Author of Running the Gauntlet—An Intimate History of the Modern Body Piercing Movement, Jim Ward established the first professional body piercing studio in 1975. He dedicated decades to pioneering the development of the techniques, tools, and jewelry designs that have become industry standard. Simultaneously, he sought to honor the rites-of-passage and shamanic aspects of his profession while always respecting the personal quests of those who came to be pierced at his Gauntlet studios.
