Meet Silas Trigg | Body Piercing Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Silas Trigg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Silas, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I know this is probably such a cliché thing to say, but I really pin my success on my clients. I could be the worlds greatest piercer and no one would ever hear about me if it wasn’t for the work that my clients put in to spread the word. I feel lucky that I get to work with so many creative, funny, and caring people. I have been piercing for almost four years at the time of writing this, and I still have a handful of clients who have been seeing me since I was an apprentice. That kind of support really does more than anything I could do on my own to grow my business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
‘Owning a business’ was absolutely not something I could have envisioned for myself as a high school graduate. But after I found my way into piercing, I began absorbing everything I could about its history and practice. I have had hobbies and artistic outlets before, but piercing was something I fell in love with in a way that I had never experienced. I was, and still am, hungry to do more.

Growing up, I of course had gotten my share of needle work. And my experience was what I’m sure a lot of people also share. And that was that I was attempting to take control of my own body and identity through a piercing, and the guy who I was trusting to get me there seemed like he just really… didn’t want to be there. I figured that’s just how it was. And I saw a lot of that when I began making my way into the industry. And truth be told, piercing is for most people, just a job. And who really ‘wants’ to be at work every day?

For myself, piercing is my obsession! I get excited to come to the office. Because, my clients trust me to help them along a journey that can be painful, and scary. That fills me up with so much pride, and I try to show my appreciation for my clients in every visit. My clients come into my studio for a multitude of reasons. I’ve had clients use piercing as a way to cope with mourning over loss of a loved one. People will get pierced with a friend they haven’t seen in years. Some people come in to get the piercing that their boyfriend wouldn’t let them get, or someone’s mom is bringing them in for their first piercing that they’ve been begging for for years. And, some clients just come in because they’re bored and want something exciting to do. All of those are perfectly great reasons to give that person a piercing experience that will leave them feeling confident in their choice of studio. My clients are my focus, and I believe that is the reason for my success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Haha! I guess that would depend on what this friend of mine wanted to get into! But if I wanted to show someone my favorite spots in the city, that tour would definitely start at Ridgemar Mall. Yeah, you know that dead mall with like four stores in it? I love that place. I’m literally an old man because I love walking around a dead mall. And antique stores! You sell old dusty junk that no one wants? I want it. Give it to me.

Another favorite spot of mine is Oddits, in Bedford. I get a lot of my décor in my piercing space from Oddits. They also have old dusty stuff, but it’s the really cool kind.

Other than that, if you haven’t already, I would check out the abandoned incinerator near Echo lake if you like exploring abandoned buildings. Sundance Square surprisingly has some great spots to sit down and read, if that’s your thing.

Fort Worth has a lot of very cool areas once you break through the thick layer of cowboy shit. But I guess if cowboy stuff is your thing, you would love it here!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So, like I said above, my clients have been the biggest driving force for my growth over my entire career. But if there is one singular person who would have had the biggest impact on my career, that title would have to go to my wife, Natalie.

The piercing business is more than just what happens in the studio. All of the piercing and jewelry sales is actually just a product of everything that happens behind the scenes. I’m talking everything behind picking out jewelry, meeting with suppliers, attending classes, ordering supplies, making posts, client engagement… you know. All of the boring stuff. Natalie likely has a more in depth understanding of the piercing business than anyone outside of the industry has any right to know. Whenever I need the opinions of someone smarter than me, she’s always my go-to consultant.

Website: https://wholepunchsilas.com

Instagram: @whole.punch.silas

Image Credits
Mikey De Guzman
Chase Moore