East LA_10.3.16

Stella Mutrux

I was consistently engaged in the arts from a young age. My first introduction was through my parents, who both worked in the theatre industry writing, directing, choreographing and producing. After studying musical theatre at Idyllwild Arts Academy, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. Read More>>

Tara Staton

I was born in Los Angeles but raised in San Diego. I knew that I wanted to always come back to LA to somehow be involved with the entertainment industry, but not in front of the camera. In my early twenties, I was working for Four Seasons Hotels; I always wore make-up and people nicknamed me TaraMascara. Read More>>

Derek Schiller

I was born and raised in Wisconsin. I’ve been drawing and sketching throughout my entire life and picked up painting at fourteen. I started with acrylic and quickly moved into oils. I moved to Chicago in 2006 and began donating artwork to several foundations and charities, which in turn had introduced me to gaining high-profile clients, such as Chicago natives, Mike Ditka and Bill Murray. Read More>>

Natalie Mier

I always loved movies since I was a child, and I was amazed by special effects makeup, and the time and dedication my favorite artists like Dick Smith, Rick Baker, and Guillermo Del Toro, put into their work. At the time I didn’t know that being a makeup artist was an actual job one could get, and it wasn’t until my teens that I began to divulge in makeup application. Read More>>

Scott Gallant

I remember the first time I developed a roll of film when I was 13 and completely fell in love with photography. I mostly shot photos for fun until a few years ago when my wife, a professional photographer, asked if I would like to start shooting more with her. Working with her has deepened my love for photography. Read More>>

Ray Blanco

I was working as a Production Manager for a small production company and as much as I loved working in production, I felt like something was missing. I was always drawn to the hair and makeup room because of the transformations they would create. So I decided to take a chance and make a huge change. Read More>>

Loren Robles

I started off interning for Taylor Jacobson. I simply replied to a craigslist ad and had no idea I would be learning from Rachel Zoe’s former protege. I mean back then RZ was named Hollywood’s top stylist. So it was an honor. Month 1, I remember being giddy and indefatigable. Read more>>

Helena Minor

I had a son w/ADD that required a lot of my attention and I couldn’t work a 9-5 job without the school calling me out like every day. I had grown up in the fashion industry and learned a lot because my aunt was a former model that became a talent scout in Seattle. From the age of six, I was immersed into the fashion and beauty industry. We spoke about my dilemma and she told me to make a business off my background, passion, and talents. Read More>>

Monique Madrid

I actually always knew I wanted to be an actress and a writer, but since I’d been a waitress all through high school, I didn’t want to be a “starving artist” while I pursued this dream and be stuck waiting table my whole life. No offense to those who do. But that’s some hard work! It turned out, I was already doing all of my friend’s hair and makeup anyway, so it made the idea of going to cosmetology school perfect. Read More>>

Chad Whitaker

I moved to LA to pursue music, and while still deep involved in music, I’ve found photography to be a great creative outlet. Since I’ve discovered that, I’ve just let the outlet evolve into whatever the hell it’s wanted to be. Read More>>

Lauren Pisano

I’ve always had an interest in photography. When I was a kid I used to set up my dads camera and take self-portraits of myself making funny faces. I officially got hooked in High School when I took a photo class. My teacher used to let me skip my other classes and work in the darkroom- I never wanted to leave. After HS I went to the School of Visual Arts in NYC and lived in their darkroom. Read More>>

Quentin Fears

While living in New York I began pursuing my interest in Fashion. I started a blog quentinfears.com in which I interviewed designers, stylists, and celebrities on-camera in the tents of New York’s Fashion Week. I interviewed Tommy Hilfiger, Rachel Zoe, and Singer Kerri Hilson to name a few. Read More>>

Page Mahan

My interest in makeup started when I was a little girl. I used to love the shimmering colors of my Mom’s eyeshadows and blushes as well the smell of her face creams. I then began to practice applying makeup on my friend’s in high school. While in high school, I received Kevin Aucoin’s book “Making Faces” and I was hooked! While in college I studied art and worked at a makeup counter on the weekends. Read More>>

David Collyer

Six years ago I was doing a gallery show in Santa Monica. It was a collection of my work from 20 years of surf photography. One series of the exhibit was printed on metal sheets and I had added some rough spots and infused some artifacts as if the metal was old weathered and rusted. It looked good, but felt false. I googled other methods of ‘printing’ on metal and stumbled upon Robb Kendricks ‘Cowboys’ in National Geographic. Read More>>

Jamie Ingram

I’ve always been interested in makeup. Halloween is my favorite day of the year. I’ve always loved creating different makeups for Halloween on myself and others. A few years ago I started to watch the show Face Off. I found myself very inspired to start looking into SFX (special effects makeup). Read More>>

Jordan Rushing

“Finger-Paint Prodigy” are the words that a friend used to describe me. I kind of loved it. I’m a 31 year old Southern boy from Chickamauga, Georgia. I’m been living in the California for the past 12 years though. I work Entertainment at Disneyland. On my days off or whenever I have free time I’m doing photography. Read More>>

Mark Escribano

I studied art photography in college, which led to art filmmaking. After that, I didn’t do either of those for work for many years. I didn’t have any serious commercial intentions with either medium and was more interested in experimentation than selling anything to anyone or working for money in those fields. It wasn’t until after I completed my first documentary feature that I entered the market side of the platforms. Read More>>

Sabrina Bates-Whited

I’ve always felt like I needed a creative outlet but didn’t know how to channel it. I started doing makeup because it’s the perfect way for me to create something aesthetic and beautiful that isn’t particularly about me. Once I’m done with my creative contribution the attention turns to the model, actor or client. I also love interacting with people and as a makeup artist, you’re pretty up close and personal with the person from the start. I’ve had so many lovely interactions, conversations and connections with people whilst doing their makeup. Read More>>

Dario Sebastian Garcia

I feel as that so many different moments got me to where I am today. Cameras always excited me, I remember as a kid being amazed that there was such a thing as underwater disposable cameras. Art was always the reason I enjoyed school, at first, it was only music, I started playing alto sax when I was in Middle school but it was my sophomore year of high school where I need to give credit to a good friend of mine, Adrian Garcia. He invited me to a photo club on campus and it reignited something in me I’ve been chasing ever since. Read More>>

Chris Barlow

I started off by signing up for classes with my high school counselor. I needed an elective, so she read off the list of electives. When she mentioned photography, I decided to take it because I thought it might be a fun class. At the end of the class, I thought it was a fun class, so I decided to take a yearbook class. The yearbook class helped me take my photography to the next level. I started from a point-n-shoot camera then to a DSLR camera. Read More>>

MakeupbyMellanii

Back in the teenage years I always had an interest in the beauty world. Whether it was doing different hairstyles on myself or makeup! Of course, I wasn’t perfect at it, but what matters is that I had passion in the beauty world. After a few years of college, different career paths, I finally realized I want to do something in my life that I enjoy, that I am happy doing so, and that’s when I decided to go to makeup school and start my career as a Makeup Artist. I started working with models, artists and eventually brides. My work started to get more attention as I became more involved in the social media. Read More>>

Jade Elora

I’ve always been obsessed with photography. When I was a kid, my parents got me a Barbie Photo Designer (which is basically like Photoshop for kids) software kit that came with this sparkly camera with a pink flower around the lens. I was instantly hooked, and I spent a lot of my childhood buying and burning through disposable cameras and waiting (quite impatiently) for film to be developed at the supermarket photo counter. Read More>>

Russell Marquez

I grew up in El Sereno, CA (North East Los Angeles) which borders downtown LA, so from an early age, I was engulfed by beautiful cityscapes, sunsets, and graffiti. I picked up skateboarding when I was about 12 years old – thanks to my older brother. We would skate around our neighborhood on the daily and would watch skate videos in our spare time. Read More>>

Nuh Omar

I originally come from Karachi, Pakistan. My family is in the entertainment industry, we have our hands in film, fashion, photography, journalism, and advertising, so I had a fairly decent amount of exposure to this world. My mother was a model in her youth and she became a photojournalist, I picked up photography as a hobby when I was a kid. I always had a video and photo camera as far back as I can remember, in fact, I found it unusual when I met people who didn’t own cameras! I’ve been interested primarily in filmmaking since I was 5, I knew I wanted to write and direct. Read More>>

Robby Rodrick

Though I was born in Los Angeles, I have been traveling most of my life. I have lived in Mexico City, San Antonio, Texas and Chicago, Illinois. My parents finally settled in San Antonio, where I graduated from high school. I was a yearbook photographer and even had a few images published in the local newspaper. Read More>>