Meet North Atlanta Makeup Artist : Meredith Kurbel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meredith Kurbel.

Meredith, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always loved makeup and hair. As a teenager I did my friends hair and makeup for events and when we had dates. I went to cosmetology school right after high school and was a hair stylist for 10 plus years. After I had my children we moved around a lot and I went the corporate route so I could be involved in their sports and school functions.

Three years ago I decided I wanted to get back into the field of beauty (though I never really stopped, I did hair and makeup on the side, for my friends and family for their weddings and their children’s proms and homecomings). I wanted to mainly do makeup, but all kinds of makeup! Beauty, special fx, fashion, glam. You name it, I wanted to do it! So I took some online refresher courses and started doing research on special fx makeup. I am self-taught in special fx makeup and character/ creature creations. I started posting on social media everyday. I practiced makeup looks and characters on myself everyday and started getting calls from people who wanted makeup. I did several short films and two feature indie films. One of those is on the film festival circuit now and the other is in post production. I work as a Freelance makeup and Fx artist for NBA TV and Turner networks. I am also working on a few reality shows with True TV and We TV. I have overcome several obstacles in my life as I am dyslexic and have ADHD and struggled in life. But I am a very determined person and I go after my dreams. With hard work and dedication, you can succeed in anything you do.

Has it been a smooth road?
No, it hasn’t, I literally just made it happen, I worked full time and did makeup on the side until I had enough guts to make the switch. It is hard, you have to work your butt off. It is scary at times when you complete a project and have nothing on the schedule to follow. You have to put yourself out there, network, it is not something that is just given to you, you have to work hard for it. If it wasn’t for my husband and family’s support I wouldn’t have been able to peruse my dream.

So, what should we be on the lookout for, what’s next in store for you?
Looking into the future I hope to expand my brand, Not only in the entertainment industry but also in the editorial and fashion world. I am a published Makeup artist as well as a published photographer. I have been in several magazines but I would like to expand to larger publications. Beyond that, i have always thought about even coming up with a makeup line and possibly skincare. The sky is the limit, I know with hard work and determination anything is possible!

Let’s explore some of the challenges you’ve faced along the way. What was the most difficult part of your career so far?
I would say the hardest time in my career would have been my transition from corporate to Makeup. I honestly had no idea where to start, how to get my name out there, or what to do. It wasn’t the makeup, I have always done well with makeup, I took refresher courses and a Mastered Makeup course with Val Garland which was amazing, but as far as marketing myself I was lost. I really just spent hours and hours of research, I taught myself Special FX makeup and then just started posting. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, you name it I was putting myself out there. That is some pretty scary stuff. It’s not easy to lay it all on the line and put yourself out there for everyone to see. But I sucked it and did it. I had amazing results. People were actually interested, asking me questions, asking for makeup lessons, booking me for homecomings, proms, weddings, special occasions and Halloween! I got a call for my first full-length feature film, they wanted me to do special fx makeup for their movie, I couldn’t believe it. (but you would never know that talking to me). I learned that confidence is key! If you believe in yourself so will others, it is so important, dig down deep and believe in yourself because if you don’t, no one else will either!

What about “Wow-moments” – any moments that stick out? Any moments when you felt like you had made it?
I think my first wow moment was when I got hired to freelance at NBA TV to do makeup for live TV that’s a big deal when you’re new to the scene and don’t have a lot of big productions under your belt. It is very rare to get picked up like that. It was a huge boost in my confidence and I will forever be thankful for that big break.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.muameredith.com
• Email: muameredith@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/muameredith
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Muameredithk
• Other: www.pinterest.com/muameredith

 

Image Credit:
Girl on the couch- Photographer- Terry Check
2 girls with bare shoulders- Photographer- Johnny H Lee
All other professional photos by Meredith