Speakers

Amy Grigg

Amy Grigg is a visual artist specializing in face and body painting, working out of her studio and retail store in Western Sydney, Australia. She fell into face and body art unexpectedly 12 years ago, and has since turned that glimmer of interest into a glowing passion and colorful career. Griggs is the owner of The Face Paint Store, a vibrant face- and body-painting supply store located in Penrith, where she also teaches classes. And she has been invited to participate at FABAIC, the international face- and body-artist convention, as well as the Australian Body Art Awards.

Angie Yablonska

Angie Yablonska is an award-winning international celebrity make-up artist, hairstylist, stylist and creative director for beauty and fashion projects, photoshoots and videos. She specializes in creative and special make-up effects and has been published in many international magazines. Yablonska grew up in Russia and Ukraine, lived in Italy for more than 10 years and currently lives in Australia. This combination of cultures has expanded her appreciation of life and art and has greatly influence her work.

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.

Carol Mackie

Senior artist Carol Mackie was born and educated in England and has been living in Australia for the past 22 years. She has keyed both national and international shows for brands such as Oscar de la Renta, Tome and P.E Nation and has been perfecting faces at International Fashion Week in New York, London, Milan and Paris for over 10 years. With a passion for travel, and as one of Australia’s most sought-after make-up artists, Mackie draws inspiration from her love of landscapes, nature and art.

Chad Atkinson

Chad Atkinson is a special effects artist from Los Angeles who has more than 20 years experience in film and television. Atkinson worked for Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. as a mould maker and fabricator on major films such as Starship Troopers, Alien Resurrection, My Favorite Martian and X-Files the movie. Other credits include Deep Blue Sea, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Bowfinger, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Dune. Atkinson has formed his own special effects company since moving to Australia, and has done freelance work on The Loved Ones and The Hobbit. In 2010, Atkinson won an Emmy for his work on the HBO mini-series The Pacific.

Colin Wilson

Wilson has been a make-up artist for nearly 17 years, and is currently an educator for ACMUSE. He has also worked in film, most recently Alien: Covenant, and with the Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir St Theatre. His television credits include Mornings with Kerri-anne and Channel 10 News. Other highlights are presenting make-ups to audiences at events like Oz-comic-con and Sydney Supanova. And in 2015 Wilson was invited to be a contestant on the body paint show Skinwars.

Damian Martin

Damian Martin, co-founder of Odd Studio, is an Oscar and BAFTA award winning make-up artist specializing in prosthetic and creature make-up . Some of their film credits include Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith, Farscape, The Wolverine, The Matrix Reloaded, Babe: Pig in the City, Where the Wild Things Are, Superman Returns, The Cup, Australia,Gods of Egypt, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Danessa Myricks

As a make-up artist, photographer and entrepreneur, Danessa Myricks’ career spans more than 16 years. She has mastered beauty application and made a name for herself as one of the most creative in the make-up industry. Inspired initially by the beauty business, Myricks’ career hit the ground running at the corporate level, where her true passions aligned with her artistry and marketing for ethnic skin tones. She has worked with numerous celebrities and co-created with multiple global beauty brands, including Kiss and Benefit Cosmetics. Currently, Myricks spends her time developing Danessa Myricks Beauty, a global beauty blend of professional insight and cosmetics.

Freshta Sahak

In just three years, Sahak has become a recognized brow stylist and international make-up artist in the bridal and modeling arenas. Having worked on the Miss Universe Pageant, music videos and photoshoots—as well as for several cosmetic brands—Sahak has also dived into the digital media universe. Currently, she works for Klara Cosmetics as their media coordinator. And she is also the new pro make-up artist for Matticulous World. A mother to one, Sahak hopes to push her skills to the next level in all aspects of the beauty industry.

Kim & Jason Docherty

Kim and Jason Docherty represent the prosthetics and special make-up effects team behind the multi-award winning Weta Workshop. Their credits include The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogy, Elysium, Chappie and, most recently, Ghost in the Shell.

Khalida Samadi

Samadi started her career as a bridal make-up artist at the age of 18. With a master’s degree in business and passion for beauty, she has established herself in the bridal and beauty arena. Her credits also include concerts and films in Melbourne. And she has been selected by Matticulous World to be the head make-up artist for the up-coming store in Melbourne, Australia. Samadi is a mother of two. Her children and overall excitement for the industry is what continues to drive her success.

Kiana Jones

Kiana isn’t your average make-up artist. She has a Ph.D. in visual art and is a self-taught make-up artist specializing in “stimulated injury” and gore. Best known for her channel and online persona “Freakmo,” Kiana has fascinated hundreds of thousands of fans with her realistic artistry in the form of tutorials and educational vlog entries.

Marie Donnell

Marie Donnell is an Australian make-up artist and educator. Her versatile and creative work can be seen across an array of platforms, including editorial, commercial, bridal and special effects/character design. After taking first place at Battle of the Brushes (IMATS Sydney 2015) she is often asked to serve as a judge for the competition. What inspires her? A love for anything strange, beautiful and outrageous. Marie’s work can be seen in a range of publications.

Megan Hill Luman

Megan Luman is a professional make-up artist whose client list includes Pamela Anderson, Katrina Campins, Kasey Musgraves, The Goo Goo Dolls, Train and Candice Swanepoel. Luman’s work can be seen in magazines such as Italian Vogue, GQ and Ocean Drive, as well as on the TV networks Style, Bravo! and NFL Network. As a senior Mehron educator, Luman is passionate to represent a brand whose quality products continue to innovate with the changing of times.

Melissa Sassine

Melissa Sassine—educator, brand founder and award-winning bridal artist—is on a mission to transform the bridal and beauty business. As one of Australia’s most successful bridal make-up artists, Sassine has been painting a new picture for the industry. Since 2001, she has established signature looks that have become the essence of her brand—an identity which has become the foundation for her team of make-up artists, her teaching and her cosmetics.

Nicole Thompson

With creativity at the forefront of everything she does, Nicole Thompson’s portfolio is eclectic and colorful, fusing the world of art and make-up in the most skillful way. Thompson has worked in the make-up industry for over 14 years (with M.A.C. for 12 of those). She has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar and Laud and has worked with some of the world’s best designers, such as Alice McCall, Romance Was Born, Discount Universe, Balmain, Moschino, Chloe, Vivienne Westwood, Kenzo, Marni, Roberto Cavalli and Proenza Schouler.

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.

Rick Findlater

Rick Findlater has been working as a make-up artist for the past two decades. He has worked on award-winning films such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogy and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. He was nominated for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling at the 85th Academy Awards for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Roque Cozzette

Roque Cozzette is a make-up artist, photographer, innovator and educator who thinks creatively and creates strategically. His talent comes from the orchestrated sensibilities of hands, head and heart. He’s a seasoned beauty-industry pro with a multifaceted career spanning three decades. He is experienced in photography, television, print, fashion, celebrity image and cosmetic product development. He has co-created with celebrities including Christina Milian and Melody Gardot, and his brand (Cozzette) offers cruelty-free cosmetics, make-up brushes and beauty photography.

Shylie Parsons

Shylie Parsons is an Australian make-up artist and costume designer specializing in head to toe creations. Graduating in 2015 from the Australian Academy of Cinemagraphic Makeup, she launched quickly into her career. With special thanks to her win in 2016 at Sydney IMATS Battle of the Brushes, she has gone on to secure numerous jobs in the film, music and editorial world of make-up. Parsons is excited in what the future has to offer.

Sidney Cumbie

Sidney Cumbie is a self-taught prosthetic make-up artist and has been working for the RBFX Prosthetic Catalog for the past three years. He has also appeared on the SyFy hit TV show FaceOff where he competed as a contestant. Sidney doesn't just apply the make-up though, he is also a creature model and has sat for top artists such as Bill Corso and Chris Nelson.

Yalda Girowal

Co-founder of Glamsquad Sydney, Girowal joined Matticulous Group in 2013, working closely to help the company create products. Leaving her job as a marketing executive Girowal turned to the world of beauty to pursue her passion. Girowal is a freelance artist working on music videos and editorial projects in Sydney for the past four years. Juggling motherhood and her passion has been a huge challenge, but as she says: You never work a day in your life if you love what you do. This mantra has made her strive and continue being successful.