Scrolling through Yvonne MacInnis' Instagram feed is a visual smorgasbord: The makeup styles are so varied, with MacInnis often using her own face to showcase makeup like it were a painting, unafraid to shock, inspire, or potentially even disturb someone's sense of polite society. That's MacInnis' style - complex, varied, artistic, even at times political. She uses makeup as the platform for it all.
Q: You work on various mediums of visual art and not just makeup. Do you consider yourself focused on one area or do you not put yourself into a particular category?
MacInnis:
"I think there is something to be said for being a 'Jane of all
trades.' I've always pushed myself to flex all my creative muscles -
especially the ones that don't feel so comfortable - because that usually means
you're learning something. While I feel it's important to strive to develop
your own style, that doesn't mean you have to pick one creative outlet. I think
your work is the sum of all your creative experiences."
Q: Your makeup style seems to
say "screw the rules." You just go for it, not worrying about what's
trending right now. How has that instinct guided your career?
MacInnis:
"I've always been a 'break the rules' kind of girl, in life and in art. It
makes me feel alive to prove that what isn't supposed to be can actually be
your most rewarding experience. It is important to learn the rules and
fundamentals, because even in breaking them it gives you more control for a
successful and aesthetically pleasing result. I also have an attraction to
things that are different, organic and not too planned or contrived. So I show
up to the rebel party every time."
Q: When people pursue a career
in the arts, there are often many fears. It's not a clear path, and each artist
has to figure out how to navigate it. Did you ever wrestle with those fears and
how did you harness them?
MacInnis:
"The only conflict when I was first starting out was that I was scared I
wouldn't be inspired to create art on command if I made my gift of creativity a
career. I was scared to be a sell-out. I think the light bulb finally went off
when I connected my passion to my purpose, and that is inspiring girls and boys
to understand that makeup isn't just about being pretty. I realized what an
impact my art and creativity could have on the world, which keeps my proverbial
creative inspiration cup pretty full."
Q: Body makeup is a whole
other game and typically not understood by makeup artists who focus on the
face. What's something that's unknown or misunderstood about body art?
Sometimes it's about concealing "flaws" and sometimes it's using it
as a canvas for art.
MacInnis:
"Exactly. These are two completely different forms of art. It would be
like comparing Michelangelo to Picasso. The one thing you must know is that the
scale is different so it's necessary for your perspective to broaden. When
you're working on the face it's up close and you're working in small details. A
body painting is a much larger scale, so you'll start using larger brushes
bigger motions and looking at it as if you were standing on the other side of
the room for it to come in to balanced perspective."
Q: What's the biggest advice
you'd give to anyone starting out in the makeup industry?
MacInnis:
"Respect the process. It's more important to find out who you are as an
artist then to re-create something that someone else is done. Looking inward in
any area of life can only yield understanding and ultimately success that is
more long-term than getting on board, so-to-speak, with the trend happening at
any given moment."
Q: Are there trends in the
industry right now that you particularly love or that disappoint you? Do you
ignore them?
MacInnis:
"I just think it's interesting that we are treating this decade of trend
in makeup as if we've never experienced trends before. People are having a hard
time navigating this new digital landscape because, yeah, things are moving
faster than in the past. However, what I have to say is that this: As with any
trend, it is a sign of the times. Think about the 60s: I'm sure nobody loved to
use false lashes the first time they were done, but by the end of it everyone
was wearing them and triple stacking their lashes. And when people look back
they'll recognize Instagram makeup as what people were doing in this time. It
is amazing because all of us who work in the industry have jobs. Let's not
forget that this is the most respected time for us as makeup artists to do what
we love. When I started out, nobody cared who the makeup artist was. Now
Instagram is giving us a platform to do so much more with our art. So for that
I'm grateful. Aesthetically, I'm drawn to something a little bit more
free-form, organic, and deconstructed then a very severe makeup, but that's
just my artistic preference."
Q: What was your proudest
moment as an artist? For many, it's something very public. Some artists will
say it was a personal accomplishment that never saw the light of day.
MacInnis:
"I would say two things happened just this year that made me feel very
accomplished: One was working the Super Bowl halftime show with Lady Gaga and
her dancers alongside an incredible team of artists; the second was working New
York fashion week under the supervision of Diane Kendal, a legend in the
industry and someone I've certainly looked up to for many years. It's always
exciting when you can check off the bucket list goals I had since I was a
little girl growing up a very small town outside of Halifax, Canada aspiring to
do these exhilarating and inspirational things." (Since the interview,
MacInnis won first place in the Face Competition held by the Makeup Show.)
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