How long have you been working as a stylist?
I've been working as a stylist for about nine years, and I keep learning new things all the time. Especially here at Matthew Morris, because we have a very intensive training for continuing education, and it's really nice, because the training focuses on building confidence in what you are doing and also developing your skills. We each have a specialty that we work on.
What's your focus or specialty?
Well, aside from working on hair and makeup techniques, I specialize in hair extensions and color.
Do you spend time working on high-end style, color and makeup? For fashion shows?Yes, definitely. I work on a lot on-site for fashion photo shoots and runways. We do shoots for different magazines and also for commercials. It creates a lot of diversity in my experience -- from being on the top of a mountain in Boulder doing a sports shoot to being in an actual professional photographer's studio. I have many professional opportunities in my work, and that's really cool.
Do you think what you do is art, or a skill?
I think it's both. I wouldn't be able to have the skills that I have without the artistic background that I have. I view the things that I'm doing on someone's hair or makeup as a work of art. I know the skills to make my visions happen.
What makes a high-end salon like Matthew Morris artistic? How is it different from -- and this may be a horrible example, but -- Great Clips?
It's about the continuing education. Great Clips will pretty much hire anyone out of school. I've worked at a lot of different places over the years, and a lot of them were really nice, but I feel really encouraged to be creative here, and we definitely try to think outside the box with everything we do. I am working with some of the most creative people I've ever worked with in my career, so it makes me want to reach outside and be more creative, as well.
Do you consider what you do an art form?Yes. Basically it's sculpting, which is a fine art. The difference between a conventional sculptor and us is that we sculpt on people. The skin or the hair is our canvas or our clay. It's creative and artistic and really amazing to see and recognize the whole process.
How do you feel about the fact that what you do is so temporary? How does that play into the art of your work?
I'm actually happy that it's temporary, because everything goes through phases. I think of everyone who got a Dorothy Hamill haircut: It may be in style again someday, but there would be a ten-year period where it would be a faux pas. There is a reason things come back into style. The art of fashion is that it comes in waves and cycles, like any art. That's part of the fun of it.
Do you feel like you get a say in what's in fashion?I'd say so -- with hair and makeup, I mean. That's actually something that we are working on at Matthew Morris. We are always reaching outside of the box and trying to come up with new looks. Even if we are taking things from the 60s or 70s, we are still setting the standard.
Are you an artist?
Yes - because it's all about seeing the before and after. You can look at a blank canvas and after you paint on it its art. Or something passionate or interesting. And I feel like I do that with all of the photo shoots that I've ever done in the past, and with every client I work with. I really love doing what I do. It's my inspiration and passion.
For more information, visit www.matthewmorrissalon.com.