Constructive Criticism

 There is one time in my life that I  received what I'm still not sure if was constructive or not however it did change my life! In 2003 I was living in Los Angeles as a "Struggling actress" and I needed to take head shots for the tv show I had just been cast on called " The Louie Guzman show" and I asked a friend of mine for suggestions on a photographer. Well once I scheduled my shoot my friend asked me if I had hired a makeup artist to do my different looks for my agents. I laughed at him and said I didn't need one, and that makeup was simple for these type of shots...well he replied, " Um, I'm telling you, you need to hire someone because I'm going to be honest, you don't know what your doing at all with your face!" Of course I rolled my eyes and cursed him out because I was so offended, no man should be telling me who of course didn't really wear makeup to begin with that my really dark brown lipliner with silver lipgloss and gold eyeshadow was wrong! Hahaha! Now mind you this was 2 years before I even started my journey to becoming a makeup artist. But strangely enough what his criticism did, negative or not, was make me go out and learn how to do my own makeup on a professional level so that I never had to feel embarrassed or rejected by someones opinion of me again. I eventually became addicted to learning more levels of makeup and got so good that people started coming to me for advice or to do theres for auditions. Once I moved back to New Orleans in 2004 I went on a job interview at a department store to work in the Men's shoe department and while there the hiring manager offered me my first makeup job because she thought my makeup was so nice. Eventually that lead me to being approached by the company I have now worked for 10 years, M.A.C cosmetics, where the hiring manager recruited me after Katrina in Baton Rouge because she had seen my potential. Ever since I've been working full time as a Professional makeup artist in film and tv as well. But one thing I never do is stop learning. I still take lessons and learn from artist who are further along than I am and I always encourage newer artist to do the same. So when people ask me how I got into makeup I always tell this story because my career that I NEVER thought I would do or considered as a young adult all came from a what I'll say now felt negative but was life changing for me. And what's funny is the friend who made the comments has not only referred me to many people and productions but has also hired me on productions he has produced... talk about a turn of events huh? LOL

If I had to give advice to a new student or anyone for that matter it would be to never let the opinions of others, good or bad, cause you to give up on your dreams. And also to take a step back and look at yourself fully and evaluate if the person who told you something saw something in you that needs to change based on what you portray to be... maybe your walk isn't as good as your talk? Doesn't mean they had the Right to say it to you or in the way they said it, but just make sure the next time they see you that they can't say anything but congratulations!