her. At most, it would give her some minor sensation back. Even though the procedure was difficult to say the least; it worked. When she came back in a month, she said that the area around the piercing was giving her sensation when desired. I reexamined her to see how it was healing. It is healing wonderfully including no migration or discoloration. I was very pleased to have been a part of helping her to reclaim her body. That right there, and moments like that, make me understand why I am here and why I am doing this.			:eoJ
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