We’re looking forward to introducing you to Angie Shell. Check out our conversation below.
Angie , we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
The field of Makeup and Effects is wide and vast. What a lot of people do not realize is how many different variations of makeup there truly are, and how being well-rounded can truly take you on so many adventures when working this job.
Additionally, maintaining an open mind and staying in an almost student mentality can help you evolve consistently, no matter how much you’ve progressed in your career. I always try to learn something new in every job and work environment I’m in, as there’s so much knowledge you can gain from your peers and veteran artists alike.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Angie Shell, and I’m a makeup artist and silicone painter originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I have been a makeup artist for 11 years, my start dating back to age 15, where I worked in the haunt industry, gaining experience with airbrush and 2D makeup looks. I am a 2021 graduate of Make-Up Designory’s Master program, and one of the many who attended makeup school during the COVID-19 pandemic, which came with its own set of adversity and challenges. Promptly after my graduation, I interned under Jim Ojala and Amber Mari as a shop hand, learning about the ins and outs of being a lab tech for prop fabrication and mold making, amongst so many other techniques. From there, I worked as a silicone painter for Immortal Masks, and I can happily say I have a wonderful familiarity with silicone as a medium, as it’s currently one of my favorite materials to work with in and out of the shop. Throughout all of this, I have consistently freelanced on set as a makeup artist specializing in practical effects and prosthetic application. This past year, I was fortunate enough to be one of the leading artists for Teen Vibes Magazine, doing monthly shoots and executing editorial beauty makeup and hair on up-and-coming models and talent.
My latest adventure, however, has been becoming a sit-down artist for Universal Halloween Horror Nights. I have been extremely fortunate to have had the privilege to join their prosthetics team for the 2025 season, and every moment has been one I’ve savored each weekend. To have been able to gain versatility through so many different companies and work on sets all over has granted me so much growth and taught me so much about etiquette on set and in shops. If I can say one thing about my brand, it’s a drive and ambition to be a creative chameleon that can aid in adding color and life to any story being told, whether it be in the mazes or on screen.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I have always found my power through art and creation. My earliest memory of this would be my grandmother sitting me down at her dining room table with paint and brushes, and paper. She placed a statue of a rabbit sitting in a patch of flowers in front of me and instructed me to paint it. I remember panicking and being afraid of failure or painting poorly. I had spent the entire afternoon painting, and I remember a switch going off in my head, and despite all insecurity, it was a privilege to create and put something on paper. Almost every artist has a story like this, especially if you started from a young age. Sculptors that started with playdough and a vision, painters exhausting every watercolor palette and going through countless brushes until their execution meets their vision and standards. Growth is a power of its own, in my opinion, and keeping the memories of when that epiphany was first realized within yourself is crucial. I thank my grandmother every day for looking me in the eyes and constantly telling me, “You are an artist, don’t ever forget it.”
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
In the simplest of words or phrases, alchemy. Remembering that all of the best artists that have come before you have faced adversity, and almost all of them utilized this suffering to fuel their art and create through the ashes- so to speak. It’s a formula all creatives are familiar with, and anyone who truly wants to do this and follow their dreams would know that your greatest work and most teachable moments are when you learn no one is coming to save you but yourself. These lessons hold an equal amount of value as being in a collective where you can be supported and taught. If you’re lucky, you’ll experience both in your time as a creative. The hope is that you soak up the lessons and knowledge from every experience and every job you work.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
With makeup, specifically, it’s actually very fascinating. While there are no true rules to makeup, there is a theory. The theory stays consistent through every trend and every fad that ebbs and flows through trends we see in pop culture and on social media. Foundational shifts are more concrete, the integration of AI, 3D printing, and even something as simple as Photoshop. These are all great examples of foundational shifts in the industry and more permanent forms of evolution to the craft. There’s a lot of adjustment that also needs to come with these foundational shifts, whereas fads and trends are easier to digest as a whole. They have to be with the new age of TikTok and Instagram, moving as rapidly as they do.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. Something extremely important about being a creative is to always have personal projects, which are typically self-funded and quite thankless. The important point of them is to fulfill a vision you know you have inside that will drive you forward and keep you inspired. Most artists have to come to terms with the importance of creating not with the desire to go viral or become a sensation, but for the gratification of completing your piece, and executing a vision properly, whether it be your own or the director’s or your superiors. Sometimes creating art tends to be a shout into the void, but after you do it enough times, you find that you’ve not only garnered an audience, you’ve found a collective connection.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://angieshellhamermakeupartist.weebly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monstersbyang/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-shell-724928250/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/monstersbyang
Image Credits
Devrill Weekes
Elise Biscaro
Andrew Dezhenkov
Kira Stans
Nicole Doerges
Virtual Eye
