Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Rodriguez.
Shannon, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I am a Makeup Artist originally from Chicago, IL and now based in New York City. I started my career as a mixed media artist and was introduced to makeup artistry by a close friend, Tiffany Lentell. There I found that being a Makeup Artist involved color theory, light, and texture much the same way as when I was creating art pieces. I worked at the following brands: Ulta, Sephora, Urban Decay, Six Flags Fright Fest, Mac Cosmetics, and PMG Labs. During the first year of my career, I would model for my friend’s classes as a way to gain education for free. Later I would return the favor and have aspiring artists be my model for classes I would take. My career has taken me all across the nation and world in the four years I’ve been an artist. I had the pleasure to work backstage in New York, Milan, and Paris with some of the top artists in the world: Pat McGrath, Diane Kendal, Peter Philips, and Tom Pecheux to name a few.
I am most known for my beauty, fashion, and editorial work, and is obsessed with the contrast between perfected skin and texture. I spend a lot of my downtime researching concepts for future photo shoots, turning to nature, art, old movies, and music to pull ideas.
When I am not working, I enjoy traveling (I’ve been to over 13 countries), drinking tea and going to art museums. My favorite art museum is The Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Ave in New York City.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a Makeup Artist who is obsessed with the contrast between perfected skin and texture. I’ve been incorporating unique textures to the skin. Where that is a glossy eyelid or a smudged matte lip. I love to play with dimensions within the makeup.
I love looking at the face as a canvas. What areas can I push forward with highlight, what areas can I recede with contour or shadow. You can do a lot of with makeup. It brings me back to my painting days growing up. What I love about being a Makeup Artist is making people think about my work. If I’ve made them FEEL something, like, disgust, confusion, etc., then I feel like I’ve created SOMETHING that has made a difference.
Some of my favorite ways to pull inspiration is from nature, art museums, old movies, and music. You will find me often taking a photo of light reflects in water puddles, of beautiful sunsets, and of mannequins in department store windows. I also love to pull inspiration from people I see when I travel. I still have an idea for an editorial all based on a waitress I saw in Steak n’ Shake in Indiana. I always keep my eyes open to the world around me.
I hope people take away from my art that my work can be gritty, pretty, and full of emotion. I like to be playful but not afraid to get dark and weird. As I mentioned, I really want the viewer to feel something when they see the looks I’ve created.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Success to me is working every day on your craft, reaching your goals, and making new ones. Whether that means you’re making a mood board or physically putting makeup on someone. Always think of ways you can push you and your artistry forward.
You need to be strong-willed and determined. No one is going to hand you opportunities and especially now in this oversaturated time to be a Makeup Artist. Remember to be YOURSELF. Do your art in YOUR style. You don’t have to be just like everyone else. Always be open to learning from others, even if they aren’t doing exactly what you are doing. You might be inspired by how the wardrobe stylist ties a bow on set, or how a photographer is lighting the model, etc., etc.
Remember to build a strong support unit of friends and colleagues that you can reach out to because not every day will be rainbows in this career. Sometimes I forget about my successes, and they are the ones that lift me back up and remind me how far I’ve come.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Below are a few links to see my work:
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shannonrodriguezartistry.com
- Phone: (917)719-6409
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/shannonrodriguezartistry
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/shanrodzartistry
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/shanrodzhmua
Image Credit:
Photographer: Bryan M. Sargent
Model: Tina Plantak with Wilhelmina Models
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
