Today we’d like to introduce you to Camille Roark.
Hi Camille, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always been creative. Growing up, I gravitated toward various arts, and as I got older, I maintained that love for creative expression. I rarely wore makeup, and when the occasion called for it, I left that task to the professionals. Until one day I had an event to go to and there were no makeup artists available. I ended up doing my own that night, and with the encouragement of friends and family, I really began to pursue that passion. With the basics down, and a few courses under my belt, I really hit the ground running to find my niche.
For years, makeup was just a hobby for me. Then, my day job transitioned into a space where I no longer felt valued. As hurt as I was, it was just the push I needed to focus on developing and growing my own brand.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s not been smooth road by any means. I quickly learned there’s truth in the term “starving artist”. In the beginning, doing makeup doesn’t pay much, certainly not enough for me to quit my job. It became clear to me that if I was going to be successful in this business, I was also going to have to learn how to own and operate a business, including marketing my brand.
I wasn’t clear on where to start, or even where I wanted to go with my business, but I was blessed to be able to network with alot of good people that were able to guide me along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m a makeup artist based in the North Houston area. I help models and photographers prepare for shoots, and everyday people look and FEEL like models. I’m notorious for coming to shoots and gigs SUPER COMFORTABLE. If that means fresh faced, a pair of sweats, slides, and a shake n go wig, then so be it 🤷🏽♀️. The entire experience is about empowering my clients and helping them put their best face forward. It’s not about me, and I’m perfectly okay with that.
I’m most proud that I’ve built a brand that my clients easily relate to. Like most creatives that typically work behind the scenes, I’m actually pretty awkward in front of the camera. So when my clients sit down in my chair and tell me they’re worried they’re not going to photograph well or like ANY of the pics, “and it has nothing to with the photographer of the MUA…”, I FEEL YOU, because I’m that way.
This year, I really challenged myself to get out of my comfort zone, stand in front of the camera more often and confront what it is that causes us to feel this way. In taking this journey with my clients, I came to discover, it’s not about self confidence (if the answer were simply that we were insecure, it would’ve made this process so much easier), but it’s more than that. Being in the spotlight is a very vulnerable place for some. For me, I realized part of it is a lack of control, and a lack of trust for the photographer shooting me. “Do I trust his person to put out an image that truly represents what I want to show the world?” In some instances I’ve learned, it’s also about clearly communicating how you want to be presented, and, “Do I feel heard? …Did the photographer listen to me when I expressed how much I hated my double chin? Or did they reassure me it was fine instead, without offering any solutions?”
I’ve done the research, I’ve been in their shoes, and I’ve been blessed enough to maintain a network of amazing photographers that I guarantee will not only listen and address your concerns, but also build your confidence and a stellar portfolio.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
In the nineties, my dad had this record player and huge speaker set up in our upstairs living room. He’d come upstairs and play all the hits on full blast. Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Barry White, Mj, and Madonna. I’d step on the tops of his shoes and we’d dance on the slow jams, and then hop down and really boogie to the uptempo beats. He passed away several years ago, but I still smile when I think of how much he loved me.
Contact Info:
- Email: booking@seeroark.com
- Website: www.seeroark.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/camille_roark
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/RoarkMUA
Image Credits:
Jovanny Zuniga
Moon Jamaluddin
Matthew Kelly
Crystal Martin
Lenworth Johnson
Rachel Dehesa
Adan Avila
Erika Molina
Aga
Christie Goldstein
Jovett Lewis
Sallie McAdoo
