We had the good fortune of connecting with Mae Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mae, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Living my best life everyday makes me happy. We have the power to choose what we do as individuals. It’s our own responsibility to make sure we are happy, nobody else’s. “Everyday is a vacation when you love your occupation.” – Dirty Heads My passion in life is not only creating art but making each and everyone of my clients feel like a masterpiece themselves. When you look good, you feel good and do good. I find joy in helping others feel good about themselves inside and out. We forget that we are our own harshest critics. I think its fair to say that in today’s day and age we are continuously judging not only others by their appearance but also ourselves. Every day I wake up and get to do what I love most, what I am passionate about. Every day is a happy day!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am not just a hairstylist, I am a hair artist. Whether its a simple root touch up or a dramatic color melt, ALL of my services are a work of art. I think one of the things that set me apart from others is that if I want to do something, I am going to do it. I don’t really care for sitting around waiting for an invitation or an opportunity to presents its self. I create my own opportunities. I take pride in giving my clients their dream hair, whether they want to feel like a mermaid, a unicorn, or rock some gorgeous peacock coloring, I make it happen. As we started playing with fantasy colors and ideas, I developed a concept for a photoshoot which would not only serve as a creative outlet for me, but also boost my advertising on social media. The process was so fun, I was absolutely in my element creating these gorgeous hairstyles, and my clients made for excellent models. My passion for hair has pushed me through this journey. Certainly, the easiest part was knowing that I was going to be a hair artist no matter what. No one, not a single nay-sayer, was going to get in my way because I was so determined to succeed. My parents didn’t want me to be a hair stylist, and my instructors were very discouraging. One instructor went so far as to tell me I was never going to make it in the industry because “no one wants to have blue or multicolored hair.” Luckily, I found a group of amazing mentors at the salon I interned at. They were skillful and encouraging, they taught me everything they knew while giving me the space to experiment with my artistry (including bright blue and other magical colors!) The next big hurdle after graduating was establishing myself as an artist and building my clientele. I tried to juggle a part-time job while I did this (a girl’s got to eat, right?) but ultimately, it was overwhelming and I wasn’t trusting myself the way I needed to in order to be successful. Having a second job was only taking away my time and energy from the salon. The best bet I’ve ever made is the one I made on myself, and when I finally quit my part-time gig and went all-in on my career is when I found the most success. As a commission-based stylist, the hardest part about building your clientele is doing your own advertising. At first, I was intimidated and a little lost on how to use social media as my main outlet to advertise. I came across an Instagram class for hairstylists! This class has helped me find a clear idea on how I present my work and catch the eye of potential clients and opportunities. The handful of clients I found at the beginning of my career followed me to the next salon, and as I have progressed through my career my clientele has grown and “come along for the ride.” I’m thankful for their support, and they’re thankful for my hair wizardry! More than that, I’m proud to say that I never quit, or slowed my roll. It’s so gratifying to love what you do. I never dread “going to office.” My passion for my craft keeps me motivated, keeps food on the table and keeps me happy. It’s priceless. I think of myself as an artist and my clients as canvases. I take pride in giving my clients their dream hair, whether they want to feel like a mermaid, a unicorn, or rock some gorgeous peacock coloring, I make it happen. As we started playing with fantasy colors and ideas, I developed a concept for a photoshoot which would not only serve as a creative outlet for me, but also boost my advertising on social media. The process was so fun, I was absolutely in my element creating these gorgeous hairstyles, and my clients made for excellent models. To my surprise, I caught the attention of RAW: Natural Born Artist. Raw events are local, multifaceted artistic showcases which feature films, musical performances, fashion shows, etc. Raw contacted me and asked if I would be a featured hair artist, it was so exciting to be recognized for my work! It was a great opportunity to showcase my hair artistry and do some networking. After my first showcase, I was invited to be a part of New York Fashion Gallery’s beauty team for ew York Fashion Week. The whole time i felt like I was in a dream! I had the pleasure of working on a handful of models. It was such a thrilling experience to be backstage fo final touch ups! Sitting front row and watching the models I worked on strut down the runway was so surreal. I’ll b chasing that feeling for awhile. When I came home from NYC I was so motivated and inspired. I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of Denver Fashion Week‘s beauty team led by Underground Beauty. Even though Denver is growing quickly, it is still small enough and makes it a little easier to make great connections with other stylists and artists. i am excited for upcoming shows and more opportunities with DFW. And hopefully Underground Beauty. During this past year, I have slowly gone back to creating my own opportunities. I have organized numerous photo shoots with some beautifully talented artists and models. I just recently worked with 303 Fashion magazine for a photo shoot, and made some friendly connections for more opportunities in the future. I have also been working on a secret project that I’m excited to share with the world in the next few weeks. I have more personal photo shoots planned for the future, and I love collaborating with other artists! I am always looking for a costume/clothing designers, photographers, as well as make-up artists. If you have these skills, don’t be shy about reaching out! We all have creative ideas and visions, why not work together to bring them to life?

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love showing off the mountains and Denver to my friends whenever they come visit! I always start by taking my bestie to the best brunch spot, Sassafras. The Highlands is my favorite location because of the charming historic Victorian neighborhood and the restaurant is in a beautiful historic Victorian house. Any of the deliciously cozy southern cuisines paired with any of their delightful cocktails is the perfect start to any day! After going to one of my favorite brunch spots, I like to go on a little daytime adventure and go take a little hike around Red Rocks Amphitheater or take a stroll around Golden River in Downtown Golden. Denver some amazing parks scattered across the city, all with beautiful views. In the evenings we mainly keep it low key and I make some dinner and we vibe. When we are feeling extra adventurous , like to go Upstairs Circus for some cocktails and arts and crafts. Speak Easys are my usual go to for pre-dinner drinks. If it’s the first Friday of the month, you’ll definitely catch us at the SanteFe’ Art walk. Amazing art with Denver’s best food trucks is one of the best adventures Denver offers! If we going out for dinner, Machete Tacos by the Union Staton is always a great time or hitting Tennyson Street. During the summer time, camping and hiking are the usual go to. Or floating down the Platt River and grabbing brunch and checking out the many art museums. If you know where to look there are some different art-immersion exhibits that are always fun for an impromptu photo shoot. Depending on what’s going on in Denver and whose coming to town, it’s always an adventure!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give a shoutout to my husband, my warrior, Jeffery Lovern. He has been by my side through all the epic and devastating times. Receiving nothing but love, support and encouragement to following my dreams and to keep exploring and leveling up. He was always the first to point out when I was loosing balance between work and life and was the most patient when I tying to find said balance. Not one doubt or any negativity, only positive glittery vibes. I love you forever and always!

Instagram: @passionate_hairartist

Image Credits
Photography credit @rebelmaephotography – Kimmy @___brownblondee – Mikala Drew @jacquelinesroses – Jacqueline Rose @bkm_photo – Brenden Mathews

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