Instructor's Bio
Born in Canada and raised on the Caribbean island of St.Kitts since the age of nine, Asha has always been a creative spirit. Inspired by the tropical beauty around her, she began designing jewelry, eventually launching a successful jewelry line called “Blue Love” sold at exclusive island boutiques and the Four Seasons Hotel. Asha continued to explore her artistic talents, which lead to fashion styling gigs for magazines, photoshoots and personal clients both in the caribbean and in Toronto. After moving back to Toronto to attend university, her creative passions combined with an interest in makeup led her to become a certified makeup artist and begin working full time in the field. Asha has also worked for the world renowned cosmetic giant – M.A.C cosmetics where she further honed her makeup artistry skills. She is currently the featured Beauty contributor on the fashion blog ionfashion.com where she reviews cosmetic products, creates makeup tutorial videos and blogs about the happenings within the beauty industry. Asha has been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with numerous music video production and event planning companies, short films, theatre productions, Toronto Fashion Week runway shows, fashion designers, designer boutiques, private clients and the list goes on. After working as a free lance makeup artist both in Toronto and Internationally for the past six years, she felt it was time to share her experience in the beauty industry to other creative minds through the founding of the A.S.H.A school of makeup artistry.
“I wanted to start my own makeup artistry school in order to teach students to be successful working makeup artists within their field of choice. I want to teach real world experience and creative networking to new makeup artists entering the field, as this is just as, if not more important than good makeup artistry skills”, says Asha. “I learned a lot about makeup techniques in school but not how to make smart networking decisions, this I had to learn through trial and error”. With her vast experience in both the art world and makeup artistry Asha hopes to help effect change within the industry and the way makeup courses are being taught. In the Basic Makeup Artistry certificate program there is a big focus on building a professional portfolio and keen marketing skills, so that when students leave the school they leave with a much better chance of negotiating paying jobs. Professional, working fashion photographers are on hand to capture students’ work and a portfolio building photoshoot is offered to students at an affordable rate complete with agency standard models.
“I want my students to leave the school with a fighting chance of making it in the industry – I have designed the program to focus on areas that other schools seem to miss out on or simply don’t offer – the reality of what it takes to carve out a niche market for yourself in a competitive industry”
The philosophy of the school as explained to me by Asha is simply this – Talent can’t be taught, but it can be nurtured and molded. Being an artist isn’t a choice but a calling and its up to you to follow your dreams and make them a reality. Asha hopes that by students choosing to attend her intense one week Makeup artistry program and additional skill and portfolio building workshops, that students leave her school with a sense of confidence in their abilities both as makeup artists and business people. “I hope to share my tips and tricks of the trade with students that have helped me to find success in my own career and learn a few new tricks from my students as well!”
