An Inspired Chat with Lena Ceja Morales of Norwalk, Ca

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Lena Ceja Morales. Check out our conversation below.

Lena, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
It’s a small silly thing, but one I’m really proud of! When I first started working my first haunt last year, I was really comfortable using a single action airbrush. My coworkers kept encouraging me to try a dual action, but it felt a bit intimidating at first. Recently, I finally got the hang of it and was able to paint an entire prosthetic with it! It might seem minor, but for me, it was a big accomplishment.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, my name is Lena Ceja Morales, and I am a Special Fx Makeup Artist with a love for creating characters of all sorts! I started out working in haunted attractions, which really pushed me out of my comfort zone and sparked my passion for bringing my stories and characters to life through makeup! I love the process of creating a character and their story, especially when I get to blend horror and fantasy together!
What makes my work special is how much love and sweat i put into each piece or aspect of my work. Whether im painting a prosthetic, brainstorming a character, or even experimenting with a new technique, I try to bring something unique and personal into everything I do.
Right now, I’ve been hard at work with a few personal projects and simultaneously refining my airbrush skills. I’m always looking for new opportunities to grow as an artist or even collaborate with other artists in the industry.
Ultimately, I just have a extreme love for characters that feel relatable, terrifying, or even a little whimsical, and being able to create those type of characters or even being apart of the process is such a rewarding feeling for me.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
I would say, my relationship with both of my parents. I feel like they always seen something in me that I could never see in myself. I’ve always been very hard on myself and I think as I got older I got to see how much they really sacrificed and how much work they put in for me to see my worth and have a better life than they had when they were my age. I see that I have parts of them both in everything that I do and am. And I truly appreciate them for always pushing me to follow my heart and dreams no matter how impossible it may look. I love them very much and am very fortunate that I was given the best parents I could have ever asked for.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
Believe it or not, drawing and music helped me alot as a kid when I was sad or scared. I think the thought of being somewhere else was comforting. Whether I transported myself from my favorite song or creating any world i wanted with my drawings. It soothed me alot growing up.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire my mother alot for her character. She has the most selfless heart, she’d give the clothes off her back to help someone in need. Her love runs deep, she would do anything to make sure the ones she loves feel supported and safe. She is an extremely amazing mother and i truly have no idea where i would be today, without her.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
When im with my family or pets, in my backyard. There is a beautiful tree in my neighbors back yard that towers over our yard that we like to sit under. We usually draw or read together. Sometimes even play with our dog Sandy. Whenever im there with my loved ones, I feel so at peace and wish we could stay like that forever.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/banishedfx_?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==