Meeting and occasionally gifting my art to legendary icons that I admire is one thing, but encountering icons who are creators themselves and inspire me to elevate my artistry skills always takes the experience to a whole new level. First there was Tom Savini, then Cleve Hall, and after last night I can finally add award winning makeup artist Ve Neill to the list!

Thanks to The Horror House Shop and Hollywood Blvd Cinema who hosted a screening last night of Batman Returns (my all time favorite Batman movie) along with a Q&A and Meet & Greet with Ve, I was able to check meeting another legendary artist that I admire off my list.

I knew I had to make her something to thank her for inspiring me as an artist and creating so many of the iconic movie characters I hold so dear, but most importantly breaking down barriers and the status quo for women in the arts.

So then it hit me. I had a coffin makeup brush holder that I had planned to transform into a Moffin. I knew that this was my sign that it was finally time to make it because it was meant for Ve. I went through my stash of monster eyes and picked out my favorite pair. The colors of them are my favorites… (galaxy colors.. magentas, fuchsias, purples, and blues) and I knew I had the perfect hair to go with it. I wanted to do something a little different with the paint job on this one. I mean it was going to an award winning makeup artist. The woman created the iconic look of Beetlejuice, won Emmy’s for Pee Wee’s Playhouse, and judged incredible works of art on SyFy’s Face Off. In other words I had to up my game. So I went with an ombre effect and could not be happier with the way it came out. I then went online and bought some makeup brushes in the same colors of the Moffin just for effect (as I know Ve uses her own brushes) and it all came together perfectly. Seeing I am my own worst critic, when I say “perfectly” what I really mean is that my heart skipped a beat when I saw Ve’s genuine reaction of joy when I handed it to her.

So here is how it came out….

And here are the photos of my memorable experience gifting it to Ve and a shot of it sitting at her table where she kept it displayed all night….

After watching her weekly and religiously during every season of Face Off I had formed an idea of what she might be like in person, and I wasn’t disappointed. She was so genuinely appreciative that I made her something, and as she took it all in looking at it, she couldn’t stop expressing how absolutely adorable it was, her face beaming with a huge smile. I shared how thrilled I was that she liked it, to which she replied that she loved it. My husband Frank (credited for capturing the amazing candid photos) proudly showed her his Beetlejuice sleeve, and I mentioned that I had suggested he ask her for recommendations on who to add next. She offered a fantastic suggestion, and now he’s seriously considering making it happen.

To top it off during the Q&A the gentleman on the mic that was interviewing her made mention of the unique brush holder on her table and she graciously acknowledged, “Oh, a lovely young lady made and gave that to me tonight.” He inquired if I was present in the audience, and as I raised my hand, she pointed me out. He then commended me for crafting something so cool, giving me a shout-out for my creativity.

One of the things that really stood out to me during her Q&A was her story about when she was a little girl and how her neighbor was a makeup artist. She dreamt of following in his footsteps one day. Despite him occasionally doing her makeup for Halloween and such, he consistently rebuffed her inquiries about pursuing a career in the field. Undeterred, she forged her path independently even in a male-dominated industry. I admire and in a way envy (in all the good ways) her determined spirit— a woman who fearlessly pursued her dreams and set a path for so many artists after her.

It goes without saying I have been on cloud nine since last night. Which was a much needed lift after having such a rough “living my best heating pad life” sort of week. I’ve been sharing with everyone about how amazing Ve was, and I’m still buzzing with excitement knowing she now owns one of my creations. Not only did she genuinely like it, but meeting her surpassed all my expectations. I’m immensely grateful to the event hosts and to Ve for making another one of my dreams a realty!

Love this Moffin creation? See more of my monster coffin creations here on my official portfolio website!

Stay Spooky & Magical,
LDG Nicole