Artist of the Week: Maya Gabriele

Maya Gabrielle is a senior that has been involved in art for years. Not only does she express herself through drawings and paintings, but through special effects makeup. Gabrielle uses her talent on her friends to create gory and glam Halloween looks. This is not just a talent for Maya, but a hobby. She will spend hours in the mirror creating a look on her face that could make one jump out of their pants in fear. 

How did you get into makeup? 

The first time that I could remember I was about 12 years old. It was around Halloween time, so I started looking at YouTube videos. I found this one, and it was this elaborate zombie face, so we went to this special effects makeup store and bought $100 worth of makeup. I sat in the bathroom for several hours gluing toilet paper on my face, sticking fake blood on and all of this stuff.

Where did you learn your makeup techniques? 

I learned almost everything from YouTube. That would be like my pastime activity, YouTube video after YouTube video. Different makeup looks and different techniques. I would like take parts from different videos and make my own kind of look or try to replicate something a YouTuber did

What are some specific looks you have done? 

I did one that was called the “Chelsea Smile.” It was cut around my mouth like the Joker, kind of, and I put paper clips through the latex so it looked like it was paper clipped shut. I did this one on my friend one time. I did her eye make up, and so it looked like half of her face was really pretty, and the other half was torn away, and there was blood and green. 

What look that you have done are you most proud of? 

My favorite type of look is the glam/gore type of look thing. Not too gory where you look at it and you’re like “Uhh …,” but a little bit of glam mixed in there.

Do you want to pursue makeup/drawing/painting in any way? 

There was time when I wanted to become a special effects makeup artist for Hollywood. I had big dreams. Now I don’t think it will be a professional career or job or anything like that. Obviously, drawing can come in handy anywhere. It can always be a hobby, like at Halloween time, but it is not where I am planning to go in the future.

Senior Maya Gabrielle has produced a wide variety of makeup creations.