Texarkana College cosmetology competition more than just hair and fashion

Texarkana College's Cosmetology Department students showcased their artistic abilities Monday during the ninth annual Shear Madness avant garde hair and fashion show. With creations based on Van Gogh's Starry Night, Egyptian goddess Nefertiti and the mysteries of Tarot cards, the 12 teams of four students put their creative insanity on display in the college's Great Room.

Ronda Dozier, coordinator of cosmetology and program instructor, said design elements are part of the school's curriculum and that students used those principles in their creations.

"It brings the ability to see forms, shapes and color and take something that's abstract and turn it into a creation, a work of art. They are artistic designers." she said. "That's the difference in our school and any other school. We teach design elements versus just the basics and how to do hair. We want them to be creative designers."

Dozier added that the students worked for two months on the creations and had to do so together for the design to be complete.

"This gives them the opportunity to be inspired and create and learn teamwork because with this, they don't necessarily work with people they work with every day," she said. "It's a random team placement, so they may be working with someone who's only been in school for four or five weeks."

First-place winner was Estravagante; Gladiatrix came in second; and Nefertiti was awarded third place. Judges were Suzie Tyler, Harold Williams and Karmyn Tyler Cobb.

People's Choice Award winner was Devayua Hill, a second-year cosmetology student who modeled Del Jardin, a Rapunzel-like multicolor braided creation topped with flowers.

"There were three other people who kept adding colors and we just kept adding and adding," he said of the design.

Hill said being a part of this year's Shear Madness meant a lot of him because he wanted to do it last year but was not able to.

"I'm glad I got to do it this year," he said.

Of the event, he said, "It helps people learn and know that it's more than just hair. There's a lot more to it because you learn how to do makeup, you learn people skills, you learn how to communicate with people and all that good stuff."

Hill said he didn't think he would win the People's Choice Award and that he was really excited to not only win, but to have the opportunity for he and his fellow students to demonstrate their ideas.

"There's a lot of creative things and a lot of creative minds and when you have a group and you start on something, it's better to expand your creativity than keep it on that one level," he said. "Always go above and beyond."

For more information on TC's Cosmetology program, visit www.texarkanacollege.edu/study/cosmetology/.

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