Little Hawk: What kind of art do you do?

Michelle Buell: I do Photography and makeup design.

LH: What is it like to be self taught?

MB: I’ve always been interested in makeup as an art form so it’s spending a lot of time doing the same things over and over again. I’m proud of it. I’m proud of being able to say ‘Oh yeah. I taught myself how to do everything.’

LH: What’s your favorite project that you’ve ever done?

MB: I think one of my favorite projects I’ve done is this makeup that looks like it’s electric and glowing. It’s very pretty but I actually was just messing around but it looks so good. I have it on a button.

LH: What got you started with photography?

MB: Everyone in my family is a photographer. My sister is a professional photographer, my grandpa’s interested in it, my aunt is interested in it, my great grandma was interested in it. It’s like a generational thing that we all have in common. Something we talk to each other about, help each other with.

LH: What got you into makeup?

MB: Well I danced for 9 years so for recitals my mom would have to do my makeup and, after recitals, I would find the bag of makeup and just mess with it forever.

LH: How would you define your artistic style in three words?

MB: Colorful, Out of the box, and perceptional. It’s based on perception and I feel like you can see a lot of what I am trying to convey with the specific models. I feel like when take pictures of them, capture them in their essence, you can see who they are.

LH: How do you feel taking pictures vs being in the photos

MB:I feel like I enjoy taking pictures and being a studio photographer and I kind of get frustrated whenever I have to do it on myself because they never come out the same because I can’t shoot and be the model at the same time. I like doing it on myself because, obviously, I’m more comfortable with myself but I don’t have a big enough set up to take studio photos of myself.

LH: What are your next projects that you are planning on

MB: for my portfolio for AP studio art I’m doing a project on the destruction of the earth and climate change, showing how we are eluding the earth so I’m kind of going into this area of pollution and what we can do to stop this and showing the effects of it

LH: Are all of your projects mainly focused on global issues?

MB: Not all of them. Some of them are just fun and creative but I feel like there is a world of opportunity within showing design through makeup that hasn’t been explored yet that I would love to dive into.