There are some amazing artists out there and we love supporting them and their wonderful work. Amaterasu has partnered up with some of these artists to showcase their talent and creativity. Brand creator Sara Au Yeong works directly with each artist, providing them with a specific theme, allowing the artist to explore and interpret the theme in their own unique way.

We’re proud to introduce our Featured Artist – Danielle Kitt DeCuyper. Thank you to Danielle and her team for creating this gorgeous piece that perfectly captures the Wedding theme. With wedding season in full swing, we are totally inspired by the beauty of Danielle and her team’s work.

Read more about Danielle below.

Where did you grow up and where are you located now?

I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta and lived there my whole life until the age of 21 when I moved to Vancouver BC where I attended a Traditional Chinese Medicine school in Burnaby to learn about massage, spa techniques and healing modalities. I then travelled over to Brisbane, Australia for a year for more massage school and work experience and then after that I went a little further and lived in Auckland, New Zealand! This is where I met my partner and found my future home. We currently live in Edmonton, with plans in 2017 to move back to Auckland. I work at the beautiful and ever inspirational, LUX Beauty Boutique in High Street in Edmonton.

Tell us what inspired you to be a makeup artist?

I have always been passionate about artistic expression, mostly through painting and crafting things. And truly I was not talented at makeup as a young adult, but always wore makeup, played with various looks and bought things at Sephora I had no idea how to use. In my mid twenties I started to become interested in the world of cosmetics, and then I found LUX! I applied to work for LUX part time and they saw wonderful potential in me and offered to take me on full time and teach me how to become a makeup artist. So through training, hard work and a lot of correcting mistakes I found a career that is exciting and fills me with joy!

What are some of your favourite makeup looks?

My day to day is clean, glowing skin, bold brows and a bright lip. Oranges & cool pinks are my go-to. But when it comes to clients I love when people want to step out of their comfort zone, and a lot of the lovely ladies I work on are pretty minimal makeup wearers so when you show them something new that enhances their natural beauty there is nothing more rewarding then seeing their glowing faces and them leaving with the knowledge that they can achieve that look at home as well.

Do you have a signature makeup style and if so, what is it?

As I mentioned before, my day-to-day look I guess is what you would call my signature style. It is dewy, clean, glowing skin (I am oily so I just embrace the glow) with neutral blushes, minimal contour, crisp gradient bold brows and a bright lip! I will wear any and every lipstick colour but oranges, cool toned pinks and mauvey nudes are primary contenders for any of my daily looks.

Please share with us your experience of this photo shoot.

I am ever so lucky to be surrounded by amazing talent and opportunities, and when AMATERASU approached me I jumped for joy and replied YES right away.

Ideas and thoughts came pouring out of me.

Finding a photographer was easy as my long time friend Erin Prout is an amazing artist and we get along like a house-on-fire. We share the same vision and I knew that she would make this project even more fun and beautiful.

The beautiful model, Karin Pedersen, is one of the sweetest and most gorgeous women I have ever seen! So naturally, I Instagram stalked her and asked her to join the shoot.

The real struggle was finding a location; I wanted a perfect place that reflected Alberta’s rural community, so when a friend insisted we use the farm where she volunteers and rides her horse I was thrilled! Kel-J-Do Stables in Beaumont, Alberta was the perfect venue. The shoot day was your typical May Day in the prairies, overcast and windy! But we powered through the bitter cold wind, Karin was a major star and stood by patiently while we got the perfect angles, and the horses of course were the stars too.

It was a wonderful experience that got me out of procrastination mode to get organized and create something we are all very proud of.

What are some of you favourite Amaterasu products?

I have to say, I am a major fan of AMATERASU. Sara is a hugely inspirational person to me and I adore her and the line.

Ultra Volume Mascara is a must-have-cant-live-without-desert-island-ride-or-die product for me as well as my kit. Also, the new brow colours, especially Chestnut, is something I reach for daily. I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!

If you could give a person one piece of beauty advice, what would it be?

To quote Bob Ross “there are no such things as mistakes, only happy little accidents” .

I think people take their makeup too seriously, I get asked daily “Is this the right colour for me?” “Will this look good on me?” etc. My philosophy for beauty is, if you want to wear it, rock it. If you think you can’t, you actually can.

What does empowering beauty everywhere mean to you?

You are beautiful, you are inspiring, you are the only you, so be nice to yourself and lift others up with you.

Credits:

Venue: www.tacknthings.ca Kel-J-Do Riding School, Beaumont Alberta

Dress: www.novellebridal.com Ivy and Aster Secret Garden Gown from Novelle Bridal Edmonton Alberta

Makeup & Styling: Danielle DeCuyper – Instagram: deekittmakeup

Photography: Erin Prout – Instagram: eleeinabox

Model: Karin Pedersen – Instagram: karinpedersen