2019 NAHA Finalist - Megan Grimm | Newcomer - Bangstyle

Originally studying Art and Dance, Megan Grimm is naturally artistic. And art is exactly where she got the inspiration for her collection. She states, "This collection takes modern forms of styling juxtaposed with a sense of atmosphere from Baroque paintings. This collection is meant to provoke emotion through lighting, expression, movement, and negative space. The rest of the interpretation belongs to that of the viewer." Just like any great piece of art, it is what the audience makes of it. To see more of Megan's beautiful collection and hear more about her as an artist, keep reading!

Tell us more about you as an artist.

I am a local to the Indianapolis area. I grew up just outside the city on the East side. I have been creating and performing since I can remember. My very first and favorite media was drawing and sculpture. I remember drawing one of my favorite animals – horses – almost constantly and sculpting with Playdo or sculpting clay. My love for art and its multiple media grew through elementary, middle, and high school. After landing an art scholarship at ISU, I majored in Fine Art with a focus in drawing and a minor in Art History. This is where I discovered thoughtful art.

While I was attending ISU, I had entered my first juried exhibition with no luck in my work being accepted. I was on the phone with my mother upset and explaining that I didn't want to be a gallery artist anyway. A professor overheard my conversation and came up to me with two questions I will never forget.

At the time I was dancing at school and he asked me if I had to choose, would I choose to dance or focus on being an artist. Without hesitation, I told him I would choose art. He then asked me if I had ever considered becoming a cosmetologist and that another student had attended ISU as an art major and became a hairdresser creating beautiful Avant-Garde hair.

Slightly insulted that he was questioning my dedication, I didn't give the conversation too much credit, or at least I thought. Without remembering this talk, I later quit dance to focus on wrapping up my final classes for art. I graduated and spent two years selling individual health insurance. I struggled with feeling fulfilled knowing that I wanted to spend my life creating and that I had things I wanted to say.

A friend at work mentioned possibly enrolling in cosmetology school and we talked about it for several weeks. As cheesy as it sounds, one evening I came home from work and went into my bathroom. I turned on my blow dryer and with the flip of a switch, I knew! I was meant to make art with hair.

As a newcomer, what did you learn about competition?

I took a lot away from my first time entering NAHA. My first entry was in 2017 in the Makeup category. I learned so much about team selection, the importance of test shoots, and letting go of some creative control. I contacted known NAHA photographers and asked them to critique my work to be sure I was on the same brain wave as these Award-Winning artists. I contacted photographers because they capture the final product and make the image whole.

One of the most difficult challenges with this collection was finding the fluidity of one style to the next without compromising the execution of each individual look. Because we had one model, we really had to push ourselves to create a believable story with separate images.

What was your biggest focus with each style?

My main focus in each style was movement and mood. I am attracted to the versatility of photography and its ability to seemly transform into other forms of art.

What products/tools did you utilize?

All of my styling products are LANZA styling products (Dry Texture Spray, Keratin Healing Oil Treatment, Design FX Spray, and ). My tools varied from texturing tools, straighteners, to hairpins.

What other forms of art inspire you?

I am of the belief that just about everything is art, however, I am most inspired by dance, sculpture, drawing, painting, digital art, music/sound, and nature.

How much prep time went into each piece?

Each look varied, however, it took about 2 to 2 ½ hours to prepare each style. A lot of time went into posing and lighting to be sure we achieved the right mood. Our test shoot was a must.

How did you select your team? Have you worked with them before?

I was very fortunate to have the team I had this year. Each individual volunteered their time and skill. I had worked one on one with each of my team members prior to our NAHA sessions. I look for a team whose skill set match the requirements of what elements are needed to create the final result. I look for a team that communicates and works well together, a team that can visualize the end goal in their own creative right, and a team that wants “IT” just as bad.

Our mood board first focused on the overall landscape of the final image. When sketching out concepts, I considered line, design, and positive and negative space to be sure the story would flow to the eye. I knew early on that I wanted to incorporate the shadowy drama of Baroque style paintings, similar to that of Caravaggio and needed a model that was able to carry the amount of shadow required for the effect.