National Magazines

One would think that being a makeup artist in Cleveland wouldn’t get your name in national magazines.  Well that is wrong.  Once I was able to build my portfolio and make contacts, I have been able to do makeup and hairstyling for magazine editorials.  Readers Digest, Woman’s Day, Ladies Home Journal, Money, Cosmopolitan, and First Magazine are the ones in my portfolio to date.  It is such a thrill for me to stare at the article before my kids and I cash out at the grocery store.  I proudly tell my girls about the model as we wait in line.  I have this feeling come over me that I am truly doing the work I was meant to do.

My work is featured in February’s issue of Ladies Home Journal (page 132).  I was asked by the magazine to be the stylist for a photo shoot in Kent, Ohio.  The title of the article is, “Drop Pounds by Doing Good.” Heather Micozzi was the client who I was hired to style. Heather walked off 120 pounds and raised $7,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  When I arrived, I didn’t know much about why she was chosen or the subject of the article.  Some stories in the past have been about women going through cancer or being in remission.  I tend to wait until the photographer gives me a back-story, so I don’t act over excited about the shoot.

Since Heather and I were at one location to get ready while the photographer was at the actual site of the shoot, I had to just ask.  Heather was upbeat and excited about this shoot.  On set we had a few laughs too because the weather was cold and windy.  The roll paper kept ripping and dogs in the park not on a leash were peeing on our set.  After two outfit changes the photographer, Claudia Susan, captured the picture seen.  Heather thanked us for a fun time at the end of the shoot and also showed us photos of her before the weight loss.  She expressed to us how much better she feels and how happy she is about her appearance.

In the March issue of FIRST magazine (page 46) has a photo of Tanya de Alemida.  Eric Mull was the photographer.  He and I went to her home in Elyria, Ohio a week before Christmas.  Tanya had Iodine Deficiency, which slowed her thyroid.  She was positive and excited about her photo shoot.  Family members kept calling her cell while I was getting her into makeup to hear details about the shoot.  Tanya sat giggling to us and remarking about all the fuss over this photo instead of talking about her illness and the toll it took on her for so long.  Fortunately, Tanya is well now and able to tell her story.  She hoped her experience would help someone else.  

I love when people open up to a stylist while preparing for their photo session.  Witnessing their excitement while I am there puts a smile on my face.  It isn’t always easy to go through health scares or face challenging domestic issues.  It requires courage to tell the story. Once one gets through the darkness, it is great to watch them get some limelight to make life look bright again.  It makes my work even more rewarding.

Heather

Tanya

Fashion Week

In February, clothing designers, makeup artists, and hairstylists gather in New York City to showcase the newest looks for fall and winter.  This event runs for eight days around the city.  Have I been there?  NO, not yet.  I tend to blog about beauty tips and photo shoots with celebrities, but in this entry I am going to be a bit more personal.  For 2012, my #2 goal was to be present at this year’s fashion week.  I started my campaign by getting the word out on my Facebook and Linked In pages late last year.  It was my hope that my friends would refer me to a contact in NYC.  No such luck on that.

Over MLK weekend, I wanted to visit a friend in New Jersey and head into the city to find out more about fashion week.  For Cleveland, it has been a mild winter.  Knowing that, I decided to roll the dice and book an airline ticket to fly out of here regardless of my HUGE fear of flying when it’s a must to de-ice.  Of course, that Friday it snowed A LOT.  I managed to brave the icy sixty-five minute drive to the airport only to get to the gate to see the flight was delayed.  As I munched on a not so healthy doughnut I caught my breath and thought, “It will be OK.”

I had a small list of contacts I wanted to see in NYC.  My intention was to check in with small boutique owners and makeup studios, provide them with a resume, present my portfolio, and find someone to work with in February.  Well that did not happen.  My friend’s mom fell ill.  Consequently, the friend had to take her mother to the ER.  I volunteered to watch her son.  My day of knocking on doors was actually spent playing games on the Wii.

I did speak to one artist in Montclair.  She said it would be best to contact a makeup agency in New York City.  However, living in Ohio presents a big problem.  Most of those agencies, no matter how good you are, just dismiss non New York residents.  Considering fashion week work is pro bono, it is funny there are still no openings.  Although Cleveland has a small fashion week, I want the real deal.  I want, what every serious make artist wants, I want Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

I am going to keep wracking my brain about this.  I am going to contact a few agencies in NYC despite the odds.  Maybe I will get a chance to head there in the fall.  I do believe in fate/destiny, so this just isn’t quite the time.  There is a reason I haven’t found my contact yet.  I do know one thing.  When it does happen, I will be very excited.  I might even have to throw myself a party when I get home to celebrate.  Right now, project #2 will remain unchecked and slightly delayed. 

A New Year

It is January again and a year since I started to blog.  I have many new ideas for this year and must start bringing them to life.  I have always been a goal setter and once I accomplish one, I begin setting new goals.   I feel this forces me on my toes and keeps things fresh.  Since I started doing makeup, my style of makeup has been “beauty.”  I can do over the top makeup, but what sells in the Cleveland market is CLEAN makeup.

To be honest, there may be something else behind why I do this type of makeup.  When I was in kindergarten, the nun at my school wanted to hold me back because I colored too darkly (true story).  My mother would not have it, so I went on to first grade.  Maybe it stuck in my head, “If you use too dark of colors, you will be a failure.”  So now I have to ask myself, “Should I play it safe or is it time to set a new goal for myself?”

Over the years, I have had calls from New York and LA.  I feel that I may have lost out on a few jobs for the lone reason that I don’t have artistic makeup examples in my portfolio.  It is actually harder to do beauty makeup than heavy makeup.  Anyone can do makeup all over the face and call it artistic.  Not everyone can do beauty makeup on someone to make them look years younger, older or to give the illusion of clearer skin without the help of Photoshop.

My #1 project of 2012 was to make over a pretty girl with lots of color.  I recruited Maddie.  She is a beautiful young lady that I had the pleasure to meet last year.  Her photos have been on my website before, so I asked her back to bring to life my idea.  Maddie and her family made a three hour drive each way to participate.  I was so grateful because, with the help of Eric Mull, we nailed it.  She was perfect!  I was able to not only do her makeup pictured below but her hair adding in the feathers, which is so popular now.

I know one look might not magically change whether I get a job or not, but it shows the less imaginative person that I can apply makeup with a heavy hand.  It also proves I can make attractive people look as if the were touched by a MAC makeup brush. (If you have been to a MAC cosmetic counter you now exactly of which I speak,)

This year it is all about what I CAN do… even better.  It’s time I mark the map here in Cleveland.  My goal is set.  Is yours?

Karen Siat/ Eric Mull

Karen Siat/ Eric Mull

Good Company Show 1/19/12

http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=225938
Copy and paste this think to see my tips for helping your skin look younger.

Cleveland Magazine’s Most Interesting People

  In November I received a call from Cleveland Magazine’s art director Kristen

Miller. I was asked to be part of the cover shoot for the magazine’s January issue.

Of course I said, “I am on board.” The cover was spotlighting 5 of Cleveland's Most

Interesting People: artist Sarah Kabot, FOX 8’s Allie LaForce, Crop’s Chef Steve

Schimoler, Turnstyle Boutique’s owner Terrilynn Amos, and Joe Haden from the

Cleveland Browns.

  The morning was going to be on a tight time schedule, so I asked my cousin

and hairstylist Stephanie Johnson to assist with the hair. Even though on shoots I

typically do hair, I wanted to make sure I had proper time to give to each person

and would not have to rush them through. Stephanie was a pro, as always, and

everyone’s hair looked great. With four people in makeup, we awaited the arrival

of Joe Haden. Once he arrived, the girls from Kilgore Trout swung into action to get

his wardrobe ready as I performed my makeup magic for Joe. YES, sports stars can

wear makeup but not a lot- trust me. Joe needed just enough to add polish to the

photo about to be taken by Eric Mull.

 This cover was the first in the history of Cleveland Magazine, in which 5

people would take part. The look was to be edgy, like a Vanity Fair cover, and I love

the results. Everyone was in good spirits. In fact, Joe Haden posed for photos with

the staff after we were done. I encourage you to pick up the magazine and read all

of their stories. It is very interesting to read how much Clevelanders are marking

the map with their careers.

  About a week after this shoot, I was told James Franco’s (Spiderman, 127

Hours, and Eat Pray Love) grandma was coming in studio for a photo. Mitzi drove

herself to Eric’s studio and walked up with her cane and a book of photos of James.

I will tell you this, she is one proud grandmother. Mitzi told us how she went to the

Oscars with James last year. She recently visited him on set and was given a role in

the movie he was filming. She was in makeup for four hours!

  Her photo session was very quick, but she wanted to hang around to tell

more Hollywood stories. I just wished I had time to listen! Unfortunately, we

had two other shoots going on. I did give her a few business cards though. I have

learned in my years, it isn’t always what you know but whom. Maybe someday I can

get to the Oscars? Hint, hint Mitzi!

Cover Eric Mull/ Karen Siat/ Stephanie Johnson

Karen, Joe Haden and Stephanie

Photo: Eric Mull

David Cook

On November 6, 2011, David Cook was in town with Gavin DeGraw. David Cook won American Idol in 2008.  I immediately fell for his rocker edge image and fabulous voice.  On Idol he seemed humble and normal.  After Sunday’s concert, I can confirm that fame hasn’t jaded his personality.  He made jokes, played with the audience, and created the music true to what you hear on his tracks.

Concerts are different now.  Years back no flash photos or videos were allowed.  Now you have to look past the person in front of you using his iPhone to capture the night.  Sometimes people don’t stand but, instead, chair dance.  If they do stand, the people behind them become upset.  A middle-aged woman wearing a feather clip in her hair actually shushed me.  I thought, Am I in church or at a concert?  The people around us laughed and said, “Did she just scold you for talking?”

We were at the Palace Theater in Cleveland, Ohio.  Perhaps that venue demands more formal etiquette than I was aware of compared to The Q.  We decided to leave early and there, in the lobby, stood David Cook’s band.  They were walking out, just as we were.  I took the opportunity to express how great they had sounded and asked, “How is it with an auditorium full of people you can just walk out unnoticed?”  They said it was easy because the audience was too busy listening to Gavin.  I had hoped to meet David to tell him what an inspiration he is to me, but talking to his band for a few minutes was equally as thrilling.

A year after David won Idol, he experienced a family tragedy.  He lost his brother, Adam Cook, to brain cancer.  Adam was 37 years old.  David wrote a song titled “Permanent” in Adam’s memory.  I, too, lost my brother after a brief illness a year ago next month.  To see David on stage moving forward with his dream, despite the loss of his loved one, proves that life goes on.  My brother Jim was also 37.  He was my best friend and one of my BIGGEST fans.  Although this blog doesn’t contain much information pertaining to beauty, it is a means to urge you to obtain your dream and never give up on it.  If you have a talent, share it.  If you have something to say, just say it.  You may never get another chance.  Life is short.  Be happy.

Karen Siat

Karen Siat 

THE BUZZ

Back in June, I was asked to be Russell Simmons' makeup artist and stylist.  We made rounds to all of the Cleveland television stations, so Russell could display his jewelry line and promote a drawing that would later take place at a local mall.  The last station stop was WOIO Channel 19.  There, a handsome man named Chris in a suit assisted us in the studio.  I thought to myself, could this be an intern?  He began to help carry the advertising staff’s suitcase down a flight of stairs.  These gals knew who Chris was while I, on the other hand, was clueless.

Chris Van Vliet was the interviewer Russell was scheduled to talk with on air.  I couldn’t believe how helpful this anchor was even while dressed in his on-air ensemble.  It really left a good impression on me.  Chris is the host of The BUZZ on WOIO.  He is an entertainment reporter.  Fast forward three weeks and I see on my schedule that Chris will be in for a photography session.  Thinking it was for his WOIO job, I thought he would most likely to be dressed in similar business attire.  Upon seeing him, I realized I was very wrong.  Chris had been nominated for Cosmopolitan Magazine's Sexiest Bachelor!  No word on Facebook or blogs could be leaked about this until fall.  Eric Mull was taking the photographs.  We headed down to Cleveland’s lakefront at Edgewater Beach for the background.  This shirtless photo of Chris is the real “BUZZ “in C TOWN.

I had a chance to ask Chris a few questions of my own while styling his shoot, which I would like to share.  Chris is from Pickering, Ontario.  It is a suburb of Toronto. He has a love of fishing that started when he was four years old. He told me, “If it swims, I will catch it.”  Bass fishing is his favorite and he enters several tournaments each year.

I am all into being healthy and wanted to know how he got those abs!  With weights and cardio workout five times a week as well as a high protein/low carbohydrate diet, he maintains his enviable washboard stomach.  I got a real sense of what a gentleman Chris is working with him.  I encourage you to follow the link below to vote for him in Cosmo’s Sexiest Bachelor Contest.  Voting ends October 16th.  If Chris wins the title, he is going to donate his $10,000.00 check to The Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland.  I asked him why he is donating his winnings.  He said, “It is an easy choice to donate to such an incredible organization, especially since Action 19 News has done a lot of work with these special kids in the past.”  Ladies if you are single, this guy is a real catch!

 http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/bachelors-2011/bachelors-2011-ohio

A little footnote to this story Chris did win the title and followed thru with the donation of his winnings. Good job Chris!

Eric Mull

Chris Van Vliet

Eric Mull