Penelope, a Long Island New York native, began piercing herself at the age of 13, but quickly decided that she enjoyed piercing others more… partly because she is a bit of a baby, but mostly because she enjoys helping people conquer their own fear. She first came to the valley in 1994 to attend Hampshire College, but instead ended up with a piercing apprenticeship in 1995.

After years of working for others, Penelope’s search finally came to an end with the opening of Haven Body Arts and Penelope is able to bring you the service she loves in a shop that represents the highest level in the industry. Haven Body Arts has an amazing staff, a beautiful shop, and a huge selection of the highest quality jewelry the Valley has ever seen! HBA is the missing link to how body art should be done and now after the long wait and journey, it is done.

Penelope has now been piercing professionally since 1995 and is one of the first piercers in Massachusetts to become a member of the Association of Professional Piercers. She has attended the APP conference every year in Las Vegas since 2001, where she confers with piercers from all around the world to keep up-to-date with the latest health and safety information and piercing techniques to make sure your body modification experience is the best it can possibly be. Through the APP, Penelope has been fortunate enough to learn from and befriend some of the most talented and well known piercers in the industry. She travels not only the country, but the world, learning about all aspects of body modification…feel free to ask her about her journeys.

Known for her gentle bedside manner, Penelope is the most experienced piercer in Western Massachusetts, with over 50,000 piercings to her name.

She is the only piercer in the valley who is fully trained in all piercings, including male and female genitals and single-point piercing. She also has sub-dermal implants that were done by artist and good friend Phish. Feel free to come by and check out her 3-D body modification, because you won’t see it very often in these parts!

Penelope specializes in complex surface work, custom-bent multiple ear piercing projects, branding, and scarification. She is also the first piercer in Massachusetts to offer single point piercings. Penelope was also the first to offer free check-ups and piercing maintenance for all piercings, even if she had not done the procedure herself.

She is very involved with the state legislature and regulators of Body Art in not only Northampton and Amherst, but in many of the surrounding towns. Penelope is well known in the area for setting the standard for technique and cleanliness – and constantly raising the bar as she goes. She has a soft spot for anyone willing to challenge the unknown; if you can dream it, she can make it a reality.

A master pumpkin carver, Penelope is also responsible for opening Haven Club, the longest running Goth-Industrial club on the east coast, which has been in operation since 1996. Visit The Haven Club.