Artist
Diary

Personal spaces, protracted hours,
and
esoteric musings.

Words + Images
Bo | Makeup Artist,
The Wall Group

Always moving at such a fast pace, I never had the opportunity to slow down. None of us predicted how long quarantine would actually last. I relished in the mandatory unpaid vacation. As the isolation days passed and the nights pressed on, I scrambled to find ways to stay sane and keep myself entertained. I looked around my quarantine bubble for inspiration.

I’ve always believed that makeup doesn’t have to make sense. There is joy in color; there is beauty in chaos. I started to model looks after everyday objects, taking selfies, and posting them on Instagram. It was a time where I could explore my imagination without having any creative direction. I was simply able to have fun on my own—with no purpose, no story—playing with the makeup I had on hand. This was a creative way for me to sharpen my tools: keep my mind from wandering, my lines fine, and my colors crisp as my self-isolation crept deeper into 2020.

Everything came to a screeching halt when the Black Lives Matter movement resurged. I put a pin in the exploration of my personal space while time stood still. I needed to allocate my energy to educate myself and communicate with my peers. I needed to wake up. I needed to donate. I needed to speak up. I needed to listen. There was a lot to be done. It was a beautiful thing to witness people rise up. This felt direr than anything happening to me up until this moment. I do hope things are shifting for the better in places of influence, in the fashion industry at the very least. I stand with equality for all.

“There is joy in color;
there is beauty in chaos.”

Some things I did while isolated:
Houseparty app with friends (a lot of whining and complaining from
all parties)

Cleaned, a lot (with whatever cleaning supplies I was able to hoard from the Karens)

Unpacked boxes (that have been sitting in the garage since my move two years ago)

Bleached my eyebrows (to scare my husband)

Taught makeup to friends who model so they can self-photograph and continue working (hey, at least someone’s makin’ money)

Bought and taught myself to sew on an actual sewing machine (fabric was hard to come by, so that project was short-lived. Don’t blame it on my short attention span)