Herstory
Below you’ll find Loalynda’s story and how she became the Luminary Lady of Guemes Island.
Loalynda’s story begins with glitter. Lot’s of glitter! In one of her earliest memories she recalls being so excited when Santa brought her her first set of glitter paints. From a young age Loalynda has been attracted to all things art. She even says art is her ‘I am’ statement.
Just the beginning…
Growing up in Bellevue, Washington with a creative stylish mother, Loalynda was often exposed to the current music and fashion trends including hair and makeup. Loalynda’s mother went to the local hair salon weekly to get beautiful roller set and bouffant hair styles. Soon enough, Loalynda became interested and then immersed into the world of hair styling and utilizing that as her new creative outlet. She started doing these hairstyles for her mother and her mother's friends as a teenager. And within the blink of an eye Loalynda was managing a hair salon by the time she was twenty years old.
Finding her passion
By then, Loalynda had put in 2,000 hours of training in razor cutting, scissor cutting, pin curl sets, roller sets, finger wave sets, skin care and facial expertise, manicurist and pedicure training, barbering, hair coloring and the chemistry involved, permanent waving, and technical medical training on skin and nail disorders. Though luckily for her, by the last month of her training hair style and fashion trends were dramatically changing in much more creative edgy ways.
At twenty, Loalynda was managing “Innervisions” alongside Larry Alves. One year later Loalynda was offered among a few select hairstylists to accompany the salon’s owner Larry to travel to London, Paris, and Dusseldorf for the 1977 World Championships of Hair Design. There is where Loalynda met Vidal Sasson, Paul Mitchel, Trevor Sorbe, amongst many other creative talents ahead of their time. While at the Championships, Loalynda got the opportunity to model on stage for Vidal Sasson’s team. From that moment on Loalynda became inspired in a whole new way.
Newly inspired
With no time wasted, Loalynda came back from the trip and immediately started working on opening up her own salon, and by the age of twenty-three she did just that. Farouche was open and the most trending hair salon in town. With rock music playing, and pictures of her teams work covering the walls. During this time Loalynda started to become involved in photoshoots. Then opened a newly inspired salon ‘classics’ while doing more fashion photography and styling within the Seattle area. During that time she became good friends with Seattle fashion photographers like Jim Hadley. It was no surprise that Loalynda became a name to look out for in Bellevue’s upcoming stars article.
New dreams
One on going theme in Loalynda’s story is that she never stops dreaming more grandiose dreams one after the next. One of her dreams being to move to Los Angeles to train under Joe Blasco, whom at the time was the president of the makeup artists union and had his own training center. In 1988, Loalynda moved and did just that. They day after she graduated from his training she became the head instructor at Joe Blasco’s school and got a parking spot with her name on it. From there, Loalynda’s Los Angeles Hair and Makeup Career began to flourish, and for that she cannot thank Joe Blasco enough.
Loalynda became one of the few artists that could do both hair and makeup in LA. Creating glamour, historical period looks, character, wound simulation, bald caps, and special effects. From 1989 to 1996 Loalynda worked consistently doing film, tv, video, and print. You can view all of Loalynda’s hollywood credits below! After shooting with the likes of Universal Studios Photographer Moses Sparks, and Print Fashion Photographer TC Riener, Loalynda signed with Zenobia Agency. Loalynda got the opportunity to work with the likes of actors Robert Downey Jr., Sarah Jessica Parker, and a young Leonardo Dicaprio. As well as musicians such as LL Cool J, Harry Connick Jr., and Michael Bolton. During this time Loalynda became an Emmy Nominated artist after working on the film ‘Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter’ that came out in 1991.
The birth of Loalynda Designs
In 1996, Loalynda had her daughter and had decided to return to her drawing easel. But it was only a matter of time before Loalynda put just as much passion and dedicated into this art form as she did before with hair and makeup. Throughout the years of raising her daughter, she created over fifty-six illustrations and turned them into a prints and greeting card business. She had launched Loalynda Designs and had her work in one hundred and ten boutiques across the United States as well as one in London. Loalynda still has works available today! View her works here!
Shop Designs!
Returning to a passion
After living in San Francisco for a few months, Loalynda reconnected with a friend in Los Angeles that introduced her to the theater and stage production scene in San Francisco. Not too soon after Loalynda found herself doing hair and make for stage productions in Sausalito. Back Dor Stage Productions became Loalynda’s new creative home. Owned by Dorrie Clark who had previously been a choreographer for TV and Stage Productions in New York. After three years of creating with hair and makeup again, a new wave of life began for Loalynda. Her youngest daughter had moved off to college in 2014 to attend art school in Seattle. That was when Loalynda had decided it was time for her to move back to her home state of Washington. Where she soon lived out her childhood dream of living on Guemes Island of the San Juan Islands. See below for Loalynda’s Bay Area creative journey.
After living on Guemes Island for a few years, Loalynda stumbled upon luminary art. The art of bringing light to the darkness through sculpting lantern like creations in all different shapes and sizes. With the essence of being drawn towards glitter or things that shine bright from a young age. This new found artform struck something within Loalynda.
Discovering the light
By 2016, Loalynda had found and attended luminary classes and parades and had decided to found her own luminary studio and present a luminary parade to Guemes Island. This is how PaperBirds Studio and the Annual Earth Day Luminary Parade on Guemes Island came to be. Today Loalynda is constantly creating luminaries in her studio. PaperBirds Studio is where she teaches luminary and other art classes to students from children to adults.
The Annual Earth Day Luminary Parade
When Loalynda started reflecting on her life’s journey, she found that parades were always something that warmed her heart. She had been attending and participating in the Guemes Island Fourth of July parade with her family since she was a small child. As she grew older she fell in love with the Rose Bowl Parade and the New York Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. One year her husband surprised her and flew her to New York to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person! When all is said and done, Loalynda would like to bring the same sense of love, joy, creativity, and light to her community in all the ways she knows best how. If you would like to get involved with Loalynda’s luminary journey, head to the Studio or Events page!
Credits
Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter
*Emmy Nomination
CBS/Larry Thompson ENT | Director Charles Jarrott
KEY MAKEUP
Parenthood
NBC/Ron Howard Productions | Director Allen Arkush
KEY HAIR
Tenses: Moving Image Art Piece
*Museum of Modern Art in Los Angeles
ARCIMBOLD Film | Director Tony Nicholas
KEY HAIR
“Busted” Music Video Cheap Trick
Propaganda Productions | Epic Records
KEY MAKEUP / HAIR
The Raven
Promo Photoshoot for Movie | Director Actor Richard Coca
WOUND FX MAKEUP / HAIR
Simply Mad About the Mouse
Disney/Garen Entertainment | Director Scott Garen
KEY HAIR / MAKEUP
Back to the Future Trilogy
Universal Studios/ZM Productions | Director Peyton Reed
KEY HAIR
The Boys Club
Biz Productions | Director Ian Sutterman
KEY MAKEUP
Rock The Vote
MTV/Los Angeles | Non Profit
KEY HAIR
Til Death Do Us Part
BIS Productions | Director Ian Sutterman
KEY MAKEUP
Cinesource Promo Video
Cinesource | Director Paul Apple
KEY HAIR / MAKEUP
Empress & Passion Moon Rising
American Film Institute | Director Bruce Somers
KEY MAKEUP / HAIR
The Wager
*2007 Best Short Film Gloria Film Festival
Screensavers Entertainment | Director Stacey Peretski
KEY MAKEUP / HAIR
Eye On LA
ABC/Fashion Segment | Director Rhaz Zeisler
KEY MAKEUP
Call from Space
Showscan Productions | Director Jim Cady
KEY HAIR / MAKEUP
They Phylis George Show
CBS Pilot | Director Rhaz Zeisler
HAIR
Keys to Tulsa
Polygram Film Entertainment | Director Leslie Greif
WIG DESIGN KEY ACTORS
CELEBRITIES
Jane Atkinson
Ed Begley Jr.
Maurice Bernard
Michael Bolton
Steve Buscemi
Kirk Cameron
Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick)
Richard Coca
Harry Connick Jr.
Rachel Leigh Cook
Patrick Cronin
Mary Edith Burrell
Vito D’Amico
Leonardo Dicaprio
Edith Diaz
Peter Dinklage
Robert Downey Jr.
Mathew Faison
Francis Fisher
Avia Fries
Bette Ford
Lita Ford
Terri Garr
Joanna Going
Kate Hudson
Howard Leese (Heart)
LL Cool J
Jet Li
Matt Lindquist
Barry Lynch
Bobbie McFerrin
Sheila McRae
Marco Mendoza (Ozzie Osborn, Thin Lizzy, White Snake)
Gunner Nelson (Nelson)
Mathew Nelson (Nelson)
Rick Nelsen (Cheap Trick)
Susan Norman
Ozzie Osborn
Donny Osmond
James D. Owens
Michael Penn
Sarah Jessica Parker
Tom Peterson (Cheap Trick)
Robin Pearson Rose
Martin Scorsese
Alexandra Seeyle
James Spader
Paul Speer
Polly Shore
Eric Stolz
Deborah Unger
John Wheeler
Jane Wiedlin (Gogo’s)
William Windom
Debra Winter
Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
Billy Zane
LIVE PRODUCTIONS
HAIR SPRAY
2014 | San Mateo
PHENOMENA
1987 | Seattle
WONDERLAND
2013 | San Francisco
LEATHER AND LACE
1986 | Seattle
JERUSELEM AD
2007 | Los Angeles
CALENDAR GIRL
1981 | Seattle
HEART STRINGS NATIONAL TOUR
1989 | Los Angeles
WORLD COMPETITION HAIR SHOW
1978 | Paris
Secrets of Color Book
by Photographer Jim Zuckerman | 2005
Hair, Makeup, Costume Design Pages
Valley Magazine
of Mike Dunleavy Lakers Coach | 1991
Photo Styling
NorthWest Woman Magazine
Featuring Loalynda in ‘Top 10 Seattle Woman to Succeed’ | 1988
Hair and Makeup
Lincoln Road Magazine Cover
of Kate Hudson | 2004
Hair and Makeup
Movie Line Magazine
of Rachel Lee Cook | 1999
Hair and Makeup
City Kids Magazine
Featuring Loalynda’s Hair Salon ‘Classics‘ | 1987
Hair Styling
*Graphis Fashion | Pages 35 & 46
by Photographer TC Reiner | 1998
Hair, Makeup, Photo Styling
Movie Line Magazine
of Kate Hudson | 1999
Hair and Makeup
Back Stage Magazine
for rock band ‘Ears’ | 1986
Hair and Makeup
Secrets of Color Book
by Photographer Jim Zuckerman | 2005
Hair, Makeup, Costume Design Pages
The Hollywood Reporter | Page 20
featuring Loalynda doing makeup | 1994
Craft Series: Costume, Wardrobe, and Makeup
*Loalynda was so honored to have her work featured in Graphis. They select photographers in an international competition of upcoming and established renowned photographers. Over 200 photos, each winning photographer represented by their two winning photos. The two images selected from the stunning fashion photographer TC Reiner happened to both be my hair, makeup, and photo styling. Pages 35 and 46.
Photographers
TC Riener
Santa Barbara / New York
Moses Sparks
Los Angeles / Universal
Jim Zuckerman
Los Angeles
Jim Hadley
Seattle / New York
Shane Sato
Hollywood
Educator
Cinema Makeup School
Guest Artist / Instructor: Beauty, Period Makeup, Fantasy
Los Angeles | 1997 - 2004
Joe Blasco Makeup Center
Head Instructor: Beauty, Special FX, Prosthetics Makeup
Hollywood | 1998-1989
NHCA National Hairdressers and Cosmetology Association
Vice President of Education and Shows
Seattle | 1983 - 1986