We were lucky to catch up with Katerina Packis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Katerina, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

As a “self-taught” makeup artist, my real teachers were the original “beauty gurus” of YouTube. Every night, I’d consume hours of beauty content- tutorials, product reviews, etc.- so, before I could even buy makeup without the permission of my parents, I was learning. Debit card finally at my disposal, I bought my very first eyeshadow palette as a college freshman. I had been using makeup to conceal my acne since the age of 12, but only slowly venturing into makeup that wasn’t necessarily “practical”. That first eyeshadow palette turned into several palettes, and from then on, my creativity had a new outlet.
Along with plenty of practice on myself and others, YouTube is still an asset for my education. Free education surrounds us- YouTube, Instagram, TikTok- in a way that previous generations of artists did not have. Seeing how social media has developed in the past 10 years, I don’t think I could’ve sped up my education. My biggest barrier was probably the monetary aspect of makeup. Building my collection has taken years upon years and I don’t think I could’ve rushed that.
I went to the Savannah College of Art and Design and majored in Film & TV, where I learned everything I know about filmmaking and photography. I went in having touched a professional camera only once, so I had everything to learn. I continued my pursuit of makeup artistry as a hobby, but focused on my filmmaking studies. I honestly wish I pursued makeup artistry more seriously during that time, as I would’ve had more experience later on.
In both filmmaking and makeup artistry, the most essential skills for my early learning were dedication, passion, perseverance, and practice. I still harness these skills as I continue to learn. Education has no end- I’m learning all the time, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Katerina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

To those who don’t know me, I’m Katerina (friends call me Kat) and I’m a makeup artist and filmmaker based in New York City. My makeup work can be viewed on Instagram, which is @katpackis, or my website, which is KaterinaPackis.com. I’ve been posting my makeup looks to Instagram since 2020, during the time when staring at your wall was considered a reasonable way to pass the time (thank you COVID). I’d been doing makeup on myself for fun for many years, but I finally took the leap and started putting my work out there. My looks are far from “conventional”, and I’m proud of that. I aim to push the boundaries of what makeup is considered to be. It is an art form where a face is my canvas. I find inspiration from fellow makeup artists, clothing designs, painters, movies/tv shows, tattoo artists, animals, and even my morning latte. I like to think my work is far from what the average person thinks makeup is.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is the sense of community and support you can have just through doing and sharing your art. I’ve gotten closer with old friends and have made new friends through sharing my art to Instagram. The support I’ve received has been amazing and I’m so thankful for that. In film, your fellow crew members become your good friends very quickly. It’s almost difficult not to bond, as you’re sharing 12+ hour work days with them. That sense of community is sometimes the only thing keeping you going.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think society needs to realize the true value of artists/creatives and how capitalism kills creativity. I think in the beginning of the pandemic, people realized how much we rely on creatives for our entertainment and enjoyment. We were watching movies/tv shows, playing video games, doing puzzles, reading, listening to music, consuming content on social media, baking, etc. We would’ve had nothing without the artists that created those things. Art is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is our respite from an avaricious society. Humans intrinsically create. Without the need to make money to survive, we all became more creative. I think capitalism is largely to blame for the “starving artist” trope. Why is art not a feasible career path when so many people rely on it in their everyday lives? Why do we view artists as disposable? What doesn’t make owners enough of a profit is not valuable in this society, and that kills a lot of creativity. The need to survive (and, in turn, the need to make money) outweighs our need to create, and causes so many people to give up their dreams. So, in such a society, individuals need to support individuals as much as they can. Support small local businesses and creators. Support your creative friends. Pay them what they’re worth. I guarantee you that they’re underpricing themselves to compete with large corporations’ prices. Yes, it may be more expensive than you’re used to, but instead of making millionaires into billionaires, you’ll be allowing them to buy groceries or pay rent or replace their beat-up sneakers. So, to create a thriving creative ecosystem, I think we first need more awareness, more respect, and more community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katerinapackis.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katpackis/

Image Credits
Sarah McDonald, Christine Evans