THE WAVE INK DECEMBER '17

Kelly Whitaker
Please introduce yourself and tell the readers where you are
from.
Hi. My name is Kelly Whitaker and I'm from Orlando, Fl.
When did you decide that you wanted become a makeup
artist?
I didn't exactly choose to be a makeup artist. The opportunity
arose when I found an ad for an artist in a
newspaper. When I got to the interview, the job was for
facepainting at some major theme parks in Orlando,
Florida. Facepaint turned into bodypaint, then I started
doing hair as well which led to photoshoots where I could
do both.
Where and when did you realize that you had such an
amazing skill?
I worked for about 5 years at the theme parks doing facepainting
and my love for makeup grew. When I moved
to Utah, I decided to continue pursuing my interest in
makeup and hair.
Was special FX / creative make up always what you wanted
to do?
I wasn't sure what I wanted to do in my life when I was
younger but I've always been an artist on paper. For me,
the body is a canvas where I can express my art.
What came first, the extreme / FX makeup looks or the
magnificent body painting?
I first learned to do dramatic facepaint working at the
theme parks. When I got better some of my coworkers
introduced me to body painting.
Where does your inspiration for your ideas come from?
Inspiration comes from everywhere. Nature, music,
movies, and social media help to fuel my thoughts. I love
mixing reality with my imagination to morph ideas into
something amazing.
Who are some of the makeup artist that you admire?
Some artists I admire are on instagram. I love the art from
mehronboy, mehron girl and paintopia_official.
Which one is your favorite makeup artist?
My favorite makeup artists are the Wolfe Brothers. They
started out at the same company that I did and now they
are well known in the body painting world and have created
their own makeup line.
What has been your favorite creation to date?
My favorite creation is actually the Christmas skull I’ve
painted recently. The model was fun and bubbly which
fed into the piece. The design captures a little bit of everything.
It’s fun, creepy, sexy and I definitely enjoyed gluing
on the broken ornaments for a more intricate look.
How important is social media to you and your career as a makeup artist?
Social media is highly important for my career as a makeup artist. It gives me a platform to show off my work and also
helps me to connect with people I might never have the chance of knowing face to face.
Any advice for aspiring makeup artist?
My advice for aspiring makeup artists is never be afraid to step out and try something new. I'm antisocial by nature
but I forced myself to not only connect on social media but to meet people face to face, sell my work and always push
the boundaries of what I think I can do. Get out of your comfort zone!
If you could leave one mark on the world, what would it be?
If I could leave one mark on the world it would be that my art would create joy in the people that see it. I also work at
a hair salon and when my clients sit in my chair, I always think to myself, how can I help them have a better day. Just
being there to care, listen, and cheer them up makes a big difference in someone's life. It sounds cheesy but I truly love
people and I want to have a butterfly effect on every person I meet.
Where can we see more of your work?
You can see more of my work on instagram@naturalistakelly
Facebook@chameleonfacesllc
I have also started my YouTube channel @curlygurl88
Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions on what I should paint next, let me know.