Interview with Jessica Bowen aka ShootStylist

Jessica Bowen has been a hair stylist for 5 years and has always had a passion for photoshoots. She does amazing work and is very talented. Her favorite themes are Fantasy and Avant Garde. Jessica is interested in doing hair for fashion shows, as well as various creative photoshoots.

It was a pleasure speaking with Jessica Bowen as she shared her passion for art and beauty.


Photographer: Suzanne Teresa. Photoshop: Alic Watson. Makeup Artist: Natalie Wong. Wardrobe stylist: Wendy Cook. Model: Victoria

AVIVA:What inspired you to become a hair stylist?
JESSICA BOWEN: I've always admired the Beauty Industry and when I took the hairdressing program I fell in love with it! I love the creativity of it, and the positive results you get to bring to your clients on a daily basis:) Not just outwardly but inward as well!

AVIVA:How has your experience as a hair stylist help you develop as an artist?
JB: It has helped in opening doors into the competition world of it all. As soon as I did my first photo shoot with the Cutting Room Creative I found my passion and a place where my creative mind and ideas finally fit in :) It was amazing!

AVIVA: What do you believe is the most exciting aspect of being a hair stylist?
JB: Making people look and feel beautiful, as well as building confidence and relationships with my clients:)


Photographer: Suzanne Teresa. Photoshop: Alic Watson. Makeup Artist: Natalie Wong. Wardrobe stylist: Wendy Cook. Model: Tanya.

AVIVA: What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment(s) in the fashion industry? (contests,etc)
JB: Winning the Canadian Mirror Award for the Avant Garde category in 2009!!!!! I have never been so exited and so proud of myself to accomplish such a huge goal:) The overall vision for the futuristic shoot came about when I was doodling on a piece of paper in the back room and I started drawing circles, one thing led to another and it just took off from there! I couldn't have done it without my team/family who supported and helped me bring my vision to life! I put everything I had into that shoot, so it was an amazing feeling to be recognized in the Hairdressing industry for it, as it was published in a 2 page spread across Canada in the Canadian Hairdressing Magazine.

AVIVA: What are some of your favorite hair products to use when styling?
JB: I Love Bumble & Bumble Hair powder (amazing for oily hair, also for backcombing and building height in the hair, couldn't live with out it), Sumotech (a matte paste for men smells amazing, has great hold, and makes styling easy!), KMS Dry Wax (helps to build a grit in the hair with a matte result creating texture, can also be used on curls as a messy look) and finally the Dry Extreme Hairspray! (you can layer with this hairspray and it will never feel sticky! amazing hold and a nice dry finish.)


Photographer: Suzanne Teresa. Photoshop: Alic Watson. Makeup Artist: Natalie Wong. Wardrobe stylist: Wendy Cook. Model: Ashley

AVIVA: Do you have any funny/interesting/crazy photoshoot story that you would like to share?
JB: I wouldn't say it was funny at the time, but I did learn form it! I had just finished my hairstyle on a model which included Styrofoam balls,with a lot of hair pieces, and was about to go to wardrobe when we realized she was wearing a shirt that had to go over her head in order to get it off!!! I almost died!! I had to redo the whole thing and start all over again. Needless to say, that is always the first thing I check before we start the models' hairstyle now.

AVIVA: If money/time were no object, where would you like your career in hair to go?
JB: If my dream came true I would be an on Shoot Stylist, traveling from set to set and possibly including T.V and Movies sets as well. It would also be pretty amazing to be a personal hairstylist for the stars! Any one of the above would be fantastic! When I'm doing photo shoots, I'm in heaven. I can push the limits and be as creative as I want which is such an outlet for me, since my imagination is always going!

AVIVA: Do you have any additional comments?
JB: I want to thank you Aviva for asking me these questions and giving me the opportunity to share my passion with others:) I hope other people are inspired by my work and what can be done when you let creativity take over! You can't succeed if you don't set goals and go for it, life's too short, so do what your passionate about and you'll live a happy life!

You can see more of Jessica's work on her Model Mayhem profile.

I wish Jessica all the best in her career! She would be an amazing person to work with!

Aviva