Press

Celena Rubin from The Art of Makeup Featured on KGW8 Halloween Special 2023

KGW8 | Oct 30, 2023

Read about Celena’s experience on her blog here.


Halloween Makeup with The Art of Makeup School

KGW8 | Oct 31, 2022


Meet Celena Rubin: Makeup Artist and Owner of the Art of Makeup School

SHOUTOUT LA | August 9, 2021


The New Normal – How Our Production Community is Adapting to Covid-19 – The Art of Makeup School

The Confluence (Oregon Film) | December 14, 2020

In our series of blog posts – the “New Normal” – we are looking at what creative options have been put in place to offset the disruption that Covid-19 has caused for production businesses here in Oregon.  This month we caught up with Art of Makeup School – an independently owned boutique school dedicated to education in the art, business, and techniques of professional makeup artistry.

The Art of Makeup’s training and education environment provides the necessary foundation to learn makeup artistry skills from successful working makeup artists current in fashion and makeup trends, film, television, stage, special effects, and HD makeup. The Art of Makeup is located in the Southwest area of Portland, OR, and is licensed with the Oregon Department of HECC (Higher Education Coordinating Commission).

Oregon Film (OF): Assuming the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted your business, like so many others, what aspect would you say has been the most surprising?

Art of Makeup School (AoM): I am very grateful that we have managed to stay in business during the pandemic and it also surprises me that we have had as many students at this time.  Not everyone has put their lives and futures on hold waiting for a vaccine or waiting for the pandemic to be over. We still have students that are optimistic about their future careers in makeup artistry and are preparing for it despite production holds or the lull in the film industry.  It might seem scary to leave the house and be around other people every day, but our students trust our safety guidance which we follow vehemently. I also think it’s important for everyone to find the right balance to stay mentally healthy, and for our students that might mean potentially risking exposure to focus on the future. For us it also means going to work to save our business, so we can pay our bills while keeping our commitment to enrolled students who have been looking forward to attending our school. We keep a very safe environment where we all feel comfortable being at the school together. It is our safe space.

OFWhat are the main modifications you have had to make to accommodate this new normal? (Which ideas have worked/been successful, which ones not so much…)

AoM: When the pandemic first started there was no break for us.  We were forced to close like everybody else, but we immediately kicked it into high gear utilizing the time to reinvent ourselves temporarily, so we could continue classes online.  To stay connected and find something to give our homebound social media audience, we offered free streaming makeup tutorials and lectures on Instagram Live, and created videos for YouTube and IGTV. I rewrote the syllabus and schedule to create an online curriculum and schedule where students could practice on themselves from home, and instructors could teach over Zoom. I brainstormed to figure out what perks I could offer in this new situation that I hadn’t offered in an in-person classroom setting. It resulted in scheduling out of state guest artists that brought us into their home where they could show us their supplies and makeup organization.   I lost some students and even a teacher who didn’t want to go online, but those who stuck it out were flexible and happy to make it work, and eager to get started. We all learned the new technology of using Zoom, we learned lighting techniques to be seen well online, and some of us purchased Web Cams to sharpen our images.  Zoom and YouTube offered many instructional videos to help create a well-lit and functioning in-home classroom space. We postponed our new session for a few weeks, but when it appeared there was no end in sight, we gathered all of our new to

I was happy to see the transition went very smoothly.  Students were able to see the instructor demonstrations up close, however, not all of the students had good lighting and it was difficult for instructors to see what students were doing.  We quickly figured out that when students finished their looks they could take a selfie and upload it to our communication app, GroupMe where we could see the makeup clearly.  We were also able to bring students into Zoom break out rooms where we could discuss progress and critique in a private one on one online setting. The students shared all kinds of makeup tips and images through GroupMe. It was very helpful. However, after a few weeks of being online, the students grew frustrated with being stuck at home and only getting to practice on themselves.  When we were finally able to get together they were very excited to meet in person and practice “from” each other.  Learning “on” other faces is so important to be a good makeup artist.

OF: Are there any surprising areas of growth in your business since the pandemic started?

AoM: We are currently planning an online program for students who are not able to come to our school in person.  We get a lot of out of state interest, and not everyone can travel, especially now.  The pandemic has forced us to create an online program that we can continue to use to grow that part of our business.  We have also learned new social media tools to strengthen our outreach that we will continue to use as well. I think the most noticeable difference in our in-person classes will be our safety and sanitation practices.  I can’t imagine applying makeup again without a mask.  Since students have been wearing masks, the usual colds and flu have not been passed around the classroom which has made a big difference in health and attendance.

OF: Have you had to implement new training for your staff?

AoM: Besides teaching instructors how to prepare to conduct class online, when we came back to the classroom we had to implement a new safety protocol that teachers needed to get used to.  It was quite the adjustment to have to wear both masks and face shields to apply makeup.  The face shields constantly fog up which makes it very difficult to see and having 2 layers in front of the face makes it hard to breathe.  We transitioned to goggles and learned to tuck the masks or tape them under the goggles to prevent fogging which helps a lot.

OF: If there has been any impact on staff morale, how have you successfully been able to mitigate this?

AoM: Unfortunately, we’ve had to make some adjustments to make up for some of our instructors’ life changes.  I think the pandemic has made all of us look at our lives differently and has made us more aware of our mortality.  This acute awareness has inspired some changes.  I’m used to my instructors sticking with me for many years, so I’ve rarely had to hire new ones.  This year 3 of my instructors had to reduce their availability due to various reasons caused by the pandemic, but fortunately, none of them have wanted to leave permanently.  I am patient and flexible with schedules and availability which makes it easy for them.  They only teach for my school because they want to and there is never any pressure for them to work on days they didn’t choose.  If a big makeup job comes up, I will do my best to cover for them, so they can take it.  I think that helps keep it enjoyable.  We have become a family and a team and we all enjoy supporting each other and meeting new students.

OF: What are you most proud of doing well during this challenging time?

AoM: I am proud of our adaptability, strength, and survivability through all of this.  We’ve had many challenges this year that have gone beyond our business, and every time something else happened, we’ve been able to roll with the punches.  We managed to keep looking forward and we focused on what we could do to overcome every obstacle this year brought. It has been a very stressful year, but I am proud of our selves for hanging in there and staying strong.

To learn more about retaining a makeup artist for your production needs, please visit our Hire a Makeup Artist page.


Oregon Film Offices Promotes The Art of Makeup School Graduates

The Confluence | February 6th, 2020

Hair, Makeup, & Special FX Artists Available For Hire

The Art of Makeup School is a great resource to find trained makeup artists who specialize in working on sets for film, television, and commercial productions.  In addition to hair and makeup application skills from straight beauty and grooming to special fx and prosthetics, these graduates learn about set etiquette, how to break down a script and keep continuity, set touch-ups, and professional hair and makeup supplies for application and onset. The school job board provides opportunities to get graduates working.

Here are 2 full-time working makeup artists that both graduated from the same class in December 2017.

In just 2 short years from graduating from The Art of Makeup School, Savannah Somerville has worked on over a dozen short films, a web series, a full-length feature film, a corporate shoot, a Nike commercial, theatre productions, and this week will be starting her 2nd feature film as head of the makeup department. With beauty and special fx makeup training under her belt, she is also finishing cosmetology school, so she will be licensed to cut hair on set soon. This native Oregonian has Los Angeles in mind for her future, so Oregon productions will have to catch her while they can! You can see her work at www.savannahsomerville.com

Megan Garcia obtained her cosmetology license in Arizona before even graduating from high school, but like most cosmetologists, wasn’t satisfied with the makeup training she received.  After finding The Art of Makeup School, Megan picked up and moved to Portland to start her new life in what she really wanted to do; hair and makeup on film, television, and theatre productions.  Never stepping away from her true goal and with hair, beauty & special fx training now, in the short period after graduating makeup school, Megan has been hired to do several films, web series, commercials, and theater productions.  She has already accrued enough credits and joined IATSE Local Union 488 which is a huge accomplishment in itself.  You can see Megan’s work at Megan Garcia.

Email info@artofmakeup.com to be placed on the graduate job board. The Art of Makeup School’s next session begins February 29, 2020.

For more info go to www.artofmakeup.com


The Art of Makeup’s Celena Rubin was featured on “Women Crush Wednesday” On KOIN6

CBS KOIN6 | April 10th, 2019

April 10, 2019 – The Art of Makeup’s Celena Rubin was featured on “Woman Crush Wednesday” on KOIN6 – Portland’s CBS affiliate.  You can read the interview with news anchor Jennifer Hoff here and see the video from the broadcast.


Career – Track School Opens in Mountain Park

Lake Oswego Review | November 9, 2017

The Northwest’s premiere school of makeup artistry has opened in Mountain Park. Owner Celena Rubin aims to provide training for people to work in film, television, theatrical and print advertising, as well as runway fashion makeup…more.


The Art of Makeup’s Celena Rubin and student Ellie Hayward were featured on KGW live in-studio

NBC KGW Live at 7pm | December 15, 2017

The Art of Makeup’s Celena Rubin and student Ellie Hayward were featured on KGW live in-studio with host, Cassidy Quinn, for a Holiday Makeup Challenge


On the Go With Joe at Art of Makeup

Fox KPTV | October 25, 2017

With Halloween around the corner, Joe V. got a superhero transformation. Joe visited the Art of Makeup in Lake Oswego to sit down with Emmy winning makeup artist Thomas Surprenant. While in the chair, Joe got much hairier than usual. At the end of his makeup session, Joe resembled a fan favorite member of the X-Men: Wolverine.

Part I
Part II
Part III


Celena Rubin & Thomas Surprenant Interviewed on KGW/News

NBC KGW Portland | October 25, 2017

The Art of Makeup’s Celena Rubin and FX instructor, Thomas Surprenant, were interviewed by McKinzie Roth with KGW Television (NBC Portland), check out this great interview and get some fun tips too…


Up Close With Celena Rubin

Vancouver Business Journal | August 25, 2017

Current job: Owner, director and teacher at The Art of Makeup School, a career school for professional makeup artistry that trains students how to do makeup for fashion, bridal, advertising media, film and television production, special effects and stage performances.

Proudest professional moment: Passing…more


Art of Makeup’s Summer Makeup Camp Featured on Fox

FOX KPTV Oregon | August 10, 20216


Makeup Artists Put Down Roots…

The Columbian | June 17, 2016

HOLLYWOOD VETERANS WHO CALL THE NORTHWEST HOME BRING SKILLS TO MAGAZINE, SCHOOL

If you’ve ever wanted monstrous bat ears, deadly feline fangs and wolflike facial fuzz, horribly gaping-but-painless wounds in your head, or maybe just a vividly sliced, oozing throat, Michael Key is your man.

Key has won two Emmy awards for his makeup work on the TV series “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” He has also worked on movies such as “Planet of the Apes,” “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” and “Batman and Robin.” And he has launched Make-Up Artist Magazine and Key Publishing Group, as well as his industry’s only international trade show.

Today, the Camas makeup magician and industry maven will transform a nice, normal human being into some sort of creature from the Land of Oz at his friend Celena Rubin’s Art of Makeup Schoolmore


Make-Up Artist Celena Rubin Creates change at Capitol

Make-up Artist Magazine | 2013

In 2013, make-up artist Celena Rubin fought state laws regarding the industry and won. In the state of Oregon, make-up artists were required to have an esthetic or cosmetology license in order to work. Seeing this as an unnecessary barrier, Rubin contacted her representatives and senators to make a change. Legislation for SB836, which exempts hair and make-up artists working in film, television or theater production from unnecessary and unrelated licensing requirements, was drafted and submitted, and passed unanimously in the house and senate….more


Make-up Artist Fights State Law – And Wins

Make-up Artist Magazine #103

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