August 23, 2016

Meet Hollywood Makeup Artist: Claire Gonella

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Gonella.

Claire, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always been involved in artistic activities such as painting, drawing… I love being creative and I would have loved love to be able to do that for a living. I began with an artistic diploma but then I’ve taken another way by doing some tourism management studies.

After several years spent in working in tourism, I decided to come back to an artistic way. I was living in France and I was looking for starting a new life, to finally “find my way”.
That’s how I find my way in Makeup artistry, it’s the perfect field to develop my creativity, to work with a lot of different people for very different projects. For me, it’s a real art.

That’s how I find my way in Makeup artistry, it’s the perfect field to develop my creativity, to work with a lot of different people for very different projects. For me, it’s a real art.

So I made my choice and decided to come to Los Angeles with my husband to begin this activity.

So I made my choice and decided to come to Los Angeles with my husband to begin this activity.
To be recognized as a real professional I began the Artistry of Makeup Diploma Program at EI School of Professional Makeup in Hollywood. I think that’s the best way to develop and enhance the needed skills to perform as a good makeup artist !

Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth path, the most difficult part was to find my way. And then to take the decision to choose the best activity for me. The process of coming to the USA was not the easiest part but I know that we have made the right choice and that some of the best opportunities for working as a makeup artist could be found here. It takes time but finally I’m now in the best part of my path and my work improves every day.

Have you ever wanted to stop doing what you do and just start over?
Sure, I have overcome a lot of tough moments. The most difficult ones were at the beginning when I took the decision of reorienting in this field and tell people around me that I would like to return to a really artistic work. It was not easy because I was nearly 30 years old and people sometimes have difficulties to understand that you want to change your life, to embrace a new way of life at this time of your life.
I think that decision and to assume it was some really hard steps.

In this Makeup Artist career, the most difficult part is to deal with the free-lance status and with all the assets but also the disadvantages that come with it : being your own boss but also finding the best ways to promote yourself, dealing with all the social networks…

What would you tell someone who is just starting out?
As I was advised previously, I would say that networking is the basis of this work.
Also, practice and working hard is the key to improving your skills. Then you have to be aware of the new trends, products in this industry, keep your knowledge updated so that you will also be able to provide the good information to your clients.

Be kind to people, be motivated and when you are hired for a job, do your best every time !
If think it’s a real chance to be able to begin to work in this field in the city of Los Angeles because here you can meet a lot of people and that can be a real starter for your career, here everything seems still possible !

What are you looking forward to?
Professionally I would love to be able to develop my activity towards 2 ways : High Fashion and TV&Film.

And I am really excited about being able to travel nationwide and worldwide by achieving these goals.
And ten years later, I would love working to develop a cosmetic line.

Personally, I would like to continue to share all these experiences with my husband, who supports and helps since the beginning.

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