Bethra Szumski
(ATH & ATL – Piercing & Cosmetic Tattooing)
Bethra Szumski has been working full time since she was seventeen years old. Her early jobs as a hostess and waitress taught her to work efficiently with a cordial attitude and an eye towards product consistency.
She received her tattoo apprenticeship from former husband Cap Szumski. After moving with him to Atlanta in late 1994 she both apprenticed and helped open Timeless Tattoo (www.timeless-tattoo.com) . Her position in the studio evolved into a management roll including tattooing, front desk, paperwork, supply ordering and artist hiring. She devoted a great deal of time to keeping the studio current on health and safety related issues. She introduced Caretech products, air purifiers and autoclave spore testing to name just a few. January 2000 brought the purchase of Pain and Wonder Tattoo (www.painandwonder.com) in Athens, GA. Bethra and Cap divided their workweek between the two studios and instituted the same high standards available from Timeless.
Bethra has been piercing since 1995. After completing her Gauntlet course work she was mentored by Elayne Angel (www.ringsofdesire.com) who has continued to provide both professional and personal support throughout her career. She founded Virtue and Vice Body Piercing (www.virtueandvice.com) in 1995, which operated from the Timeless Tattoo location and then from Pain and Wonder after its acquisition in 2000. In an effort to keep up with current piercing related information she became a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP) (www.safepiercing.org) in 1996. Her roll shortly switched from student to teacher when in 1998 she was appointed as Secretary of the APP. She immediately instituted the Associations first elections and was duly elected to the position. She served a full three year term during which (among other things) she reviewed applications for membership from applicants world wide, giving her an expert eye for appropriate studio set-up. She was then elected to the position of President. She served an additional three year term in that position. She is credited with having played a key roll in stabilizing the organization. During her tenure with the A.P.P. she organized seven US conferences and two in Europe. Her conference duties at various points included contract negotiation, attendee registration, promotion, literature distribution, financial officer, event scheduling, vendor relations and floor-plan and hotel and union relations just to name a few. She has also provided countless courses of education to piercers, health care providers and law-makers. She is the recipient of the Presidents Award, the Associations Award of Appreciation and was voted Hardest Working Piercer in 2005.
In 2005 Bethra obtained full ownership of Pain and Wonder Tattoo and Body Piercing and moved her Atlanta piercing location, Virtue and Vice Inc., three doors down from its original location within Timeless Tattoo and expanded her service range to include Permanent Cosmetics. From May of 2005 to May of 2008 she took a break from serving on the board of the APP but supported the efforts of her Senior staff piercer, April Johnson, as she fulfilled the roll of Vice-President with the organization.
In February of 2006 Bethra delved into one of the few areas of the piercing industry previously unknown to her and took on the U.S. distributership for the Wildcat jewelry line (www.wildcatusa.com). This experience continues to provide her with valuable insite into the piercing community world-wide.
In May of 2008 Bethra returned to service within the Association of Professional Piercers Board of Directors as its Secretary. Since her election she has, most notibly, restructured the Association’s annual conference planning by enstating a Conference Committee and provided educational outreach courses in Italy, Germany and Mexico.
You may view copies of Bethra’s certifications by clicking the thumbnails below:
