SOL TRIBE CORE VALUES

A modern studio with an ancient feel.

Our Mission

Our Promise to You

"Sol Tribe has been the retailer for the top manufacturers of Body jewelry for over 20 years. These relationships have been built over the last quarter century and allow us to offer a product that is hands down the best on the market, it also allows us to sell replacement parts for jewelry sold throughout that entire timeline. We also offer an in house and manufacturer's warranty."

- Relationships

"We as practitioners must keep a healthy lifestyle to offer these services to you, We have a staff that is celebrated and encouraged to take time off. We have a maximum 4 day work week and offer our staff ongoing health benefits. We recognize that this job is energetically exhausting and we don’t allow people to work while ill or otherwise needing selfcare."

- Healthy lifestyle

"We work as a team to get the job done, we are here to help guide you the the best person for your job ."

- Team Work

"We continue to offer accessibility, We believe body art is not a luxury service but necessary part of life and therefore we keep our jewelry and tattoos reasonably priced and offer many opportunities for discounts throughout the fiscal year."

- Accessibility

"We follow strict infection control at a world class standard- We pride ourselves on being educators of Infection Control for body art establishments, We receive ongoing training quarterly to stay abreast on the most current information. We are proud members of the Association of Professional Piercers and have been for 19 years. We adhere to City, state and federal guidelines."

- Strict infection control

"We celebrate diversity culture and history- We have a deep respect for our sub-culture and the cultures from which we come. We acknowledge where body piercing and tattooing come from in this American culture and we stand with our pioneers which include Fakir Musafar, Jim Ward, Leon Miller, and all the cultural ancestors who practice these ways. We Practice cultural piercing and tattoos for the Indigenous people of the world."

- Culture and history

"We are welcoming to all walks of life – We are a safe space for all walks of life and a space where you will be treated respectfully regardless of background, gender identity, sexuality, or Ability. Sol Tribe is ADA accessible and Queer as fuck."

- Inclusive

"We problem solve for all levels of body art – We recognize that body art is a lifelong adventure and often needs problem solving along the way, we will go above and beyond to help give all the options available before sending you away. Many lifestyle making having body art difficult and we we will help find the solution."

- Creative

"We take care of people and act humbly – We are here to offer the best and safest body art available and to be in co creation with whatever you are hoping for. We recognize that this is your experience and we are merely a vehicle to get body art."

- Humble

We keep SOl tribe running!

Our Core Team

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success.

Alicia Cardenas

Owner/Piercer/Tattoo Artist

Alicia Cardenas is a true Denver Native—a proud Indigenous artist born and raised in the city who’s been working in the Denver body modification industry for nearly her entire life. She began working and apprenticing at Bound By Design in 1994 at the age of 16 and began piercing there professionally a year later. In 1997, she opened her first shop, Twisted Sol—Denver’s first custom tattoo and professional body piercing studio. She began her journey as a tattooer—in addition to her already extensive knowledge of body modification—in 2008, and in 2009, after twelve glorious years at Twisted Sol’s Cap Hill location, she and longtime shop manager Kevin Strawbridge moved down to Broadway to open Sol Tribe. Alicia is also a mural artist and cultural anthropologist who studies and collects a wide variety of cultural artifacts. When she’s not tattooing, scarring, branding, suspending, etc, she is often found painting ancient-inspired geometric murals around the city, lecturing about her cultural studies, or teaching classes on safety in the body art industry. She has been an instructor for the National Safety Council for twenty years, teaching classes on blood borne pathogens since 1999. One of her proudest achievements has been serving on the board of directors for the Association of Professional Piercers, of which she has been a professional member since 1999. She’s as passionate a community advocate as she is an artist, and loves volunteering and contributing back to her community. She is very passionate about bringing ancient ritual and blood rites into the modern era and is on a lifetime journey to educate everyone she can about them, as well as facilitate their practice. Alicia has deeply enjoyed her body modification journey with all its ups and downs, and continues to evolve daily in her love for the art and industry.

Casey Hosch

Shop Manager/Piercer

Casey Hosch has been an active fan and member of the body modification community for most of her life. Casey began transforming her passion into a career 10 years ago, when she graduated from hanging around Denver’s first custom tattoo shop, Twisted Sol, to working the front desk and apprenticing at owner Alicia’s second shop, Sol Tribe. She underwent rigorous training under renowned Denver piercers Alicia Cardenas and James Maldonado, each of whom has been piercing for upwards of 25 years. Her education and learning, while never truly complete, has served her well and grown immensely, as she is now the head piercer and shop manager at Sol Tribe Tattoo and Piercing. Casey has been an official member of the Association of Professional Piercers since 2013, and volunteers annually at the APP Conference in Las Vegas. She is a tireless advocate for and active volunteer in the community, representing the APP and her shop at educational events such as the American Public Health Association Conference and workshops for the Colorado Environmental Health Association. She is a passionate piercer who specializes in curated piercing projects, genital work, and children/infant ear lobe piercings, as well as a truly gifted shop manager who is integral to solving problems and ensuring the continued harmony and high vibrational function of Sol Tribe Tattoo. Casey enjoys doing stuff and things. Also, she likes dogs. A lot.

James Maldonado

Piercer

James "El Bato Loco" Maldonado has been piercing and spreading good vibes in Denver since 1996. He was first apprenticed at Denver's oldest tattoo shop, Bound By Design, but found his home at Alicia Cardenas' first shop, Twisted Sol, for many years. James also did a stint in the world famous and first ever body piercing studio in the United States, Gauntlet, in San Francisco. James is a fully trained and well rounded piercer who can help you with all of your piercing needs including child lobe piercing and specialty genital piercing. In addition to piercing, James is a longtime Denver activist and Aztec Dancer. James has begun offering ritual piercing and cleansings for his clients; please inquire with him about a consultation. James is fluent in Spanish and is passionate about keeping his piercings attainable by all people of all walks of life. Because of the years James has been piercing he is an excellent resource for problematic piercings and anything piercing-related you could ever need!