my last day working up at sundance
I was dating a girl named Lindsay and she had an appointment to get her make up done downtown Nordstrom at the MAC counter. Our date was directly after so I went with her for her application. I watched every step of the transformation done by an artist named Kjord. I was fascinated by everything. I remember seeing brushes that were like mine in my art set, and limitless colors textures and tones. It started a thought process within as I pondered what I would do if I was painting Lindsay's face. It was later that week that sure enough I was over at Lindsay's place painting her eyes for the night. I remember how amazing it was to look at my work over dinner across the table. It felt good. I got lots of practice and learned a lot. Lindsay was a photographer and I started doing small photo shoots. I was even a model in some of them doing my own make up and also the girls I was shot with. 
lindsay's first head shot of me
lindsay's uvsc photo shoot
photo class assignment
my first make up on a girl in a photoshoot
Every time I found myself downtown Salt Lake City I would stop by Nordstrom and each time found new friends in the cosmetic department. It was then that I had the conversation with my Papa when he told me that most artists don't get paid very much. He told me that maybe painting faces, a three dimensional canvas, would bring me happiness and a living, travel and success. The next time I was up in Salt Lake I mentioned the idea of applying for a job.
It was about a month later I was walking through Nordstrom and a MAC artist Jennifer and Manager Beth grabbed the Stila girl Sue and sat her in the chair.
my first mac manager beth
She told me to do her make up. I was nervous, thrown off a bit, and remember Sue whispering to me to use a different brush or the next step while Beth was busy helping customers. 
stila make up artist sue
I left that morning not knowing how or what I had just done but by noon I had received a phone call from the department manager Vera asking if I wanted to fill a full time position at the MAC counter. I took it!
make up artist jennifer
make up artist teresa
make up artist michelle
make up artist holly
make up artists amber and beth
I owe many thanks to the artists I worked along side for their coaching, teaching and sharing. I will never forget what they taught me and how much they wanted me to be successful. To this day I try to teach anyone that wants to learn when it comes to make up because without my co workers I would have made a lot more mistakes until getting it right. My dad always says, "Perfect is good enough!" I feel the same way with make up. 
my very first creative make up on a old girlfriend jax
I remember my very first day at work behind the counter. It was a MAC Pool Party event, a collection featuring Sandra Bernhard. They sat a girl in my chair to do her make up and she was Asian. My eyes got wide as I had no idea what to do or were to begin. I hadn't been trained on eye shapes. I laugh now and apologize to whoever you were that sat there through it all with me. Hilarious! Another amazing story I had just finished register training and it was not even two weeks of me working there. It was my first night closing on my own. My co worker at the time Teresa got me all ready with directions on what to do. She is the one that taught me how to put on lashes but at this time that hadn't happened yet. It was 15 minutes until closing and in comes Kobe Bryant's mother. She was in town while her son was playing against the Utah Jazz in the play offs. She needed lashes on for a celebration party. I looked around and found no help. She sat in my chair and I got the right side on perfect. I remember saying, "Wow, that was pretty easy!" Good thing she didn't hear me or notice my boost of confidence. I proceeded to apply the other lash and when she went to open her eye she couldn't. I pretty much glued her eye closed! OPPS!!!! She laughed about it as I fixed it and she gave me a big tip anyway. Thanks Pam for letting me practice for the first time on you!
I wanted to learn as much and as fast as I possibly could. I worked in Salt Lake Nordstrom MAC for 6 months...but I wanted to be where the celebrities were, I told everyone that New York was only a fantasy, where as Los Angeles was my reality. I packed up my Lexus full of everything I owned. I still remember my moms tears as she ran after my car in the rear view mirror. I cried 3 hours down the road on my way to California listening over and over to mine and my dads song Father and Son by Cat Stevens:
Father
It's not time to make a change,Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, i am old, but i'm happy.
I was once like you are now, and i know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.
Son
How can i try to explain, when i do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment i could talk i was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and i know that i have to go away.
I know i have to go.
Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, i am old, but i'm happy.
(son-- away away away, i know i have to
Make this decision alone - no)
Son
All the times that i cried, keeping all the things i knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, i'd agree, but it's them you know not me.
Now there's a way and i know that i have to go away.
I know i have to go.
(father-- stay stay stay, why must you go and
Make this decision alone?)
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