Doctors

  

  Cleveland is one of the leading cities for health care. Kings, sheiks,
politicians and celebrities come to our hospitals to seek care. Around
University Circle, one might feel they are a character in a hospital
show. How does makeup fit into this scene? Here is how. In order
for hospitals to attract you and the king of a county as patients, they
have to advertise it. The best way to do this is to spotlight the staff and
provide evidence that explains why you need to come to their hospital.
In doing so, they prove they are the BEST.


  In the last month, I was hired to take care of two hospitals. I personally
hate hospitals; unless it is to visit the birthing unit. They gross me out
a bit. Let’s face it; the smell isn’t like a department store that is filled
with the aroma of perfume. Sadly, I have also gone there to visit and
left very sad due to a death of a loved one. So when I get these calls, I
tread lightly. Of these two shoots one was held on hospital grounds but
in the research building while the other was in a photography studio, so
I really didn’t have anxiety.


  I find it ironic that the doctors are not fans of mine either; they DON’T
like makeup. Once they see me there, anxiety is written all over their
faces. It is the same look I might have seeing them in their work
environment. I try to joke about pink lipstick on the male doctors as
I apply Chapstick to their lips. I also calm the nerves of the female
doctors by saying I can apply light makeup on them as I do on the male
doctors. They are too busy for makeup most days, so light makeup or
no makeup is what most female doctors are comfortable wearing.


 When the public looks at a brochure or a catalog, one might have it in
his hands 1 to 10 seconds before it is set aside, but it may have
HOURS getting that one image on it. From setting up the set, lighting,
wardrobe, hair adjustments and the actual filming is quit tedious.
Working with a group of doctors is even tougher. They have patients,
rounds, and impromptu surgeries that can arise. So if the schedule
flows well, it is a miracle.


  Both days went very well. Marketing will be seen in U.S. World
Report for one. The other hospital will air on television and billboards.
When someone is sick in our family, we want the best care. We might
not see that billboard the in the days after we hear the news that we
need to find a specialist to treat an illness. Maybe a friend will though
or one might remember an old ad. So the goal is to make a lasting
impression when a medical crisis hits.


  My job is simple compared to their job. If I make a mistake,
Photoshop can fix it. If they make a mistake, someone dies or they get
sued. With baby boomers aging and people living longer, the medical
field will be in business no matter what the economy. With so many
hospitals and doctors to pick from, I guarantee you will notice more and
more doctors made up and styled to attract your business. The next
time you see a doctor on TV, odds are they are much better at their day
job than the ad they are acting in.


  

March 2012/ Karen Siat  H&MU/ Jason Miller photo credit

Twenty Five

I wish I could say that was my age but it isn’t.  This year marks my 25^th year in the beauty business.  WOO HOO!  When I attended high school, I was enrolled in the cosmetology program.  For two years, I attended school for half of the day and then went to a private cosmetology school during the second half.  I also held a job at the same time.  We had eleven  girls in our class and, today, I think only four are still in the field.  While in school, I practiced perms at home on family and friends and recruited people to come to school to get haircuts.  As a wrestling stat, I even cut hair for the wrestlers in the wrestling room before matches.  This was necessary because they would be disqualified if their hair wasn’t the proper length.

I enjoyed what I was studying and there were very few times when I passed up an opportunity to practice or learn.  After graduation, I went onto barber school.  I was licensed in cosmetology by then, but wanted to learn how to cut men’s hair better.  Also the Ohio State Barber Board is a good deal.  Once one graduates and gets licensed, one becomes an owner and operator.  No other license is needed.  This means NO limits. I can work in any  barbershop in Ohio. The first barbershop I worked in was in an upscale area.  I got lucky to work in such a shop and pulled in $500.00+ a week.  I had clients right away because the owner had overflow.  Not bad for being 19.

By age 26 I was the owner of my own business, which was great.  Flexible hours were the best because I then had a child.  I was a one woman show doing all types of salon services.  My clients have been wonderful over the years.  I enjoyed chatting with them and loved what I was doing.  By age 33, I began doing commercial makeup.  Although I had been providing bridal makeup all along, I started to travel out of state to NYC and Chicago for makeup workshops to up my game and make the switch to the new career I craved.  On my 37th birthday, I had the biggest job of my career up to that point.   I did the makeup for the sports anchors of ESPN during the Cavs vs. Spurs Championship Series. That was one amazing birthday!   I met many celebrities and watched the game in the very press box I had only imagined years before that moment.

After that event, the fun continued as I networked and landed jobs for President Barack Obama, Jennifer Coolidge, Cheryl Tiegs, Cobra Starship, Patricia Neal, Eddie Levert, Russell Simmons, and so many more.  One might say college is the way to go, but the trades are a great route to take as well.  Computers can’t do what I do.  In today’s ever changing world, they may be able to do so someday but not yet!  I am still thrilled 25 years later that I took this path on my life’s journey.  I have no regrets about any of my choices and feel blessed in my chosen profession.  How many people can say that?  Can you?  If not, what’s stopping you?  If you love it, pursue it.

1987

1996 with my first daughter

On set with Dan Patrick 2007

Cleveland Fashion Week

   Early on this year I was on a quest to be part of Fashion Week in NYC. I was trying to find contacts that could help me get there and be part of the event. I did not find a contact. Recently Cleveland had their Fashion Week. I had heard many tales of it in the last few years but never have been asked to do make up for it. This year I sent out emails to designers but did not hear back from anyone. I also contacted a fellow makeup artist and friend Bridgett to ask if she knew anything about it. She too had never been part of it.


   Then one day I got a text from Bridgett saying women named Elaina from Fashion Week contacted her but she was booked and knew I wanted to participate so she passed on my number to her. With that call I was all set to do makeup. The date was a Saturday and I already had a bridal party of four on the east side to attend to but I could make my way downtown later to make up six models. The show was at the historic Halle Building in downtown Cleveland. On arrival I was directed to the basement into a party room with awful florescent lights. Girls were perched all over waiting to be made up. 62 girls needed makeup and hair done in five hours. There were no signs of hairstylist yet and some designers weren’t there. Girls were trying on clothes, eating, dancing, and singing all over the place. I thought to myself what did I just sign up for?



   I quickly set up and found my models. I must say all the girls were so pretty and many very young. One of my girls I met a few months back her name is Mariah her photo is attached. She was excited I was going to be her makeup artist. One of the other models Inga commented that “If I had a suitcase full of makeup I must know what I was doing.” A lot of the talent there are new in the business and I see why none of my friends do this, because in their career they are past it. You give up hours of your time for free, use your own products and even pay to park. Not glamorous but never less a way to network.


   I recently met a fellow hairstylist that went to NYC fashion week and said she would never go back it was awful. She too has a lot of experience and was treated like she just out of school. I feel if people donate time and in her case money for a flight, room would it be so hard to be kind to the artist? My experience was a good one. Everyone was very sweet and very gratuitous I was even asked to come back for the show if I wanted. Cleveland’s Fashion Week is the third largest in the country. I think after my experience in Cleveland I will check off my fashion week goal I had set early on this year. Right now I like being a bigger fish in a small pond because I know if I go to NYC Fashion Week, I will probably get eaten up as a small fish in that big pond. Sometimes ideas seem good at the time but its O.K to wait a little bit before you act. You just might save time, money and have no reason to have regrets on your decision.

Miriah

The stage is set!

Backstage not so glamourous

My Cover Girl Moment

   A few weeks ago, I got a call from Kristen Miller the Art Director of Cleveland Magazine. She asked me if I would be interested in helping her out and being on the cover of the June edition, “Rating the Suburbs.” I said, “Of course, right away!” After speaking to Kristen for a few minutes, she told me that they wanted me to be photographed as a gardener. Inside I started to laugh and thought, Okay this means I am going to wear a hat for sure. No one will realize it is even me. Kristen sent over a list of clothes I needed to bring with me to the shoot.

   After a review of the items, I headed out to pick up some new shorts. I had a day to get my act together, so I quickly colored my hair and used my self-tanning towels to tan my chicken white legs. I hadn’t spoken a word to anyone being cautious that my interpretation of the cover may have been grander than Kristen’s version. A few years back, Jen Kessen posed a similar proposition. She asked me to be on the cover of the Summer Fun supplement of Cleveland Magazine. It was a very pretty shot by Eric Mull. I was there in the background, but a bit fuzzy, so really no one knew it was me.

   Once I got to Jason Miller’s studio, I was asked to put on my shorts and tee shirt. I looked in the mirror and asked Kristen if the shirt was too tight. She said, “No it will be fine. You are going to be so small, no one will notice it.” Jason started snapping pictures and said, “You will be about as tall as a thumb on the cover.” I had to laugh again and thought, Good thing I didn’t make a big deal about this. I also thought, Thank God I am not in a hat!” It was all right that I was the size of Thumbelina; I am still on a cover.


   A few days later, the editor Steve Gleydura did send out an email with questions. He asked my take on the city in which I live and love. He also wanted to let me know my name was being added to the piece. I have attached the beautiful full size photo Jason took of me, so I can prove that the small blonde woman with no roots really is me. When I first started my career, I wanted to be a stylist for just one cover of Cleveland Magazine. To date, I have done 12 covers. My turn as a “Cover Girl” may be small in size, but is huge in my heart. Thank you, Kristen and Steve, for this opportunity.

clevelandmagazine.com

http://miller.photoshelter.com

My Cover Girl moment

My pose. Photo credit Jason Miller

Inside the magazine, me in  front of my fake house

My other shot from 2007 (the girls are not mine) photo credit Eric Mull 

Bully

                 The cheerleading squad, I am seated second on the right                                                              

  

                                                    

 There is a new movie out called Bully.  This movie spotlights five kids and their families who are affected in a school year by bullying.  Two students are lost to suicide.  I remember my grade school years.  I, too, was bullied.  It was sixth grade.  After my first time trying out for cheerleading, I made the squad.  The next day in school I was approached by a girl who wasn’t picked.  She was so angry.  She told me that I didn’t deserve to be on the squad because I wasn’t popular enough.  Really?  I knew I deserved it.  I couldn't believe I was going to be taunted over her feelings of rejection.  This girl was popular and one of the “ring leaders” of the in crowd, which was nothing more than a clique.  I think her ego was bruised when she didn’t make the squad.    

    My bully then said to me, “You better watch your back because I am going to beat you up when you least expect it.”  Kids heard it on the playground, but no one stepped in at all.  Even my friends looked away in fear of her.  After this threat was made, I didn’t want to go to school.  I was scared and embarrassed.  So much so, I did not mention it to my parents.  There I was attending a Catholic school; yet, I feared getting beaten up.  I spent the time looking over my shoulder and feeling sick all of the time.  Finally one day, I took charge.  After weeks of stares, chatter, and taunts calling me skinny, she got in my face to say something mean.  I had had enough and said to her, “I am not scared of you.  Go pick on someone your own size and leave me alone. I was picked and you were not.  Move on!  One day I will make a name for myself and you will still be small minded.”

    After that day, she backed down.  I had no choice, but to stand up for myself.  On that day, I obtained justice.  Now looking back to that time, I feel it has driven me to be all I can be today.  I also learned to move forward, never look back, and not let ANYONE bully me.  I meet many models who say they, also, have been bullied.  Reasons vary from not being pretty or popular enough to being too skinny or fat.  The bully doesn’t know the entire story.  He or she just assumes what he/she wants to assume about you and act out meanly to feel better about himself or herself.  For me, I have been skinny all my life.  I have to follow a special “diet” to survive because of food allergies.  My three girls don’t hear words like fat or diet from me.  In fact, I tell them to NEVER use me as a gauge to compare their body weight or image.  I refuse to set them up for food disorders or poison their self esteem.

    BULLIES or  HATERS (as I like to refer to them) will find fault with you because you have your act together.  They will nitpick at anything you do just to get under your skin.  They have insecurities or faced a failure in their lives, so they choose to lash out in jealousy.  Thank God I wasn’t a child which followed this dark road.  I was able to find the strength to stop in my tracks and stand up to my bully.  Many people who were bullied in the past turn into over achievers as adults and are very strong souls.  They can face many obstacles and have a thick skin to endure much criticism.

    Sometimes movies entertain us.  We can escape reality by going to see them.  This movie, Bully, is a documentary.  It is reality on the big screen.   Sadly, bullying is a big problem and the number of bullied victims increases daily.  Let’s hope that this movie will open the eyes of educators and parents, so they can step in early before it is too late for a bullied child.  No one should fear going to school. 

Cheryl Tiegs

 

As a makeup artist, one only dreams of applying make-up on
supermodel. I would have placed it high on my project goal list in January but, in
my mind, it seemed unattainable. As I stated in another blog, “The Call,” my life
can seem very routine until I get notice that a celebrity wants to hire me. It is an
amazing rush. This time when the phone rang, it was a booking agent for none
other than Cheryl Tiegs. Not many people under 30 may know the impact of this
news, but for me it is an amazing opportunity to meet the original supermodel, no

less be her make-up artist.

  Cheryl Tiegs, at age 17, was on the front magazine cover of Glamour,
Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Time, and Vogue covers were to follow. Cheryl landed not
one but three covers of Sports Illustrated. She also appeared on many television
shows over the years. When Donald Trump’s show Celebrity Apprentice started
this season (2012), Cheryl was part of the women’s team. Unfortunately, after
just one task, she was sent home. As spokesperson for Cambria products, Ms.
Tiegs came to Cleveland for The Home Builder’s Awards on April 19, 2012. I
was hired to be with Cheryl for two days.

  I was in touch with the Cambria team and received my itinerary a few days
before Cheryl Tiegs arrival. Once I reviewed it, I made sure to have everything
I might need and then figured out what I was going to wear. I knew I had the
job, yet I needed to look polished. In this profession, one gets the job first and
then must dazzle the client upon meeting. When I arrived at the hotel, I met my
Cambria contact in the lobby. I was whisked away to Cheryl’s hotel room where
we acted as her wake up call. After setting up and ordering breakfast, the make-up
 magic began.

  As Cheryl started to wake up a little more, I expressed how excited I was
to meet her. I know I don’t like a lot of chatter when first getting up, so I held off
on too much banter. Once I finished with my job, we headed down to the limo
which waited for Cheryl, her two Cambria representatives, and me. Yes, I got
to ride along! With Russell Simmons, I followed in my own car. This time I was
asked to ride with the Tiegs’ Team. We headed on to FOX studio and then to
NBC to discuss why Cheryl was in Cleveland. We arrived too early at WKYC/
NBC, so the decision to go to Starbucks was made.

  As we entered the coffee house, I wanted to observe the public. Will it
click with those around this that this is THE Cheryl Tiegs? Starbucks was full of
men that day, and YES they knew her. Many walked past multiple times where
we were standing to see if it was her. One man sent over a friend just to confirm
it. He said, “No doubt. Yes!” as he walked back to his friend. Everyone was cool
about it as though we always have celebrities here in Cleveland. We still had
some time to kill, so the limo driver took us around the city to show off hot spots
in town to all of the women. It was fun to share information about our town and
compare facts about other cities to ours.

  We returned to the studio and that interview went well. Later in the day, I
had to make up Cheryl again for a dinner at Fahrenheit. I returned on Friday to
style her for the actual awards show. She looked amazing and represent
Cambria like the true professional she is.

  Cheryl is such a sweet soul and beautiful person. I felt surprisingly
comfortable with her. To make things even better, she was very complimentary
of my services. I also had fun just being part of her visit. As I headed back out of
the hotel to retrieve my simple Dodge Caliber from the valet, I thought to myself
I could really get use to having more days like this and was very grateful for the
opportunity. Cheryl Tiegs may have been my first supermodel but, hopefully,
won’t be my last.

Cheryl and Me 

Cleveland Rocks

 If you are from Cleveland, Ohio and someone mentions Captain Frank’s, you
think of the old seafood restaurant that was on the 9th Street Pier. Even though we never
ate there, my parents would drive us down to that very pier to look at the view of the city.
In the 70’s, it was a little shady downtown but seeing the city from that perspective was
amazing. Let’s fast forward to 1995. This same pier was going to play a major role in
the comeback of Cleveland. It became the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.


I was working in a barbershop at that time, so I wasn’t hired to assist anyone.
However, I was at the Rock Hall for the opening. It was September, 1995. My brother
Jim was working for a tuxedo company. They were providing uniforms to the wait staff
for the event. I wanted to be part of this monumental day in the worst way. I went to the
catering company and they hired me on. Then I found out I was pregnant. With this
news, I thought it best not get in a situation which made me responsible for moving
tables, chairs, or anything heavy. In the past, I had catered and this part of the job
description was very possible. I decided to step down from the catering position and
helped with the tuxedo company instead.


My job was to ride down to the Rock Hall with my brother on one of the many
school buses transporting workers. Anyone having spills on his or her attire would find
us, and it was our job to provide clean uniforms. Jim and I were able to walk around the
museum before we left. It was so beautiful inside. Some of the workers thought we were
guests, so they offered us hors d’ oeuvres. I thought to myself, if there was ever a party
to crash, this is it for sure. In fact, some temporary wait staff thought the same thing and
did just that…they crashed it! Men were literally drinking at the bar in their tuxedo shirts
and ties, acting as guests. Nearly drunk security stepped in and put these crashers back
on the buses headed to the ‘burbs.


The hype of the grand opening was electric, just like the week of April 9, 2012.
This was Inaugural Week at the Rock Hall and inductions were back in Cleveland.
Many events and parties were planned. Two days before the induction, the city looked
really good. Road crews cleaned up trash. The tulips were in full bloom outside of city
buildings and tents were set up at Public Hall.


I did not get any calls from production people or local television stations. The
trend is that rockers don’t wear much makeup. This is true except for, of course, KISS
(Shout out to Eric Singer!) and somehow they were overlooked for induction this year.
Sorry guys, I just don’t get it. I am certain you will be chosen to be inductees in 2013 in
honor of the band’s 40th anniversary. Then Cleveland will Rock and Roll All Nite!


Clevelanders are very loyal to their city. No matter how many times we get
knocked down, we get back up. If there is an event we host, we do it right. The city
fought hard for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and we are proud of it.
Visitors come from all over the world to experience music history. If you love music, I
urge you to visit. Then you can decide for yourself if CLEVELAND ROCKS!

Captain Franks 1968/Plain Dealer

Eric Singer drummer of KISS ( Cleveland native and friend ) and me