We were lucky to catch up with Alaina Marelli recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alaina, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I am currently able to earn a full-time living from my creative work. In fact, I am making more money than I ever have in my whole life. I kind of fell into this by accident. I was unemployed and the job market wasn’t great, I needed a job and found one working front counter at a tattoo and piercing shop. I’ve always loved body modification so I felt that this was a good place to be at the very least. I was making minimum wage working there 3-4 days a week, rent was expensive and I was barely scraping by, but I genuinely enjoyed my work environment. After about 6 months there, the piercing apprentice left the studio. There was an opportunity for an apprenticeship to learn how to pierce. I had thought about it since I began working at the studio, and when the opportunity fell into my lap I jumped at the chance. The owner decided she would train me out of the kindness of her heart, she was sick and also busy tattooing and running the studio, but she took a chance on me. I studied under her for a year starting with the basics like piercing earlobes, and eventually learning more and more complex piercings. There were definitely moments where I questioned if I was cut out for this kind of work. It is still hard for me to inflict pain on people, even if they’ve signed up for it. It requires a lot of care and precision, which can be a lot of pressure. There’s no cutting corners in this profession. Every step of the apprenticeship, every step of the piercing process from sterilization to marking to the actual piercing itself, every step of cleaning tools and equipment are in place for a reason: safety. It’s a lot to remember and focus on. However, seeing a client’s face light up when they absolutely love their new piercing makes any amount of stress I experience well worth it. There are so many reasons people modify their bodies: confidence, reclaiming bodily autonomy, rights of passage, and being able to provide someone with a service that supports them on their journey is what I was called to do, I could never go back!

Alaina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! My name is Alaina Marelli and I am a body modifier that specializes in piercings and dental jewelry. I am based in the mountains of Asheville, NC but I hail from the Midwest by way of a small town called Granville, OH. When I’m not in the studio I love to rock climb, hike and spend time outside, spin fire, and cook with my partner. I have always loved body modifications, I have been getting my body pierced since I was about 15 and I actually performed my first at-home piercing when I was probably 16 (as an amateur, do not try at home!) I recently completed my piercing apprenticeship at Zen Ink in Asheville, and have been piercing for over a year now. However, I actually began modifying bodies before I was ever an apprentice by applying dental jewelry! Tooth gems are a temporary, painless mod- they are attached to the surface of the wearer’s tooth using adhesive and blue light cure. We provide 24k gold options as well as Swarovski crystals for clients to choose from. This is something that not all piercers offer, and I wanted to be able to offer modifications for people that have a phobia of needles or do not handle pain well. I have always prided myself on my ability to make the client feel comfortable during any modification procedure, piercing or not. I have a lot of positive reviews from clients saying that I made their experience very pleasant and easy with my demeanor and technique, which brings a smile to my face. I also pride myself and my studio on being a haven for LGBTQ+ folks who want modifications but don’t feel as comfortable in a traditional shop environment. Our shop is female owned and operated, and we house many queer artists, myself included. I believe everyone deserves a safe space to get modded!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

One of the best resources for piercers is an organization called the APP (association of professional piercers.) They have an application to become a member that has a lot of important criteria that I believe any piercer and/or studio should follow to provide safe and quality piercings for their clients. They also have educational courses that can certify a piercer in first aid and BBP (blood borne pathogen) training. They hold an annual conference for piercers to come together to network, learn from industry professionals, and demonstrate new state of the art equipment. I hope to one day attend this conference, and immerse myself in the world of safe piercing. Overall the organization is a wonderful and very important resource. When I first began my apprenticeship and throughout the learning process, these criteria and training materials were not at the center of my education. Our studio was not a part of the APP and I was learning things pretty “old school.” I do wish that I had learned things the APP way so that I could have provided top notch service from the get go instead of having to unlearn older techniques. However, the other piercer at our shop showed great interest in becoming APP compliant and we are now following their criteria and have a goal of becoming members.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I have always been somewhat of the “black sheep” in any given environment, my family included. All of my immediate family members work very structured, corporate 9-5 jobs and earn a fixed salary. They work for larger corporations and their work environments are very professional settings. I, on the other hand, work as an independent contractor doing creative work 3-4 days a week in a space full of artists that are tattooed and pierced and that sometimes come to work in pajamas. The work is not always as stable as a desk job. I only get paid if clients make appointments or walk in to the shop. Sometimes people don’t show up for appointments, or don’t have the proper anatomy to perform a successful piercing. I sometimes have to work on holidays. However, I wouldn’t trade my work for anything. Some non-creatives like my parents, for example, may struggle to understand why I made this choice. The answer for me is relatively simple: I love the freedom it gives me. I love having creative freedom to curate adornments for people that can help them to love themselves more. I love having the freedom to take days off when I need them, instead of waiting until I have accrued enough PTO. I love having the freedom of waking up and having a cup of tea and doing some yoga before I go into the studio, instead of rolling out of bed and onto a computer. I love the freedom of being able to be modified myself and not having to worry about it affecting my job. I love having the freedom of being able to work and live anywhere. There are so many reasons why I would choose my creative endeavors over and over again, that some people may never understand. Lack of understanding does not create any unhappiness in my life, though. I am the happiest now that I’ve ever been!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zeninkasheville.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martian.mods/