Ella Schwotzer: Makeup Artist

Article from Complections International's Blog - Featured in the Alumni Profile section:

New Hampshire native Ella Schwotzer came to Complections with the hopes of marrying all her interests in the make-up industry. Enrolled in the 14-week Essential Make-up Artist Program, she learned make-up for fashion photography and client-based beauty, as well as hairstyling. “It was great to get a little hair knowledge in as well because I was never good at styling hair!” she told us. Ella found Complections after an intensive web search, and her campus tour sealed the deal – “…I fell in love with the school AND I fell in love with the city, ” she says.

The location of Complections was one of importance to her, as Toronto’s vibrant fashion and entertainment industries provided “…a great environment to be around when you are in school for make-up.” Now Ella says she visits the city “every two years…it will always be my home away from home.” Speaking about the school’s atmosphere, Ella enthuses that it was just “intoxicating”, and adds that she was “surrounded by people who shared the same passion that you shared.”

Noting that she had no previous experience before coming to the school (aside from making up friends and family before nights out), Ella was exposed to the highest caliber of make-up training – “the instructors were amazing and it was such an honor to …really learn from true artists,” adding that she especially enjoyed the period make-up lessons; “The classic looks of the 20s and the 50s were my favorite to learn and perfect.”

After graduating, Ella returned home to study esthetics so she could “know everything about the canvas I was painting.” Now working freelance doing client beauty and bridal, her work has landed on the cover of New Hampshire Wedding. On June 6th, Ella will be working on a runway show which she’s very excited about. “It is a VERY different runway show, featuring local vendors, and a live band. It is called FLUSH – Funk and Fashion. It combines a runway show with a live concert performance, beer, wine & food tastings, DJ sets, raffles, it is just a whole 3 hour experience and it is so much fun! Info is at: www.tvprecords.com.” Ella also works as an Associate Editor for a publisher, and hopes to one day combine her love of beauty and publishing into a career in the magazine industry. “I would love to work for a magazine or for a brand using both skills I have acquired. There are so many things to do with what you learn in school, it can really take you anywhere. I am just enjoying where I’m going every day!” She also works part-time at a salon.

Ella does have one regret when it comes to her education – that she didn’t enroll in a longer program at Complections. “I wish I took everything the school had to offer. I didn’t think at the time I wanted to learn special effects make-up, now I wish I did take it.” Advice she would offer current and future students includes pushing personal limits with the photo shoots, and “(taking) the school up on every opportunity it gives you,” adding that “my co-workers, peers, clients, and managers have always been extremely impressed with the level and quality of training I have received from the school.”

With her freelance career taking her from runway to wedding to salon, and her publishing ambitions well in mind, her training is supplemented by a strong desire to succeed in the world of beauty, which will undoubtedly lead Ella to great things in the future.

http://www.complectionsmake-up.com/blog/alumni_profiles.shtml

Article published at the link above 5/2009