WESTMORE INSTRUCTORS

Marvin G. Westmore is a six time Emmy nominated, 3rd generation professional Hollywood Makeup Artist, with a history of over 35 years in consumer makeup and in the Motion Picture and Television industry. Mr. Westmore is considered by his peers to be the top makeup specialist in his many fields.

Kandace Westmore (TOP)

Kandace Westmore has been a self-proclaimed makeup geek since the tender age of four. She started cosmetology school at the age of 16, and was lucky enough to begin her professional career working with famous photographers Harry Langdon and George Hurrell. For the former, she utilized her fashion skills while for the latter, Kandace contributed her makeup talents on album covers for artists ranging from Basia to the Pet Shop Boys in the mid-eighties.  She also did many independent films including several feature films for TransWorld Entertainment where she worked as head makeup artist. She also worked for Tribune as a makeup consultant, and with Geraldo on all of his specials.

Kandace honed her craft on various other projects such as infomercials and game shows, including celebrity host Bob Barker on “The Price is Right”. Following an assortment of other assignments, she balanced everything from entertainment specials to sitcoms to reality shows to episodic television. Her many accomplishments include the long-running “Baywatch” and “McGyver” series, “The X-Files”, “Lois & Clark”, and more recently, “American Dreams” , for which Kandace and her team received the coveted 2004 “Best Period makeup” from her peers at the Makeup Artists & Hairstylists Guild, and now “Ghost Whisperer”. She was also thrilled to be nominated for an Emmy for her work on “The Rat Pack” in 1999.

Apart from the glamorous aspect of the business, Kandace has also been involved with medical esthetic makeup for post-operative cosmetic surgery patients, as well as laser resurfacing facially disfigured patients. She has also been asked to utilize her talents to test and evaluate products for various cosmetic and top skin care lines.

Kandace, who Life Magazine spotlighted as the “First female Westmore to pursue the craft”, continues the Westmore dynasty as a fourth-generation Hollywood makeup artist whose most recent projects include “Revelations” starring Bill Pullman and Natasha Henstridge (directed by David Seltzer) for which has received another Emmy nomination, “Hollywood Division” (directed by James Foley), “Checking Out” starring Peter Falk and Mario Van Peebles, and the television series “Surface” starring Laura Daughtery. Kandace is currently working on the set of “Ghost Whisperer” starring Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Kandace has spent nine years on the Executive Board of Hollywood Local 706 IATSE, and has been a member of the local 706 for 18 years. She is also a member of CEA (Cosmetology Educators of America), and has continued the legacy of the Westmores being active with the Hollywood Local which her great uncles and grandfather started.

Christie Leister, Head Beauty Instructor (TOP)

Christie is a graduate of Westmore Academy , which expanded her career from weddings and special occasion makeup to include photography, video, television and film. Christie's work can be seen on the new home improvement show “Designed to Sell”, “The Jury” on the discovery channel, (a Directors Guild recognized film). Her work also includes a variety of photo shoots and music videos including American HI-FI, Donnie Rai and Nina Shaw. “Westmore Academy provided a pertinent stepping stone in my makeup career and can do the same for anyone wanting to take their skills to the next step."

Mark Bussan (TOP)

Mr. Bussan is a highly skilled Makeup Artist from beauty to makeup effects.  Mark has won two Emmys and eight Emmy Nominations.  For over 35 years he has done numerous motion pictures, dozens of television shows such as "The Young and the Restless", "Charlie's Angels", and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" just to name a few.  He recently worked on "Deadwood" for HBO.

Autumn Scruggs (TOP)

Autumn Scruggs has over 8 years experience in makeup. She has worked on music videos such as 311, Backstreet Boys, Blink 182, Big & Rich, Snoop Dogg,  Eminem and D12. She also has worked with networks such as NBC, ABC Family, UPN, TLC, Comedy Central, and MTV.  Some of the first films she got her start on were The Last Samurai and Hellboy assisting instructor Mike Pack. Autumn is also a licensed Aesthetician with experience in not only skin, but beauty, fashion, SPFX, airbrushing, body art, and hair. As a graduate of Westmore Academy, she is also an instructor of the weekend airbrushing course. She has built a name for herself airbrushing the likes of Michelle Rodriguez, Snoop Dogg, and Chingy.  Her love is makeup and she will continue to share her craft with students of the Westmore Academy of Cosmetic Arts.   

Ms. Kaori is an Emmy winning makeup artist, who joined the Makeup Union in 1980. Ms. Kaori teaches our very specialized traditional Japanese Kabuki and Geisha makeup. She brings with her all the traditional style and beauty of the Japanese products and tools which have been used for centuries to create these amazing characters. Her credits includes “Flash Dance,” “Ghost Busters,” “American President,” “One more time,” “Blind Date,” “The Natural,” “Batman & Robin,” “Mars Attack,” “Star Trek,” “Escape from LA,” “Last Samurai,” “American Beauty,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “Moon Lighting,” “Step by Step,” “Ally McBeal,” and “ER”. In 2003, Ms. Kaori won the Emmy Award for the TV series, “Alias”. She produced the international fashion spectacle, “Living History of Kimono” in 2005, which some of the industries’ top designers attended.

Kaori was recently honored by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun with Gold and Silver Rays (Kunsho Award) for her cultural contribution to promote understanding of Japanese traditional arts and kimono within the entertainment industry. She has also been supportive of various Japanese-American community organizations in Southern California including Keiro Senior Health Care.

Dalbert Buitrago (TOP)

Makeup artist Dalbert Buitrago teaches the segment on fashion runway and editorial makeup design. With a BFA in Fashion Design and Marketing and over ten years experience as a makeup artist, he combines his knowledge of the fashion industry with his skills in fashion makeup. Dalbert’s work has appeared in magazines such as Beverly Hills 213, Elle Décor, Inside Weddings, and Spoon Magazine, and he has worked with photographers such as Andrew Matusik, Davis Factor, and Timothy White. Dalbert is a makeup artist for Nars Cosmetics at Barney’s New York in Beverly Hills, CA.

Gordon Banh (TOP)

Gordon is a graduate of Westmore Academy of Cosmetic Arts and has been practicing his craft since he was fifteen years of age. He is also a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Merchandising & Design (FIDM).

Gordon has experience in film, print, music videos, and commercials but his main passion is fashion and beauty make-up.

He is an instructor at the Westmore Academy teaching avant-garde and high fashion make-up.

Monica Rae Guzowski (TOP)

Monica Rae began her artistic career in the theatre 25 years ago. She worked as an actress and designer for companies such as Victory Gardens and Trinity Square Ensemble in Chicago, IL. For six years she was an instructor for the Children's Theatre of Western Springs, where she taught acting, set design, puppet making, makeup, among other thespian arts, and enjoyed directing kids of all ages for the annual spring main stage productions. Her goal as a director came true during the production of Peter Pan, her final play with the children's theatre. "Every position in the booth was filled by a student. The only parents backstage where pulling the ropes for the fly system." Ten years ago she took her set painting skills as started a mural business and her work can be seen from coast to coast. She is very happy to be able to teach again, this time to help Westmore's students improve their drawing and design skills.