Melange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2020 | Page 85

painter whose talent for this
artform emerged seemingly
without warning. With no
formal training, she “discovered”
her talent over 15 years ago
while preparing to participate,
with her children, in a carnival
masquerade band. After
donning their costumes, she
realized that something was
needed to complete the look.
Grabbing liquid eyeliner, she
quickly created designs on
faces, “nothing elaborate,” she
said, “just some lined work,”
but this was enough to catch
the attention of the carnival
organizers, who rushed to a
nearby dollar store, bought all
the liquid eyeliners they could
find and put her to work on
faces in time for the parade.
The word was out - face painting
at her kids’ school followed on
an informal basis. Over time,
Johanne gradually purchased
products, building her kit
into an enviable assortment
of everything face-painting
related. Five years ago, what
was once a hobby started to
generate an income for her.
She teamed up with someone
who had a contract to paint
faces in Montreal’s schools, and
her hobby-turned-gig began
in earnest. Unfortunately, this
year, it was halted in its tracks by
Covid-19.
Working in an administrative
capacity at a hospital in her city,
Johanne’s days are hectic but
her days off were equally hectic,
pre-Covid-19. Halloween was
her busiest - as she describes it,
“Halloween is a face-painter’s
Christmas.” Throughout the
year, face-painting services
continued at a reasonable
pace at birthday and corporate
parties plus at summer festivals
under her tent. Then with the
end of October comes the
Halloween frenzy culminating
in a busy December with
numerous Christmas parties.
Safety is paramount, so Johanne
only uses paints that are FDA
approved, created specifically
for face and body.
For Johanne, face-painting is
fun and she speaks of it with
genuine enthusiasm in her
voice. Her designs are life-like
and there is no greater joy for
her than bringing an idea
to life on a child’s face – a
lion, a tiger, a princess
– it’s magical, and the
children oftentimes
would transform
before her eyes,
adopting the
stance and
behaviours
of the one
whose
face they
now
wear.
Johanne describes it as a form
of escapism for the kids where
they are, for that brief moment,
what their faces say they are!
This is her ultimate reward.
Adults too are recipients of her
creativity, extending from face
to body-painting.