Soulful Songstress

If you don't know her already, meet Monica Blaire. When my long time friend asked me to be her makeup artist I was pretty excited. If you haven't seen this woman perform live, please put it on your list of things to do, it's definitely an emotional experience. Doing makeup for a performer is a bit different from working with runway models for one reason... SWEAT! Lol, and this girl can MOVE on stage! I'm always off to the side ready for touch ups, often we use lip stains or long wearing lipsticks. There is always an oil controlling powder in my hand. Thankfully she has perfect skin so even if foundation begins to melt we just say "oh well". I also use a good eye primer, a combo of M.A.C.s paint in Bamboom and their prep+prime eye in dark. She has been featured numerous times in print, such as in B.L.A.C. Magazine (Black Life Arts and Culture), Real Detroit, and has performed at events such as the Ford Freedom Awards, SXSW, and Bravo Bravo. She also had a role in the stage play "Meet the Parents". Top photo taken by Mario Butterfield.

Game On!

I was hired for this shoot by a college student, this was one of her projects. I absolutely loooved the concept so I hopped on board. I had never met any of them prior, nor have I worked with them again, but I love how the photos turned out! They remind me of some hot video game characters...

Iron Woman

When my friend Felle called me and asked me to design a look for an Iron Woman, I took it as a challenge and a compliment. He had already airbrushed the bike and wanted to shoot it with a model for a project he is currently working on. (it's gonna be amazing too, sshhhh...) After I had done the makeup he airbrushed and hand detailed her entire body. I used a red, yellow and black shadows around the eyes. I was extatic when I saw the compled image. Photography by Tyrone Holmes.

Dead Presidents

A day in the life of a makeup artist is never boring. Working with different recording artist is lots of fun. For these guys I used a white and black grease paint, and a lot of patience, both of these guys were very ticklish. The one on the right was feeling so in character he wore his makeup home, lol.
Money and Zo of Gain Green for Silent Riot Ent. Photography and album cover by Mario Butterfield.

Footprints on the Runway

Michael Anthony and Mark England

These are just a few photos from my work with this talented photographer and fashion designer.

Back stage and behind the scenes

More rainy days

I am really intrigued by playing with different textures... this is what I do when I get bored, lol.

The Magical Disappearing Eyebrows

This was my very first time earsing a models eyebrows. This look was the photographers vision and I was very intimidated. At the time I had never seen drag makeup done and had no idea how much a glue stick would have helped. I used what I had in my kit at the time which was lash glue and a heavy concealer. It kept rolling off and it took me a long time but I was pretty satisfied wih the results. The photographer is Vankou, model is Lindsay B, hair is by Lauren Moser.

Christian O'Grady

More work from Christian and I. The hair was done by my best friend, Lauren Moser.

The Avant Garde

I met Christian O'Grady while modeling in a fashion show. We did quite a few shoots together as our artistic and creative styles meshed quite well. Christian loves photos that tell a story or leave a person thinking, he truly is an artist. The eye in this photo was created with M.A.C.s paint pot in Blackground, Carbon eye shadow, Antique Gold reflcts and mixing medium. The model in this photo is Channing Pierce.

Rainy Day Clown

This was the first in what was supposed to be a series... wellllll, I only got around to doing this one, but there may be more to come. I was originally inspired by a similar lip I saw in a picture. The lip is over drawn and reshaped and I used two shades of matte lipstick. I was also experimenting with lightening the skin tone and the rest just kinda went from there...

It's M.A.C. time!

I had only been dabbling in makeup for a short while when I decided that THIS is what I was going to do! I've been a tattoo artist for almost 8 years now, a lot of people see the job as exciting or glamorous... well, it has it's days, but it's not where my passion lies...

I actually applied at about 5 different M.A.C. locations (even though it's not necessary) I was called and auditioned/interviewed and almost fell out of my chair when I got a call saying I was hired. In the pat 3 years I have worked at Macy's Lakeside, Macy's Fairlane and I am now located in the M.A.C. Store in Somerset Mall.
M.A.C. has been a constant inspiration for me. Not only am I surrounded my so many different mediums, I get to work with people who have so much knowledge and experience to share. In this photo are some of the lovely ladies I began my career with at Macy's Lakeside.

Color, color, color!

All I wanted to use was color! On everyone, of every skin tone for every occasion! lol, well I didn't know any better at the time. This pic is one from the neumerous fashion shows that I did for Lajuana Crawford. As inexperienced as I was she believed in my talent and used me for photo shoots and fashion shows over and over again. Till this day we are great friends and work together whenever possible.
Model is the photo is Lajuana's daughter Kristen, photo taken by me.

Anya

This is one of the first photo shoots I had ever done as a makeup artist. I was using all kinds of random drug store makeup, if it was shiny or sparkly or had pretty packaging, I wanted it! It's funny that I look back at these pictures, I can admit that even back then the makeup looks well executed and blended I had absoloutly no idea what I was doing. By the way, at the time I was trying my hand at wardrobe styling as well. I altered this shirt and made the belt out of an old brooch. The models name was Anya and the photo was taken by Adrian L.

Resume

Runway

~Detroit Fashion Week, Fall '07
(Angela McBride, Femilia Couture, Kristine Fergusson, St. Pucci)

~Fashion In Detroit, Fall '09
(Peter Soronen, Kevan Hall, Betsey Johnson)

~944 Magazine Ultimate Spring Fashion Event, Spring '10
(Macy's)

~Style Exhibition, Spring '10
Columbia, SC
Key Makeup Artist
(Kre'a'shens by Lajuana Crawford)

Great Big Hair Ball '08 & '09
Sakora Salon
Key Makeup Artist

Film

~"Diamond in the Rough"
MJ Robinson
Silent Riot Ent. '08

Print

~B.L.A.C Magazine
~Real Detroit Weekly
~Ambassador Magazine
~Linger Magazine

Clients

~Monica Blaire
~Afi Soul
~MJ Robinson
~Silent Roit Ent.
~B Flyy Creations
~Kre'a'shens by Lajuana
~Kevan Bowers
~Palazzolo Salon