Conversations with Mare O’Shea

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mare O’Shea

Hi Mare, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am an artist first and foremost with a childlike joyfulness regarding all things bright and shiny. Bright contrast and stark comparisons brings my imagination out to play and there has been no greater medium than the outward physical expression of the interior spiritual passion. Hair/or lack of is a massive part of identity.( I personally choose not to wear hair as it overstimulates me as an Autistic individual.) After graduating with my BA in painting/sculpture from the University of North GA I attended and graduated from Paul Mitchell the School on Marietta St in downtown Atlanta! I studied under Sidney Hollwager at Salon Vagabond in Grant Park for two years before moving on to Savannah to establish my clientele! I am now on my way to LA in Fall 24’ where I will be setting up shop in Echo Park!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have been battling multiple chronic illnesses for over a decade and am often very sick to the point where I can not work. This hindered my growth in the traditional salon atmosphere which is what led me to carve out a space for myself where I could cater to my medical needs and create a safe space for myself!
I lost my car last October when someone ran a stop sign and they totaled my vehicle and fractured my dominant wrist. This turned my entire world upside down and took away the main mode of transportation for my partner and I. I had to relocate salons to a suite I could walk to from my home and completely start over with my back bar, color stock, and supplies/tools/furniture. Only 6mths later while traveling for an educational conference called Presley Poe & Friends, I was struck by a Ford F550 as a pedestrian in the crosswalk with the right of way. Again causing me to be out of the salon for 6wks as I now have a spinal injury that causes nerve pain down my arms, a concussion, and many sprains in my right hand and thumb. I will have to have surgery to correct the disc in my spine and may have permanent optical damage. I say all of this to express that no matter how beat up we get if you are doing what you love and chasing after your dreams with all your heart NOTHING CAN STOP YOU. Not even a Ford F550.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My hair art is just that, art on your head with your hair as the base medium. I love to work within a guideline yet have creative freedom when it comes to the details. Working with a client on a vibe for their life is an intimate and vulnerable thing so I do not take my clients’ trust lightly. When I get to play I know that something exciting is going to happen!

What matters most to you? Why?
Art. Art is connection. Art is universal, omni-lingual, free of allergens and dust mites, and free .99 most of the time! Feelings are free and also the most powerful things we have to communicate and share with the other beings around us. Helping others FEEL themselves is the ultimate win. I feel like a gold medalist at the Olympics when my clients post sassy selfies of their hair post appointment!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.marethehairartist.com
• Instagram: @marethehairartist

Image Credits
@sofiakillerbeck