Emily O’Quinn has rooted herself in the Television and Film Industry working as a Makeup Artist. Emily began her career quickly after graduating from our Complete Makeup Artist Program in 2012, she has gone on to be apart of award-winning shows such as Orphan Black and films like IT. Operating as the Head of Department on different features has given her the opportunity to design makeups for talented actors. Check out our below interview with Emily to find out what inspires her, how she decided to become a makeup artist and the recent projects she has worked on.

Her favourite thing is being a makeup artist is being on set and the sense of camaraderie that comes with the professional relationships that her forms. She feels like being a makeup artist has made me a more collaborative, patient and creative person. There’s no ceiling so it’s an exciting space for personal and professional growth.

When she was young, from a small town, experiencing Toronto for the first time. The location was so central, and all of the instructors, staff, and students seemed so connected. But she loved being surrounded by encouraging, knowledgeable people who wanted to support her and share their expertise with her. She felt like it bred such a healthy sense of professionalism and in turn – artistry.

After that, Emily straight out of the gate and got sucked into Film and TV. She skipped the theatre/fashion world and narrowed in on what she loved the most – which was creating characters. She has been fortunate enough to be Head of Department on some features to design makeups for Jordana Brewster, Nina Dobrev, Jesse Williams, David Cronenberg, Rose McGowan, Christopher Lloyd, Tuppence Middleton, Ben Platt, Jay Baruchel, Sheri Shepherd, and so many more incredibly talented and lovely people. She has also been super lucky to meet a group of phenomenal artists who have brought me onto projects like Orphan Black and IT.

When talks about her future, Emily said: 'I love doing special effects, so honing in on my prosthetic and appliance application skills is something I’ve been working at lately and hope to continue. But honestly, I’m open to anything in the future. I feel like doing my best and remaining optimistic will bring things that are meant to come my way. I want to work with more makeup artists, contribute to great films and hopefully travel a bit more.'