Speaker Bios
Bobbie Weiner
Bobbie Weiner is a make-up effects industry veteran and author. Her work appears in films including
Titanic, Pumpkinhead ll, Behind Enemy Lines, Shooter and
Dear John and the Broadway shows
Wicked and
Mamma Mia! She introduced her make-up line, Bloody Mary, more than 15 years ago, and her book,
I Can Do This, came out in 2011. Weiner supplies the U.S. Department of Defense and funeral homes with her products, which will also be featured in the upcoming season of
True Blood.
Anabel Vargas
Anabel Vargas is an award-winning international make-up artist and educator. She works in print, commercials, video production and film. Her work has been featured on MTV, Good Morning America, NBC, Telemundo, TV Land, Access Hollywood and E! Online. Some of the most beautiful faces in the world have benefited from her creative style and technique. With her husband, she owns and operates the Vargas Beauty Arts Academy, the Vargas Photography Studio and Vargas Beauty & Arts Pro Store.
Arielle Toelke
Arielle Toelke has an affinity for the unconventional and is continuously drawn to projects that push the limits of her creativity. Whether it's a full-length feature or a photo shoot, she consistently delivers in terms of professionalism, originality and unique talent.
Battle of the Brushes
The competition is open to students of a recognized make-up school and to those who have graduated 12 months prior to the competition date. Eight competitors will be selected for each competition. Cash and/or prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners for each competition. To qualify, you must fill out and send us the entry form, along with 8-10 photos of different looks you have done. Photos don't have to represent the make-up you plan to enter in the competition. All entries, photos and artwork become the non-returnable property of Key Publishing Group.
The character/prosthetic competition takes place on Saturday. Competitors will be given prosthetics on the day of competition, which they must incorporate into their designs. The time limit for the character competition is three hours. No outside prosthetics are allowed, only the ones supplied by IMATS. Our 2018 character/prosthetic theme is Victorian Emporium.
The beauty/fantasy competition takes place on Sunday, and the time limit is two hours. Our 2018 beauty/fantasy theme is Wildwood Warrior.
Beau Nelson
Celebrity make-up artist Beau Nelson, has been creating beauty for more than half of his life. His work is generously informed by his passions for contemporary art, art history, high-end architecture, design and music. He resides in New York City, where he maintains a varied, star-studded clientele including Kristen Stewart, Nicole Richie, Jessica Alba, Christina Hendricks, Sienna Miller, Iman, Mary J. Blige, Brooke Shields and Blake Lively.
Becca Gilmartin
Beauty editor of Australia’s premier beauty publication,
LAUD Magazine, and ABIA’s “2014 MUA of the Year” Becca Gilmartin’s beauty- and body-art talents see her working with names such as Kimbra, Danni Minogue, Antonia Kidman and PNAU—as well as the TV shows
The Voice,
Australia and
Germany’s Next Top Model +
X Factor. Author of
Makeup Artist Bootcamp and
We the Painted, with sold-out tours of her in-demand course Makeup Artist Bootcamp, Gilmartin is considered one of Australia’s favorite MUA’s.
Bethany Serpico
Bethany Serpico initially planned to be a video-game designer, but when she began sculpting creatures featured in her games, she found a new artistic outlet. Anatomy, nature and gore all influence her designs. After graduating from Makeup Designory, she began her freelance business with work on haunted houses. Since then she has done
Live with Kelly and Michael, National Geographic Brain Games and Nightmare: New York. She was a contestant on
Face Off Season Six.
Chloe Sens
Chloe Sens is a Los Angeles-based, IATSE Local 706 special make-up effects and beauty artist for film, TV and commercial projects. She has worked with brands and companies including Disney, Sony, Warner Bros., NBC, Universal Studios, Fox, Legacy Effects and Ocean Park Hong Kong. Sens has also worked on projects including
The Orville, 2017 Fall/Winter Gucci Campaign and
Avengers: Infinity War, to name a few. She has been featured in
Vogue,
Make-Up Artist magazine and the book
The Leading Ladies of Makeup Effects.
Courtney Tichman
Courtney Tichman is the global brand manager and lead make-up artist for Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. She has been cultivating her craft for more than 16 years. With more than 13 years of fashion-show experience, she has traveled all over the world supporting some of the world’s most influential designers.
Dani Fonseca
Native New Yorker Dani Fonseca brings more than 15 years of extensive knowledge and experience from the fine art, theater and fashion industries to her business. She has also taught thousands of beginning and professional make-up artists worldwide as a guest instructor at the Make Up For Ever Academy New York and Hong Kong, the Academy of Freelance Makeup, The School of Makeup Art, Complexions and The School of Professional Makeup.
Dany Sanz
Dany Sanz is the creator and artistic director of MAKE UP FOR EVER. In the 1980s, there were very few products available to professional make-up artists; with the help of her husband, she launched MAKE UP FOR EVER in 1984. She created a MAKE UP FOR EVER Academy in 2002. With the brand in more than 52 countries, it’s easy to see how her mission to create high-quality make-up for professionals and everyday women has succeeded.
David Martí and Montse Ribé
David Martí and Montse Ribé, of the Barcelona-based make-up effects shop DDT Efectos Especiales, won a 2007 Achievement in Makeup Oscar for their work on
Pan’s Labyrinth. The pair has also worked on
Mama, Biutiful, Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, The Orphanage and
Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
Eve Pearl
Eve Pearl is a five-time Emmy winner, author and beauty authority. A leader in high definition beauty, Pearl and her work have appeared on
The View, Today, Good Morning America, Live with Kelly & Michael, Saturday Night Live, the Academy Awards, American Ballet Theatre
and more. As an innovator and trendsetter, she continues to develop EVE Pearl Beauty Brands. Her Reverse Contouring and signature methods are used worldwide to minimize time and maximize results.
Floriane David
Originally from Paris, France, Floriane David serves as a lead educator for the MAKE UP FOR EVER Academy New York. In this role, she is responsible for developing curriculum and sharing her expertise and techniques for all facets of the make-up industry. David initially studied under the brand’s creator and artistic director, Dany Sanz. Throughout the years, David has taught in London, Dubai, Lebanon, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Korea and Austria.
Joe Nazzaro
Joe Nazzaro is a New Jersey/London-based freelancer who’s been writing for
Make-Up Artist magazine since Issue 26. With more than a dozen books and 3,000 interviews to his credit, he contributes to such magazines as
Dreamwatch,
TV Zone,
Starburst,
Fangoria and
Cult Times. His first book was a collaboration with Michael Westmore, and Nazzaro released
Star Trek: The Art of John Eaves in November 2018.
Josh Turi
Josh Turi is an Emmy Award-winning make-up artist. His New Jersey-based company Designs to Deceive has provided make-up, make-up effects, prosthetics and custom props for film, television and theater for more than two decades. His credits include key artist and lab tech for
Saturday Night Live, prosthetic designer and department head for
Orange is the New Black and prosthetic designer and department head for Mathew Barney’s
River of Fundament.
Judy Chin
Emmy-nominated and BAFTA-winning make-up artist Judy Chin has designed make-up for film, television and theater for more than 25 years. Her film credits include
Frida, House of Sand and Fog, Black Swan, Oz The Great and Powerful,
Money Monster,
American Pastoral and many more. Her television credits include the third through the sixth seasons of
Sex and the City. Her theater credits include
Golden Child, God of Carnage and
Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark.
Kanesha Perry
From retail to the runway, Kanesha Perry has been beautifying clients for more than 18 years. She truly believes in beauty from the inside out, whether it be celebrity clients, editorial, fashion- week shows or helping the everyday client find the perfect hues. Perry believes that personal divinity radiates from within us all.
Kevin James Bennett
Kevin James Bennett is known across the industry as one of the most product-driven, business-focused artists of a generation. Not only is he an Emmy Award winner and incredibly successful make-up artist, he is a leader and educator in all aspects of the industry, an inspirational voice and, without a doubt, one of the most intensive product experts.
Leigh Sikorski
Leigh Sikorski is passionate about accelerating the careers of exceptionally talented creative artists. After more than 10 years working with top photographers in high fashion and advertising, she took over the director position of Kate Ryan Inc.’s Hair, Make-up, and Styling divisions. Currently leading the careers of more than 20 artists, Sikorski’s group serves a great mix of fashion and commercial clients. In addition to the talent, she enjoys the benefits of being affiliated with the Kate Ryan Inc. Photography division, which reps some of the top beauty and lifestyle photographers in the business.
Louie Zakarian
Louie Zakarian has been the make-up department head at
Saturday Night Live for more than 20 years. His credits include
The Magnificent Seven,
Southpaw,
Across the Universe, Evening and the Broadway musical
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Zakarian is a five-time Emmy winner for his work on
Saturday Night Live.
Milagros Cerdeira
Milagros Cerdeira has done make-up design for
Aladdin, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and
Sister Act. She has worked on Broadway and in opera for more than 18 years, on
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Mary Poppins, The Lion King, Into the Woods, Bells Are Ringing, The Wild Party, Tango Argentino, Little Me, The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Life and Death of Marina Abromovic, Anna Nicole and
White Raven.
Nicky Posley
Nicky Posley has more than 10 years of make-up artistry experience. Posley’s work has been featured in
Elle, Today’s Bride and
Intersection and on the runway for designers such as Max Azria, Calvin Klein and Imitation of Christ. As an active artist, he is also on set for editorial, music video and television shows.
Nix Herrera
For the past 20 years Nix Herrera has been working as a FX make-up artist and body painter with some of the industry’s top companies and premier events. Through his unique vision Herrera blends together special FX and body art, creating award-winning pieces and allowing him to bring to life his art and passion. From the U.S. to Asia he has worked with companies such as Universal Studios, SyFy, European Body Art, IWATA and Gucci.
Patricia Bencosme
Pachi Cosmetics was created by Patricia Bencosme. The line has a Latin touch; it was designed for women all over the world who want to have fun and feel sexy with extraordinary make-up. The fabulous, high-quality products are hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, allergy-tested and non-comedogenic. Pachi Cosmetics also features an unbelievable color selection. Our slogan is, “It’s fun, it’s sexy, it’s make-up.”
Paul Merchant
As global head of make-up at Kryolan, Merchant has worked in all disciplines of the make-up industry, from beauty to fashion, body painting to editorial and even theatrical. As a self-taught artist, he has developed his own style of working. “I love to play around with products and find different and interesting ways of using them, other than their intended purpose.” His work includes London Fashion Week, Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live, X Factor, various editorial campaigns, tutorial videos and fashion shows. Merchant’s work has been featured in magazines such as Elle, Cosmopolitan and Vogue.
Rae Morris
Apart from being one of the world's most influential make-up artists, Rae Morris is also a best-selling author and the designer of the acclaimed Rae Morris brush range. She works with fashion magazines including
Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and
Marie Claire and global superstars including Pink and Kelly Roland. Also, as L’Oréal Paris Australia makeup director (2003-2013), she directed more than 100 fashion shows for key fashion designers. Her natural talent and her willingness to share her knowledge have made her one of the industry’s leading educators.
Rashaad Santiago
Renelyn Monteloyola
Renelyn Monteloyola, of Makeup by Ren Ren, created her beauty blog/YouTube channel in 2007 to fill a gap in the beauty industry and cater to women of all ethnicities, ages and walks of life. Her social-media presence has garnered millions of views; she has partnered with major cosmetic companies for reviews/campaigns and reader events. In 2009, she launched a successful freelance make-up enterprise, Urban Pretty, which provides make-up services and education.
Robin Mathews
Robin Mathews was department head on
Dallas Buyers Club, for which she received an Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar and a Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Award for Best Period and/or Character Make-Up. She also worked on
Wild, Into the Wild, the
Twilight films
New Moon and
Eclipse, The Runaways (after which she was offered a Make Up For Ever contract),
Oz The Great and Powerful, Django Unchained, The Voice and more. She has been the personal make-up artist for Reese Witherspoon, Melissa Leo, Kristen Stewart and Forest Whitaker, among others.
Sam Fine
Sam Fine is the man of choice for beautifying women of color. He’s worked his magic on supermodels Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Iman and superstars Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Hudson and more. But it was the experiences from his formative years selling make-up that inspired him to write his first book,
Fine Beauty: Beauty Basics and Beyond for African - American Women, followed later by his first instructional DVD,
Fine: The Basics of Beauty.
Sherri Laurence
Sherri Laurence has been doing make-up for 15 years for a wide range of media, including film, television, red carpet, commercials and print. She is currently make-up department head on
Blue Bloods; other projects have included
Country Strong, Life on Mars and
The Normal Heart. Laurence has worked with some of the industry’s top celebrities, directors, producers and studios.
Siân Richards
Siân Richards is a single mother of two and an award-winning make-up artist. Richards has worked in every avenue that make-up demands, from editorial to special effects. She won The People’s Critics Choice Award for transforming Halle Berry in
Cloud Atlas and was Emmy and 706 Guild Award nominated for her transformation of Queen Latifah into ’30s blues icon Bessie Smith. Richards was the personal make-up artist to Chadwick Boseman on
Black Panther,
Avengers: Infinity War and others. She wrapped Avengers 4 (Untitled) this year. She also has a successful brand called Siân Richards London.
Stephanie Crespo
Stephanie Crespo studied beauty and effects make-up at the Make-up Designory in New York. She has worked with M.A.C. for several years; she is now the lead make-up artist and creative marketing manager for Pachi Cosmetics brands/promotions. Crespo has worked with
Jerseylicious, Telemundo, Univision, the Cárdenas Marketing Network, Neutrogena, Mercedes-Benz and fashion designer Viktor Luna. Her work has been featured on
UpTempo Magazine, Blake magazine,
Social the Lifestyle Magazine and
Raine magazine.
Tate Steinsiek
Writer, director and make-up artist Tate Steinsiek established Ill Willed Productions in 2001 to provide special effects make-up, prosthetic application and fabrication to the film and television industry. Clients include The Jim Henson Company, DreamWorks, Lionsgate, MTV,
Law and Order, Saturday Night Live, the History Channel, Discovery, HBO and others. His work has appeared in
Make-Up Artist magazine
, Fangoria, Rue Morgue and
Variety. He is a two-time
Face Off contestant and works frequently with filmmaker Clive Barker.
Thomas E. Surprenant
Thomas E. Surprenant has been a make-up artist for more than 30 years and has developed products and techniques to further the craft. He has been nominated for three Emmys and has won twice. Surprenant has also been part of two Academy Award-winning make-up crews and has received a Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild award. He has contributed to
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, the Syfy show
Defiance and has designed brushes for the Bdellium Tools SFX line.
Valerie Gladstone
Valerie Gladstone is a journeyman hairstylist and former president of IATSE Local 798. Her film credits include
For Colored Girls, Black Swan and
The Great Debaters. Her Broadway credits include
Beauty and the Beast,
The Seagull and
Thurgood. Last year she was the third on CBS’s
Blue Bloods.
Vargas
Award-winning body painter and photographer Vargas has taught at technical schools and seminars worldwide. His work has appeared in international galleries, the Capitol Rotunda and runway fashion shows, and on
Good Morning America, MTV and Telemundo. Clients have included Marc Anthony, Placido Domingo, Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. His latest work includes the World Cup Calendar 2014 and the
Naked Vegas promo reel. With his wife, Anabel, he runs New Jersey’s Vargas Beauty Arts Academy.
Vincent Schicchi
Vincent Schicchi has been working in theater, television and film for more than 25 years. In theater, he supervised Broadway’s
Beauty and the Beast and
The Woman in White, as well as acting as the personal make-up artist for Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner during the limited run of
Cyrano de Bergerac. His film and television credits include
The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Men in Black 3, The Strangers,
The Smurfs and
The Heat.
Schicchi, along with Tom Denier Jr., runs a New York-based state-of-the-art make-up/creature effects shop. Credits include
The Good Wife,
Happyish,
The Americans,
Forever, SPY and
Ghostbusters (2016).
menu