Today we’d like to introduce you to Angel Guppy.
Angel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started pursuing a modeling career while I attended the University of South Florida(USF) in Tampa, Florida. I have always wanted to pursue a career in modeling since I was younger. It was a dream that I didn’t pursue because I focused on education more and felt like it was impossible to balance both. At USF, I joined Prestige Modeling Troupe in 2013 as a print model, that’s when I realized that this was something that I thoroughly enjoyed. After graduating with my Bachelor’s in Psychology, I moved back home to Miramar, FL and there I started to contact photographers, attend castings, and work on my craft.
While working on this craft, I developed a passion for another, makeup artistry. I didn’t pursue modeling full time when I moved back home, I worked part-time at Sephora and full time as a paralegal. My time at Sephora and the need of having to hire a Makeup artist for photoshoots inspired me to start doing my own makeup.
As a model, I was regularly featured in the Hype Hair magazine and worked with amazingly talented photographers, brands and companies. As a makeup artist, my first major opportunity was presented to me by Sharon Borne of Shazz unlimited as a makeup assistant for Rick Ross’s music video. I fell in love with makeup artistry and the euphoria of being on set.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
To say that everything has been smooth sailing for me, I would be lying. I struggled particularly with my confidence in my work. I was told that my size would hinder me and that I wasn’t artistically talented enough and even enough people say those things, sometimes you can actually believe that. I lost people that I thought were my friends and dealt with the emotional turmoil that came with.
Aside from that, I dealt with a lot of health obstacles. I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome which is is a common condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and arm. The condition occurs when one of the major nerves to the hand — the median nerve — is squeezed or compressed as it travels through the wrist. For someone like me constantly using my hand for makeup, hair styling, etc I went through periods where I needed to stop creating so my hand could recover from these symptoms. It wasn’t easy but I didn’t let it discourage me.
Another setback I experienced most recently was that I had a hemithyroidectmy and I’ll break down exactly what that is. I had a surgery to remove half of my thyroid due to a goiter that had formed. For a few months, I found myself not feeling like myself when I finally went to the doctor, my thyroid hormone levels were elevated causing a goiter to form. Fast forward to roughly six months later, the surgery was successfully done and my symptoms seized. I was left with a scar on my neck which being involved in the beauty industry can be looked at as something ugly. Instead, I try to remind myself everyday that it’s a symbol of an experience in my life that I overcame.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
So I kind of enjoy touching on a little bit of everything. I’m a model, self-taught makeup artist, and recently I’ve become a blogger. My blog is entitled “Angelic Thoughts” which is a play on my name, Angel. It can be found on my website Angietrini.com. I’m very excited about the creation of my site and blog because it was something that I created myself. Being that I am not well versed in technology and software, it’s a huge accomplishment for me. Additionally, I’ve gotten into videography with the creation of my YouTube channel. Stemming from my love of talking and educating, I enjoy the sharing the knowledge that I have with others. On my website, you can find my modeling portfolio and there you can contact me for booking. As a lover of arts since childhood, I believe that my passion can be seen through my work whether it be in the content I create myself or a collaboration with someone else. I am mostly known for more natural photos, I love embracing natural beauty whether it’s in the form of my hair or the makeup that I do.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Determination and motivation are important characteristics to my success because I experienced a lot of situations that I could have let discourage me. Instead, I pushed through because I know that I was created for greatness. That has been my motivation and light at the end of the tunnel, knowing that the best is yet to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: Angietrini.com
- Email: angie.stoneg@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angietrinii/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Angie-Trinii-960573100754355/?__tn__=%2Cg
Image Credit:
DioBurto Photography, Tina C Photography, Alexei Photography – Hype Hair Magazine
Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
