Zak Dubi Dubois |
Can you discribe yourself in one sentence? Calm and Collected, with a nice butt
-Chelsea Austin
When did your passion for piercing start?
I started putting "jewelry" or random key chain rings around my lip and into stuffed animals at a young age
So I'd say I guess I always had an interest but didnt know what it was yet or if it was anything really. I just thought I and my things looked better with jewelry through its body.
How did you become one and who was your teacher?
16 years ago I got an apprenticeship at a little tattoo shop that I had gotten tattooed at and it was just 1 guy so I asked him to teach me and he took me on. His name was Johnny and he was awesome. My apprenticeship was about 6 months long. I learned very quickly it came pretty naturally.
I moved to Dallas Texas straight away out of my apprenticeship and got a job at a shop in
Deep Ellum called "Skin&Bones body piercing" and thats when I really felt like I was an actual professional piercer. I have always tried to stay open to opinions and trying new thing so I like to say I am always learning and will continue to stay in that mindset so that I continue to progress as an artist.
Who inspires you?
I get inspired by everyone really. I see so many amazing piercers learning and doing new things with jewelry and techniques and that is always amazing to hear and learn about everyones new ideas cause that give me an opportunity to learn again so stayin in that constant progression again. There are so many people to list that I have learned from, looked up to, and tried to work similarly too. To name even a few would not be enough. I am inspired by everyone!
Working as a piercer?
Short answer.
Its the best "job" in the world and if you have an interest I highly encourage you to follow that and see what you are capable of. Id encourage anyone to do that with whatever they are passionate about. But piercing is in my opinion the best job ever!
Tell us about your shop Dubois Piercing ?
"Dubois Piercing", is my new business. Its just me right now and I am actually inside of a local tattoo shop called Chapman Ave tattoo in Fullerton California
I own and operate all of the body piercing and jewelry. I work along side APP standards but I am not yet a member. I use a "freehand/palming/ninja grip" technique, I work out of a Statim, I use only APP approved jewelry vendors. And sterile saline wound wash aftercare from both steriwash and neilmed piercing aftercare
I eventually would like to have my own studio all together and that will happen in time. But right now I am perfectly happy where i am. It gives me the opportunity to focus on my constant progression of my skill set and what i offer to my clients
Do you do more than just piercings?
Yes. My day to day is mostly body piercing but i do offer scarification, earlobe reconstruction, just started offering subdermal implants and soon I will add transdermal implants, tongue splitting, coin slots, and ear pointing as time goes on. But the way I like to do things is strategic in learning and focusing on a step by step or focus on one thing at a time so eventually I'll be able to offer everything my clients could want and be confident in my skills and knowledge that they will be 100%happy with the outcome.
Ambassador, actor and modeling? ....Tell us more
Haha ohhh my other professional/personal life well thats lots of fun too!
I am a brand ambassador for a workout supplement company called The Genius Brand. I spend 4 mornings a week in the gym and care very much about my health. The Genius brand supplements send me free stuff on occasion when I tag them in my photos on my fitness Instagram page @fitnessdubois127 I enjoy working out and they had contacted me so I signed on.
Actor- wellll Ive done some things havent I hahahaha
I have a cousin who works in the movie industry and asked me to be in a movie some years back cause the part needed someone with my look so my cousin called me. I had 2 scenes and 7 lines. I shared a scene with the actress Kate Beckinsale, its was a very cool experience and I got paid very nicely so that was cool, the Lifetime tv network bought the movie, chopped it up, cut me out, and then aired it, but since I was still on the original credits I still got a residual check twice from them too so that was awesome again.
Then In 2017 Halloween time I worked as a scare monster for a haunted house called The 17th door that was a whole bunch of fun too.
Modeling- welll I like to model a bit sometimes its just me in a natural state no makeup or anything but the most fun i have modeling is when I get dressed up as my clown "animal"
You can see that stuff on my modeling Instagram @zakdubois
I go to photo meet up and private shoots too its alot of fun and lets me relax and let go a bit and have a good time. Plus I get really awesome pictures taken by some amazing photographers.
Guest artist/ traveling?
I'm not opposed to it but I like stayin close to home mostly. I have a family too and I enjoy spending time with them as well.
When did you start with scarification & implants?
Ever since the beginning of my career I've had an interest in doing body modification and body art more than body piercings. But the way that I've wanted to work and learn has been to keep focus on one thing and get good at that before you move on to the next step. So as I got more and more experienced as a piercer I kept my eye on scarification art and implant work both subdermal and transdermal. Never going hands on always asking questions and studying in my own off time and doing procedures and what not in my head over and over and over and over and over etc.. and after many years of mentality analyzing, watching videos, asking questions I started doing scarification in 2018. I bought Steve Haworths implant tools In may 2019 so now I happily started offering implants as well.
What do you think about the modification culture these days? Is there something you like to see change.
I think its fantastic that more and more people are learning to let themselves actually become themselves. I love change and evolving so I just love seeing people change and encourage them to just do so in a safe and clean way.
What has been the high point of your career so far? What are you most proud of?
Starting my own business is definitely the high point. Im most proud of my patience and determination to not let anything get in my way.
Do you have a nice experience you'd like to share with us? APP conference 2019.....If you know you know.
3 words though... It was amazing!
Is there something we do not know about you but would like to share?
When I was 20 years old I worked the door at a bar carding people
Shhhhhhh...... Hahahahahaha
How do you see the future? Are there plans? Do you have a personal goal
The future for me is a big wide open space that i keep my imagination open to all kinds of wonderful great things and each one that i commit to i will achieve.
My plans are to continue to be happy and successful in my work and in my personal life as well.
Personal goal is just to live each day to the fullest and never forget to be thankful for everything and everyone I have and have had in my life.
Do you have any advice for our readers?
Wake up and make your bed every day.
Start with that one accomplishment and continue your day with other small accomplishments until you end your day completely accomplished and can start over again tomorrow on tomorrow's Tasks.
"Its not about how hard you can hit.
Its about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward."
-Rocky
"Life may going to knock you down, its up to you weather or not you get back up again" -Jackie Chan
Duboispiercing website
Duboispiercing instagram
-Angie
Photos and answers Zak Dubi Dubois