Today we’d like to introduce you to Celina Rodriguez.
Celina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been in the beauty, music, and fashion industry for ten years. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, having lived all over the West Coast, now bi-costal splitting my time between LA and NYC. I started my career in these industries as a makeup artist full-time, working primarily in music, and a year ago transitioned into Art directing / creative directing, still in beauty, music, fashion. My makeup career allowed me to hold space at events like Oscars / Grammy weekend, every major music festival in the states, NYFW, Art Basel, some iconic magazine covers, three feature films, hundreds of music videos/commercials, and more flights than I can count.
The last four years of my makeup career, I shifted into being a personal makeup artist full time while having my assistants on jobs with me and on sets. My primary focus was to work with BIPOC artists, musicians, and creatives, as more often than not there aren’t enough makeup artists with actual color theory education/experience and that know how to work on BIPOC people. As a Latinx womxn, I took this as my responsibility to take care of BIPOC communities and create more opportunities for BIPOC glam teams on sets and in these spaces.
Now that I am art/creative directing full time (among the many other hats that I wear) my intentions are still the same except now it’s focused on the storytelling and narrative. I also have an art collective called FM28 WORLDWIDE that is predominantly BIPOC artists / creative entrepreneurs. FM28 is my art family. Hence the nickname “Art Mom” which was given to me as my models, assistants, friends, etc., have always called me mom especially on sets because I get things done. From making sure we’re staying on schedule to making sure you had second meal.
We had many events and huge projects for 2020 but due to COVID-19 our projects have been put on hold and we’ve channeled that time and energy into focusing on our communities and BLM Movement, as well as the fight against ICE (though this is nothing new for us, we’ve always fought this fight).
Has it been a smooth road?
There’s been so many obstacles/challenges throughout the last ten years. Everything from teaching myself the business of my industries, having to fly myself out to learn first-hand, financially supporting myself as an artist full-time.
I don’t come from an entertainment family, or any type of wealth, so that means I’ve never had a backup plan. Which has solely been the reason why I go so hard and why I’ve accomplished so much. I’m the first in my family to be able to explore and express myself as an artist and call it work. Any immigrant child can relate to how that in itself is an obstacle and challenge alone.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a multifaceted artist. I work as an art/creative director, creative consultant, 10-year veteran makeup artist, and content creator. Overall just “Art Mom”. I founded an art collective a year ago called FM28 WORLDWIDE. We are a global art family. With teams operating around the world, we work together, create, and support each other. As an AD/CD, I run most of my jobs through FM28. FM28 is also predominantly BIPOC artists, and the reason for even creating FM28 was to build an art community and create more opportunities and spaces for BIPOC in these specific industries and on these sets.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see A LOT of huge shifts and changes coming, FINALLY, in the next 5-10 years, but hopefully sooner. I see the industry bringing back the respect and art of visual storytelling whether its with album artwork, an editorial, or art direction/casting for a FW show, and I see it FINALLY including EVERY type of person and eliminating all of the racism, discrimination, and appropriation that is so deeply rooted in the beauty, music, fashion, art worlds.
I will work endlessly for this.
Contact Info:
- Website: thecelinarodriguez.com FM28.co
- Email: [email protected] [email protected]
- Instagram: @thecelinarodriguez @fm28.worldwide
Image Credit:
Jasmine Garcia, Zhamak Fullad, Anthony Tripoli, Jordan Brand.
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