Face the future

GIVING CHEF 22 | SPRING FASHION 29 | AIRDRIE READS 38 greatlife

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FACING TALENTHIS

STORY BY STACIE GAETZ | PHOTOS BY KRISTY REIMER An Airdrie makeup artist was recently recognized for his talent on the international stage when his TikTok series went viral – attracting more than 300,000 followers.

Bryan Francisco moved to Airdrie in 2011 before attending university in the Philippines and youth work training in Newcastle, England.

Francisco is now back in our community and has been working with makeup as a side gig for three years.

“Doing makeup is an expression of myself and what I can offer the world,” he says.

“My work is an extension of myself, and I love making people see this passion and creativity that expresses my inner freedom.”

THE SIGNS Francisco created his Zodiac series on his social media channels in December 2020 and he says it is his favourite project to date. The artist transformed himself into each Zodiac sign using makeup, handmade head pieces, clay and airbrushes. “I wanted to illustrate each Zodiac sign and its unique characteristics through different makeup looks,” he says. “The series helped me explore my own style and stretch my creative skills in making other headpieces.” Francisco says he has always been a creative person and was drawn to the looks he has seen on social media.

TIKTOK

SENSATION

Above are just a few of the looks Francisco created on TIKTOK that went viral. See his work @bryan.mua

“As I continue to browse and see different stunning and out-of-this-world creations through this artistry, I became even more curious and fascinated with the possibilities I could create,” he says.

He describes his style as a “blend of avant-garde and editorial.”

“As I learn from others, I also try new possibilities and forward-looking techniques while still relevant and engaging to my followers,” he adds.

THE RESPONSE Francisco adds that he was incredibly surprised by the number of followers, likes and comments he received from the series.

“I was overwhelmed by the response on TikTok, and I woke up one day to a text from a friend saying that I was trending worldwide,” he says.

“One look was viewed two million times in a matter of days of me posting it. It was unbelievable!”

Francisco works in makeup part time, but his fulltime job is as a special needs assistant in Airdrie. He says he finds that work very rewarding and has no plans to jump into makeup work full time but adds he would love to take his talent to the film industry one day if given the opportunity.

“Creating looks for films or providing makeup in that industry would be a dream come true,” he says.

WHAT’S NEXT To that end, he is currently working on several ideas regarding mythical creatures and extraterrestrials.

He adds that he plans to incorporate his Filipino culture into his upcoming work.

“In my Fire Fairy look, I have used ‘Baybayin,’ the Indigenous writing script used by our ancestors in the pre-Hispanic time,” he adds.

“I come from a vibrant culture in the Philippines from which I can take inspiration. This expression of my culture is also influencing my current series of mythical creatures.”

Francisco also spoke about being a man in a predominately woman-led industry, saying he is so glad that we live in a time in our culture where diversity is celebrated.

“Women and men now have used this artistry to express themselves,” he adds.

“Most importantly, I believe that the more diverse this industry becomes, the more imaginative it can be.”

He adds that being imaginative with makeup is a creative process in which anyone can take part.

“Makeup is for all! It has no boundaries, and creativity is limitless. Just trust the process!” he says. life