Life has been a challenge... Juggling home life with business can really stress me out, but when it involves my passion, it is all worthwhile.
My passion for hair was ignited when my then-fiance introduced me to his artistic family. They had been involved with the arts in the community for decades, and the personal connections derived from those associations astounded me. Having been raised overseas, in the major metropolis of Tokyo as an American ex-patriot, I was used to the relative anonymity of being recognized as different, but only one variant in 18 million variations of people. Any eccentricity was passed off as part of my "foreign" nature, and as long as I was polite and ruffled as few feathers as possible, I could just be. As a child, however, my horizons were filled with the world that surrounded my family, and I wasn't quite sure how I was to survive when I was on my own, in "my" country, looking the same, but decidedly different on the inside.
College consisted of the study of Vocal Performance, focusing on classical singing styles. I performed minor parts with the regional opera company and university collaborations, but found myself unsuited to the task of pursuing a career in that field. A few years of Corporate America later, being reintroduced into the world of opera was a breath of fresh air. I had found my passion again, but this time, behind the stage.
My future mother-in-law began teaching me about wig and hair design when desperation struck. The local production of Aida, including over 500 local Appalachian choristers playing Ethiopians and Egyptians who all had to have some sort of wig placed upon their head, created a desperate void I was able to help fill. The ease with which I fell into it encouraged her to apprentice me in the art of wig styling and hair manipulation. With an infant at my side, it was the perfect side work to compliment my need for artistic expression. After a few years of tutelage, as her health deteriorated, I earned the title of wigmaster of the Knoxville Opera Company and University of Tennessee Opera Theatre. I received my first phone call from the local wardrobe union about 10 years ago to assist with travelling Broadway shows, and became exposed to a wide variety of design and methodology through that venue.
One day I realized that my fondest desire was to just work with theatrical wigs all the time. My in-laws encouraged me, "Go to hair school!" I was unconvinced. I wanted to work with the theater, but there was and is not enough regional work to support a full-time career in that field. To be fair, my in-laws had encouraged me to pursue a license in hair dressing from the beginning, feeling that I would blossom with an outlet for my artistic expression. But my ego felt it unnecessary to aspire to that commitment. After all, I Had Been To College, and I knew a lot of hair students merely sought an escape from the traditional world of Corporate America, rather than having a true passion for the art.
Suddenly, my in-laws' salon was sold after my father-in-law's devastating bout with cancer, and I finally came to the conclusion that, maybe, I would truly enjoy working with hair on a daily basis, developing relationships with people in the community by finding their inner beauty and giving them a simple styling option to assist in their daily lives and boost their self-esteem. Because, in the end, I really wanted to help people. Help them to look their best and feel better about themselves; teach them to find their inner peace and their personal style.
So, I went to hair school and devoured every opportunity to learn something new. I love my job and every person that walks through my door. I still work with the theater as wig master for some, and local crew for others.
This blog will be about my journey...
