Steel Dreams and Physical Poetry

I developed an interest in body piercing as a student in 1989. At that stage it remained a hobby for several years. I would buy body art publications and practise piercings on myself, my partner and a few close friends.

I graduated my bachelors degree in 1992 and my interest in piercing continued through my subsequent masters degree. However, by this time I'd started to develop a reputation and I began getting enquiries from friends of friends which certainly helped supplement my meagre finances.

1995 saw my graduation from my masters degree and the flowering of confidence in my knowledge and ability to turn my hobby into my profession.

By early 1996 I had established my piercing studio, Steel Dreams, in a quiet part of Leeds and began trading. Business was reasonable so after 3 years I relocated to a more prominent location.

A couple of years after relocating, I met the Kiwi tattoo artist Dave Bewick and we formed a partnership known as Physical Poetry.

During my professional years I witnessed a huge increase in the popularity of body piercing. Parallel to this there was a massive growth in the number of studios and a consequent decrease of the appreciation of the skills required to make a successful body piercer. It seemed to the public that it was easy to be a piercer - tattooists, beauticians, hairdressers... everybody now seemed to offer an authoritative piercing sideline.

I made the decision to leave the professional piercing industry in 2003 and began following a new career. This allows me to not have to worry about how the next bill is to be paid and leaves me to enjoy my piercing work on a semi-professional basis with clients I have plenty of time and respect for.