Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyrsta Morehouse.
Kyrsta, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born and raised in a small town in Northern California, I was always an artsy child. I began to express myself in performing arts at a young age and was positive that I wanted to be an actress. Five years ago, my plans shifted when I had my first real taste of makeup, and I was hooked. Soon I was getting everything related to the subject that I could get my hands on.
About a year after I first found special effects, I realized that I could turn my odd hobby into a career, and suddenly the future was clear. I attended a visual and performing arts high school and spent all my time pushing myself to learn as much as I could. My junior year, I was hired as an intern for a special effects shop three hours from home. Soon after the internship ended, I was already getting jobs for independent films and theater productions as the makeup department head. At the end of my senior year of highschool I decided I wanted to push myself even more and create my own makeup show; and with that, The Master of Disguise Makeup Show was born.
I designed all sixteen of the characters from the tip of their toe, to the top of their head. I put together an amazing team of well known professional makeup artists, received donations from some of the top makeup companies, and even had special celebrity guests. In the end I learned so much and grew leaps and bounds as a makeup artist. After graduating high school, I immediately moved to Burbank, CA and enrolled in the master course at Makeup Designory. I recently made it into the top 8 for the international Battle of the Brushes Makeup Competition and went to London to compete and took second place. I spend my time working photo shoots, movies, commercials, music videos, and other special events. Filled with a drive and passion for makeup, I pushes myself everyday towards new adventures and challenges.
Has it been a smooth road?
I face challenges all the time. Whether it is technical difficulties learning something new, or my own personal fear of failure. I do my best to use any of the obstacles put before me as a catalyst to succeed.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I have a lot of exciting jobs lined up and I really look forward to pushing myself and trying some new things. I never want to reach a plateau and am constantly pushing myself to something new, bigger, and better. I recently got a job as the shop manager at the special effects shop Nocturnal Designz and look forward to the growth and opportunities that comes with it.
Let’s dig a little deeper into your story. What was the hardest time you’ve had?
I have been very blessed in my career so far (knock on wood) that my hard work has paid off and I have had very few “difficult jobs.” But I remember a very stressful and equally successful and rewarding job that in the moment I didn’t see how I would succeed. In April of 2015 I created a makeup show called Master of Disguise Makeup Show. I built it and designed it from the ground up. I created all 16 of the characters ranging from beauty to crazy special effects with prosthetics. Each character was fully complete from the costuming to there nails and teeth; no detail was left out. I also: built a long cat walk for the show, arranged 3 special celebrity guests, designed the music, built props and costumes, cast the models. arranged a silent raffle, received donations for the show and raffle from local businesses and some of the top makeup companies, handled promotion and advertisement, and got 4 incredible makeup artist to help out with makeup application.
Though there were minor hiccups along the way, the biggest challenges happened just 3 hours before we were to arrive at the venue and begin application. Two of my special guests canceled and one of my makeup artists car broke down 6 hours away and wouldn’t make it. I had to trouble shoot and move around makeups to different artist so that all the pieces would still be completed. In the end the show was a major success. It was a fundraiser with a goal to raise $750 and we far surpassed that by raising $2,048; we even filled the seating and had to have standing room only, Despite the stress and many struggles thrown my way, my team and I were able to put on an incredible show and rise above what was thrown at us.
However I will admit those few hours before the curtain went us was the most stressful time of my life, but i guess without that I wouldn’t have had such an incredible sense of accomplishment and pride at the end when we succeeded.
What about “Wow-moments” – any moments that stick out? Any moments when you felt like you had made it?
I believe that to often in life people get to caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that they never stand back and realize how amazing what they are doing is. So to combat that, I try to force myself every so often to just step back and soak up what is happening whether I am traveling and soaking up that I am really there or am working with incredibly talented people. I think just about every job I have I think “Wow I am really doing this.” I was raised in a small town where the only makeup artist there are only really do prom and weddings. Special effects makeup was not a thing, so to be out in LA getting paid for what I love, no matter how small the job it is a blessing. I am very lucky to have an exciting career that is different everyday. I never know where I will be working or who I will be working with which is so exciting to me. I love traveling and always have an itch to go somewhere so I think one of the most rewarding parts of my job that makes me think “I cant believe that I am doing this right now” is when I get to travel for work. So far I have been lucky enough to go to Hawaii, London, and all over California. I cant wait to see where else this crazy job will take me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kyrstamorehouse.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @dramaticfx_makeup
