Meet Ava Garland of Downtown Ann Arbor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ava Garland

Hi Ava, 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 grew up as a dance competition kid, which meant that every other weekend I had on a full face of makeup whether I liked it or not. Although makeup had been a part of my life for a long time, I had never found joy or passion in it until the pandemic hit. I was sitting at home finding all sorts of crafts around the house to keep me busy and I figured that I should master some sort of hobby with all the time I had on my hands, and to my surprise that hobby was makeup artistry. Over the span of quarantine I watched makeup videos, learned new techniques, and found a new love in all things makeup. After quarantine I continued working on my craft and had some informal training using family and friends as models.

My senior year of high school I decided to make things official. I started a makeup artistry business and created a brand through social media, and named it FacebyAvaK Makeup Artistry and Services. I started May 6th and had my first client May 7th, followed by the second on May 14th. Since then I have been managing the financing, marketing, and general operations of FacByAvaK. I have done work for proms, senior portraits, business events, personal and professional headshots, fashion shows, and other special events.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Along with FacebyAvaK I am a student and dancer, and that alone has challenged my time management and organizational skills. In the beginning, the struggles stemmed from finding time in my busy schedule to have openings for my clients. As FacebyAvaK has grown and matured, I became more focused on being consistent with posting content and that has challenged me to schedule my exploratory makeup sessions and clients around my classes, homework time, and dance practices.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Makeup Artistry is my focus, ranging from providing makeup services for my clients with various desires to practicing and exploring creative makeup looks on myself to share with the world. I believe that makeup is a tool to enhance the natural beauty within us all, and that is what makes my work stand apart from others. I pride myself in using makeup to amplify unique features and attributes of each subject, encouraging people to be confident and embrace their authentic selves.

I am known for my signature Soft Glams and Freestyle makeup looks. A Soft Glam is my most natural and traditional look. It gives the client a clean even base with bolded eyes and lips suitable for camera exposure and the stage. Freestyle is where my creativity flourishes. The Freestyle Makeup look is a chance for me to explore new techniques and ideas and practice different makeup styles. I create colorful and sometimes intricate makeup designs on the eyes and face using inspiration from things all around me like a floral display in the lobby of my apartment or a fictional character from my favorite television show.

Makeup artistry is a form of art with faces as canvases. I am interested in exploring makeup and its various applications and because of that I aspire to be a makeup artist with many different pursuits. I do not confine myself to one style or use of makeup. Makeup is art in that it requires focus, skill, practice, and creativity

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Although I think the majority of my success has come from hard work and persistence, I will say that I have had good luck throughout this journey and that I believe it is a result of the positive energy that I put out into the world. It was lucky that I had makeup experience specifically for the stage, because it has given me an advantage in that doing stage makeup is a skill that some makeup artists must develop but is something I have been practicing for years. Another aspect of my journey so far that I would consider lucky is my support system. Through my family and friends I have had the support and networking opportunities that I needed to pursue makeup artistry. I am lucky to have such amazing people by my side and a background that gave me the foundation that I needed.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/facebyavak/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avakgarland