John "Cupcakes" Barry - Twin Cities born and raised. I first began receiving piercings at age 18, which resulted in a slow absorption into the world of body adornment. I was offered an apprenticeship in early 2006 with Kryss Cho (former head piercer, now tattoo artist) here at the Ink Lab, and began to learn what it was like to be on the other side of the needle. I studied under Kryss for several months and became licensed to pierce the public through the Minneapolis Health Department on Oct. 31st 2006. I have continued to pierce at the Ink Lab since then, allowing me to continuously expand my knowledge and experience through a very diverse customer base.