The SOMA Team

Kelly Probyn-Smith, Wig Design Instructor

Kelly is a make-up and wig artist whose passion is theatre. She has trained at Mannequin Model & Talent Agency, Ryerson Polytechnic University and the Canadian Opera Company. She has done work for the film, video and television industry but primarily works in theatre. Kelly can often be found on the seasonal roster of the Canadian Opera Company's make-up & wig department and has also worked traditional, dance & musical theatre productions on large and small scales. She enjoys teaching and is sometimes found working as an advisor with Ryerson Theatre School as well as teaching Basic Wigs at the School of Make-up Art. She has been working in the industry for over 10 years.

Some of Kelly's credits include, Beauty & the Beast, The Student Prince, The Land of Smiles, Un Ballo In Maschera, The Battered Bride, Otello, The Golden Ass, La Traviata, La Boheme, and The Lion King.

Veronica Aiello, Makeup & Fashion Image Instructor

Veronica Aiella has been teaching makeup for 20 years, making her one of a small handful of instructors in the city with such extensive experience. As such, she is in tremendous demand for her professional skills and expertise.

Veronica’s credentials in the fashion, photography, bridal, film and television and S.P.F.X. industries allow her to easily jump from teaching in one medium to another. The diversity of her background and training as a makeup artist extends as far back as the 1970s.

Veronica has had the incredible privilege to be raised as a second generation makeup artist, with her mother, Patricia Green, winning an Emmy Award for her work as a Makeup Artist.

Having more than 52 Key Makeup Artist positions to her credit, Veronica’s mother set an excellent example for her daughter who garnered her own accolades with her work on the following productions:

• Prince Charming   -   Personal Makeup Artist to Christina Applegate
• D2K Dracula 2000   -   Canadian Key and Personal Artist to Omar Epps and Jennifer Esposito
• Blues Brothers 2000   -   Third Assistant Makeup Artist
• Bride of Chucky   -   Second Assistant Makeup Artist
• Studio 54   -   Special Effects to Mike Myers
• Erie Indiana   -   Key Makeup Artist

Veronica now divides her time between teaching, fashion and her company Unbridled Images, a makeup and hair company for brides and special occasions.

Justin Gateman

Justin Gateman has been passionate about makeup his whole life. Since his earliest childhood, Justin has been inspired by and has been actively pursuing the world of makeup and special effects.

In 1994 at the age of 18, Justin began his professional training in Toronto, Ontario. Over the past 15 years Justin has gathered immense experience and education.

Justin continues to work in all levels of the professional makeup industry, including fashion, film, television and music. Justin has had the prove ledge and honour of doing makeup for such productions and musicians as:

• Gene Roddenberry’s “Earth Final Conflict”
• Canadian Idol
• Fx: The Series
• Goosebumps: The Series
• Bride of Chucky
• Resident Evil 2
• Alanis Morrisette
• Coldplay
• Nelly Furtado
• Sum 41
• Chantel Kreviazuk

Vasso Thymis, Makeup and Fashion Image & Hair Design Instructor

Hailing originally from Edmonton, Vasso has worked as a freelance makeup artist across Canada.  She has not only shared her love of makeup with her students, but she has also taught Greek dance for five years, after having pursued a dance career with Kyklos – Hellenic Performing and Literacy Arts Group.

After moving to Toronto where she completed her studies in Makeup for film, Theatre, Fashion as well as SPFX and prosthetics, Vasso perfected her professional skills to include Hair Design for Fashion, Television and Film, Theatre, and special occasions. She also specializes in prosthetics and special effects for television, film, and theatre.

Included among her professional credits are:

Fashion

• National Conference for Yong Women Living with Breast Cancer  - photo shoot with David Hou Photograhy
• Panash Models of Winnipeg - Power Shoot – Assistant Makeup Artist/Hair Artist
• “Shiver” - Roma Rush Designs Fashion Show – Key Makeup Artist/Hair Artist
• “Juliana Carlucci Designs”  - Fashion Show – Key Makeup Artist/Hair Artist
• “Suhaag Bridal Show” - Key Artist Makeup/Hair
• “Contessa 20” - The Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Awards Salon Magazine - Key Hair

Film and Televsion

• “Autumn” Renegades Motion Pictures   -   Assistant SPFX Zombie Makeup
• “Bread Crumb Trails” (Trailer) Scratch Test Films   -   Key Special Effects Artist
• “Quest for Wisdome and Wealth”    Award-winning series on PBS   -   Assistant Makeup
• “Naughty Kevin” Hooz Production Ltd., Seoul Korea       

Theatre

• “Earnest, The Importance of Being” Toronto Operetta Theatre   -   Makeup and Wigs
• “The Merry Widow” Toronto Operetta Theatre Production   -   Makeup and Wigs
• “Patience” Toronto Operetta Theatre   -   Makeup and Wigs
• “Don Giovanni” Toronto Summer Music Academy Festival   -   Assistant Makeup Artist

Commercials

• “CMAX Optical” Central Station Films Ltd.                 Key Makeup Artist
• “Kanda Optical” Central Station Films Ltd.                Key Makeup Artist
• “CIT College”       Central Station Films Ltd.              Key Makeup Artist

Matthew DeWilde, Special Effects and Prosthetics Instructor

Matthew taught himself how to draw and sculpt while he was still a child, growing up on a steady diet of comic books and old television shows such as, “The Outer Limits”, “Captain Scarlett and  The Mysterons” and “Twilight Zone.”

Matthew’s fascination with dinosaurs, monsters and space led to further developments in sculpting, fabrication and technique.

His inspiration came from studying the work of John Chambers (from Planet of The Apes fame), Rick Backer (Star Wars, Incredible Melting Man) and Ray Harryhausen (7th Voyage of Sinbad).

Much later, Matthew attended the Ontario College of Arts and studied Fine Arts and Illustration with Morton Harris. Matthew began working in the Toronto Film Production Community in the early 1980s, learning the behind-the-scenes working of the television commercial business. This included the role and function of props, sets, models, mold-making in film and television production.

While attending the movie premiere of John Carpenter’s, “The Thing”, Matthew reached a turning point in his career in Special Effects Makeup and Animatronics. He began working on various horror films, television series and also freelanced for toy and leisure companies.

In 1987, he started his first company, “Creations Unlimited”, and created projects for the films, “Jacob’s Ladder”, “Goosebumps”, and “The Twilight Zone.”

A second company, named “Form and Dynamics” was later formed with colleagues, Allan Cooke and David Scott. It produced work for numerous television series including, “FX – The Series”, “PSI Factor”, “The Silken Laumann Story”, and “Earth Final Conflict.”

Today Matthew divides his time between feature film and television and prosethetics instructor.

Sheilagh McGrory, Special Effects Instructor and Dean of Academics

Sheilagh comes to The School of Makeup Art Ltd. with a background in public relations.

As a makeup artist, Sheilagh has been perfecting her craft for more than 10 years. During that time, she has distinguished herself as both a special effects and prosthetic makeup artist.

Sheilagh’s extensive experience in Management and Event Planning has also enabled her to lend and translate her skills to the fields of production and instruction.

As the other half of DeWilde FX Studio with notable FX artist, Matthew DeWilde, Sheilagh specializes in prosthetics for film and television productions and special makeup effects.

Some of her notable professional accomplishments include:

• Death Race
• Stir of Echoes II
• Saw II
• George Romero’s Land of the Dead
• Resident Evil: Apocalypse
• Don’t say a Word
• Godsend
• Assault on Precinct 13
• The Latest Buzz
• Lunar Jim
• Henry’s World
• Mirvish Productions’ The Lion King
• Work for Tylenol Canada
   

Click here for more information!