As I’m sure many of you have noticed, this past week has been fashion week in New York City! I for one have been busy, and had the honor of working with Dick Page, who is an incredibly talented (and esteemed) makeup artist.

Now, having mostly only assisted Linda Mason throughout my career, being on Dicks team this season was a major learning experience! Using unfamiliar product proved to be a challenge, but it pushed me to work out of my comfort zone. Everyone on the team was friendly and supportive, and helped me to get my bearings (since I was the newest addition.). Dick was nothing short of a pleasure to work with; funny yet focused, he was there for each and every makeup artist on the team, making sure we felt on track and checking our work before giving the OK. Watching Dick work was enough to completely blow my mind! Each show, he would begin by sitting a model down and showing us the look step by step, mapping out what product to use where. He hardly needed a moment to get the full look on: as he whisked base sparingly onto the models face I felt like I was watching one of those vacuum cleaner commercials, neatly and efficiently zipping redness off the face.

Apart from working with Dick, I had a great time working with Logan Slaughter (and a small team of makeup artists) at the Helen Yarmak/Patricia Fields show! It was a nice change of pace from the other shows I did, not only where there fewer models, but we got to do the makeup outdoors on the terrace of the 23rd floor of the crown building! We had such an incredible view, and the weather was perfect (but it was a lucky thing we didn’t use any loose powders, with all that wind!).

The photo pictured is of Anna Von Ravenstein, Pat Cleveland’s daughter. Both modeled for the Helen Yarmak/Patricia Fields show. Pat was one of the first models Linda ever made up for the Paris shows, so it was a happy coincidence that I got to makeup her daughter. She was a bundle of energy!

Love Thalita

Yesterday on my last day, Linda gave me a mini masterpiece (one of my very FAVORITE products of hers). This may be the best thing I have ever been given. There are so many different ones to choose from, but I chose the one with the Art of Beauty logo on the front because, as Linda said, it represents my whole summer here. I just love it. Thalita helped me pick which makeup pieces to put in the compact. I already have a collection of pieces from earlier this summer, so I chose pieces that I most love. I chose the lilac cream eye shadow because I have been wearing it all summer from my Gemini kit, and it’s the perfect subtle color for any occasion. The gold blush is such a great color when applied to a sunkissed face (which I plan to get in the Georgia sun). The galaxy lip color is the one thing that I am so excited to wear. Daisy wore it one day from the Pisces astromakeup moodkit, and I loved it. It’s such a unique lip color. Thalita really loves the jade eye shadow and said I can’t go wrong with the color, so I chose that last. I can’t wait to get back to Georgia to show off my mini masterpiece. Seriously, the best gift ever. Thank you, Linda!
Lynley

Today is bittersweet. It’s my last day at The Art of Beauty with Linda, Daisy, Thalita, and Gene. It’s also the day before the gallery closes and The Art of Beauty will only be 28 Grand St for the month of August. For the last week, everyone here has been organizing and packing to move everything from the gallery to storage. It’s sad to see the gallery closing knowing that Linda has had it for over 15 years, but I’m so thankful to have been here to see the end of something so great. My internship with Linda made my summer the best one yet. Everyone I met here was truly wonderful to me and became my little NYC family. I have loved and enjoyed every minute with each person – each one so special to me. I really could not have worked with better people here as well as the women at Athleta.
Living in the city has been so much fun, but it’s time for me to go back to Georgia. The city has become too much for me – sleeping on a couch, going out at night, spending way too much money, and limping from a hurt leg (my body is falling apart!) – so I am ready to return to the South to family and friends and to fully recover. Friends have asked me what’s my favorite part about the city, and my answer has been the people (my second favorite being the food, of course). I love the diversity here, and I have learned so much from every relationship I have made this summer. As my best friend Hadley would say: “it’s been real, it’s been fun, and it HAS been real fun.”
Lynley

I went by Jussara Lees’ great shop on the corner of Bedford and 7th ave last week. Her windows had the prettiest colorful illustrations on them they inspired me to do something similar with my astrological illustrations. Thank you Jussara!

The Art of Beauty celebrates Linda’s artwork and career with an art show/makeup party, ‘Moving On: Linda Mason’s Art Retrospective,’ this upcoming Tuesday, July 23 from 5p-8p, and I am so excited! Daisy, Thalita, Gaby and I will be wearing Linda Mason hand silkscreened astrological dresses made by Gaby herself. We each will also be wearing our own sun-sign makeup to complete the look. Linda’s artwork and limited edition makeup will be for sale during the party, so you don’t want to miss this. To get a preview of the exhibition, go to: http://lindamasongallery.wordpress.com/moving-on/

See you Tuesday!
Lynley