January 2024: a month for admin, for writing and generally everything tech based. A month to retreat, a month where I spend time from my hammock in Thailand, looking back on the year that has just been. Grateful to get the time, to write about my time with Zoe and how she came over from LA to learn the art of hard cap wig making with studio loz.
Around the middle of the year, last year , I had an enquiry come through from Zoe. For the context of this blog post, there is a lot of fan girling going on in this post and I catagorically do not apologise for it.
Zoe wanted to fly from Los Angeles to specifically take my course for 5 days. Abso- bloody- loutely I remember beaming from the enquiry. But who is Zoe Hay?
It was around September 2022 when I found out about THIS IS US. My friend recommended it and said I will get a lot from it and it's the most beautiful show they've ever seen. I started it when the finale was airing, so obviously incredibly late to the party but Amazon prime has every episode available and I was HOOKED from the get go. Genuinely I have never been more attached to a series in my life. It was THAT show where I related, I sobbed my heart out and binged the whole thing in the space of a month - give or take, I was caught up with the real time final shows and I lived for Tuesday nights when a new one was released, I followed it to the end and cried my way through the ending. The beauty within this show blew my mind. I was quiet literally obsessed (ever been there where you get to a point of unhealthy obsession and start watching everything that the actors have ever done? It had me there) To this day, I will talk about it and recommend it. I feel it healed my soul a little. Well, they do say crying is cathartic.
Being a wig maker and facepainter, my main focus of any show is the hair and makeup, like most of us.. i cannot watch ANYTHING without my focus being on the wigs/ facial hair/ and makeup. I have lost concentration an unhealthy amount of times just through focus on the aesthic. This is us, had that in BUNDLES.
Let's jump back to Zoe's enquiry.. I took to the net obviously, Instagram first. Sorry WHAT? IMBD .. Zoe Hay - head of hair and makeup - This is Us, among EVERYTHING ELSE.. Nominated for 4 prime time Emmys, 1 win, 7 nominations 🥹
*I could of only wished you saw my reaction, I must have jumped up and shout WTF 5 times 😂
THE POTFOLIO, THE KNOWLEDGE, THE LEVEL OF ART MASTERY, this INSANELY talented lady is flying over especially to do my course. This isn't real?
Oh but it is, this is my reality.. let that sink in for a second .. ( calls everyone I know, to tell them but they don't get it. Obviously they never had the THIS IS US a obsession like me, shame for them 🤣)
Below is the absolute minimum of a portfolio from Zoe's instagram, Go check it out. It is truly phenomenal. The level of artistry depicted in these images is just wonderful. Truly wonderful.
Handle : @zoehaymakeup
Fast forward to October 5th, it really did fly by and our 5 day course was due to start (nothing but excitement) all materials purchased, hair drawers filled with colours.
The week FLEW by.. Zoe encapsulated me with LA tales and showed me unseen photos from the show and her beautiful work ( I tested up multiple times). we laughed, we ate delicious food all week all amist teaching Zoe the art of hard cap wigs.
Let me tell you something, and I have no problem admitting it in comparison. I have absolutely zero work ethic compared to Zoe 🤣 I'd always dreamed of working in hollywood but actually I'd fall short because I am LAZY 😅 I don't mind admitting it. I just am not built to work the hours that Zoe told me she does, I can't visualise it and that's okay. I've taken a more chilled approach. BUT the level of respect I have for someone who works and puts the hours in, and can manage the level of stress and tight deadlines and pressure and budgets, blows my mind. I will never not be in ORE of that. 👏🏽
Zoe picked up the skill like a cat to cream, it was an pleasure watching someone with so much skill work thier way around hard cap wigs. I have said it many times but it's the reason I love teaching. When skilled people take the craft, they will create MAGIC, they will add years of skills without even realising it. It is everything hard cap wigs need, I teach the basics and you add your touch of creativity and we have a whole new level of hard cap wig. It fits into every given industry including TV & Film...
Zoe created 2 of the most beautiful Panto wigs on a hard cap base. Hackled together the most beautiful colours, glued to perfection and trimmed up to an inch of thier life. My week with Zoe was incredibly inspirational. I am so grateful that you took time to fly over and bless me with your wonderful aura and knowledge.. 🥰
A blog post TOAST , to Zoe taking her new skills back to Los Angeles and adding a brand new art to her already incredibly large collection of talents...
Love ALWAYS, Loz xxx
Please enjoy the photos from the 5 day course.. and check out the reels that I created on Instagram @studioloz.co.uk
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