Press

In our series of blog posts – the “New Normal” – we are looking at what creative options have been put in place to offset the disruption that Covid-19 has caused for production businesses here in Oregon.  This month we caught up with Art of Makeup School – an independently owned boutique school dedicated to education in the art, business, and techniques of professional makeup artistry.

The Art of Makeup’s training and education environment provides the necessary foundation to learn makeup artistry skills from successful working makeup artists current in fashion and makeup trends, film, television, stage, special effects, and HD makeup. The Art of Makeup is located in the Southwest area of Portland, OR, and is licensed with the Oregon Department of HECC (Higher Education Coordinating Commission).

Oregon Film (OF): Assuming the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted your business, like so many others, what aspect would you say has been the most surprising?

OF: Are there any surprising areas of growth in your business since the pandemic started?

AoM: We are currently planning an online program for students who are not able to come to our school in person.  We get a lot of out of state interest, and not everyone can travel, especially now.  The pandemic has forced us to create an online program that we can continue to use to grow that part of our business.  We have also learned new social media tools to strengthen our outreach that we will continue to use as well. I think the most noticeable difference in our in-person classes will be our safety and sanitation practices.  I can’t imagine applying makeup again without a mask.  Since students have been wearing masks, the usual colds and flu have not been passed around the classroom which has made a big difference in health and attendance.

OF: Have you had to implement new training for your staff?

AoM: Besides teaching instructors how to prepare to conduct class online, when we came back to the classroom we had to implement a new safety protocol that teachers needed to get used to.  It was quite the adjustment to have to wear both masks and face shields to apply makeup.  The face shields constantly fog up which makes it very difficult to see and having 2 layers in front of the face makes it hard to breathe.  We transitioned to goggles and learned to tuck the masks or tape them under the goggles to prevent fogging which helps a lot.

In just 2 short years from graduating from The Art of Makeup School, Savannah Somerville has worked on over a dozen short films, a web series, a full-length feature film, a corporate shoot, a Nike commercial, theatre productions, and this week will be starting her 2^nd feature film as head of the makeup department. With beauty and special fx makeup training under her belt, she is also finishing cosmetology school, so she will be licensed to cut hair on set soon. This native Oregonian has Los Angeles in mind for her future, so Oregon productions will have to catch her while they can! You can see her work at www.savannahsomerville.com

Megan Garcia obtained her cosmetology license in Arizona before even graduating from high school, but like most cosmetologists, wasn’t satisfied with the makeup training she received.  After finding The Art of Makeup School, Megan picked up and moved to Portland to start her new life in what she really wanted to do; hair and makeup on film, television, and theatre productions.  Never stepping away from her true goal and with hair, beauty & special fx training now, in the short period after graduating makeup school, Megan has been hired to do several films, web series, commercials, and theater productions.  She has already accrued enough credits and joined IATSE Local Union 488 which is a huge accomplishment in itself.  You can see Megan’s work at Megan Garcia.

Email info@artofmakeup.com to be placed on the graduate job board. The Art of Makeup School’s next session begins February 29, 2020.

For more info go to www.artofmakeup.com

The Northwest’s premiere school of makeup artistry has opened in Mountain Park. Owner Celena Rubin aims to provide training for people to work in film, television, theatrical and print advertising, as well as runway fashion makeup…more.

Current job: Owner, director and teacher at The Art of Makeup School, a career school for professional makeup artistry that trains students how to do makeup for fashion, bridal, advertising media, film and television production, special effects and stage performances.

Proudest professional moment: Passing…more

HOLLYWOOD VETERANS WHO CALL THE NORTHWEST HOME BRING SKILLS TO MAGAZINE, SCHOOL

If you’ve ever wanted monstrous bat ears, deadly feline fangs and wolflike facial fuzz, horribly gaping-but-painless wounds in your head, or maybe just a vividly sliced, oozing throat, Michael Key is your man.

Key has won two Emmy awards for his makeup work on the TV series “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” He has also worked on movies such as “Planet of the Apes,” “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” and “Batman and Robin.” And he has launched Make-Up Artist Magazine and Key Publishing Group, as well as his industry’s only international trade show.

Today, the Camas makeup magician and industry maven will transform a nice, normal human being into some sort of creature from the Land of Oz at his friend Celena Rubin’s Art of Makeup School…more

In 2013, make-up artist Celena Rubin fought state laws regarding the industry and won. In the state of Oregon, make-up artists were required to have an esthetic or cosmetology license in order to work. Seeing this as an unnecessary barrier, Rubin contacted her representatives and senators to make a change. Legislation for SB836, which exempts hair and make-up artists working in film, television or theater production from unnecessary and unrelated licensing requirements, was drafted and submitted, and passed unanimously in the house and senate….more