Clarion-Limestone student sets sights on make-up career

By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer

Clarion-Limestone High School junior Kamie Studer is like any other teenage girl. She loves to spend time with her friends but

Kamie’s friends are monsters.

A cosmetology student at Clarion County Career Center, Studer creates monsters and her friends are her favorite canvas.

Studer spent Saturday, Oct. 12 creating monsters at the annual Haunted Barn near Corsica. Through the course of the evening she created zombies, vampires, aliens and a few creatures that defied classification.

“I got into make up four or five years ago. Coming to the Haunted Barn got me into it,” she said. “I wanted to learn how to do it so I started figuring it out on my own.

Studer acknowledged the class work at the career center doesn’t include a lot of opportunities to create the art she’s creating at the haunted barn

“So, I sort of branched out,” she said. “I also do homecoming and prom make up.”

In the beginning Studer practiced on herself.

“I did a lot of things on my legs. I did a lot of cuts and once I got good at that I started on the bigger stuff,” she said. “My brothers wouldn’t let me practice on them but my dad lets me practice on him.”

Studer watched TV shows like “The Living Dead” for her inspiration initially but then began reading trade journals.

She admires the work of special effects artist Pauley.

“He liked one of my photos and I cried,” she said. “I was very happy.”

This is her second year doing the makeup for the Haunted Barn.

“Last year I did it free hand but this year I did some movie characters as well,” she said. “The makeup matches a specific movie room in the barn. The Haunted Barn is kid-friendly so we tone down the makeup a bit.”

Studer added, “I am allergic to make up so I have to buy a lot of products on line. If I don’t I will have a reaction to it. Since I am a cosmetology student I can go to some stores and get a discount on things I use on other people.”

For this year’s haunted barn Studer started putting on makeup at 3 p.m. and was still working on faces at 7 p.m.

“It takes a long time but I enjoy this,” she said.

There were final touches required for some of the characters.

The vampire and other characters needed a little blood, which is why Studer brought her own “Bottle of Blood.”

She created a mandible with enlarged teeth she made from clay.

When Studer is not making monsters she works at a local restaurant and wrestles for Clarion Area High School.

She plans to continue making monsters after she graduates.

“I plan on going to the Tom Savini Special Makeup Effects Academy in Pittsburgh,” Studer explained. “I want to get into film makeup.”

The haunted barn is held annually to benefit the Pine Creek Volunteer Fire Company.

The haunted barn is held every weekend through Halloween along Old State Road just off of U.S. Route 322 in Roseville, Jefferson County.