.jpg)
Desi and I go way back!! In the mid 2000’s, we were both involved in a church’s worship drama program. I was in charge of puppets. Together, we produced a few puppet productions. I wrote the plays. She gave acting lessons: ) and we both co-directed. I loved her passion from the moment I met her!! I have been following her progression into acting, directing, and her artistry of face-painting. This lady here is one COOL WOMAN! She goes after her dreams and I am honored to feature her here, meet Desi Velez
DG-What led you into becoming a actress/artist consultant?
D-The first initial thing that led me to becoming an actress was as a little girl sitting down in front of a TV set with my grandmother who spoke no English laughing hysterically at comedians such as Danny Kaye, Red Skelton Phil Silvers Etc and she loved to watch Ed Sullivan.
I quickly understood then that the shows could crossover and still entertain people despite the language barrier. Those were the only times I saw my grandmother really smile. It’s so hard to be in the country and be a loving person and not be able to communicate or have friends because of the language barrier. So I started becoming a little bit of a comedian myself and doing shows at home by myself and then for my family. Overtime, that gravitated to me wanting to be an actress because I could be anybody I wanted to. I could step out of my world and become somebody greater than myself or happier than myself. I could be someone from different countries, different classes. My first show ever was in high school with the lead part, ironically as Helen Keller. Once again crossing over and entertaining people without the need of a spoken language. The acting bug really hit me, and that’s when I began to gravitate into professional Theatre, musical reviews, musicals and then television and film.
I love being an actress. I love the creativity that goes behind turning these people into real life living and breathing beings. I enjoy not only entertaining people, but watching as people react to the story of the characters–their achievements, their learned lessons or even sometimes their failures.
Now what let me to be a face and body artist — survival and financial needs. LOL. As a actress or artists of any type, you need to be able to have flexibility and still be able to earn a living. Unfortunately, many people and regular jobs are not so understanding when it comes to flexibility. So I had to create my own business. Thus Mystical Smiles Face and Body Painting and Events was born. I took what I had of my creativity, my ability to draw, paint what little I learned of theater makeup and special-effects and began to explore the world of face and body painting. Face painting is no longer happy faces and rainbows, it has merged with the world’s of theatricality, Fine Arts, film and special effects. Anything you can put on the canvas you can put on your face or body. What a joy it is to turn someone into a fairy or a screaming skull!
DG-Pick three words to describe your work-
D- I would say… mystical, mystifying, encouraging, realistic, sometimes painful but forever imperfect perfection! …which is what I’d like to think we all are imperfect perfection
DG-What kinds of things do you like to do outside of your work?
D- Well, I love to just get in the car and drive and discover new places new people and new things. I love dog training. I love beaches and I love just hanging out with some of my favorite gal pals, watching a movie or chit-chatting at a nice restaurant. But one of my most favorite things is dancing so I have become a real Zumba fanatic … because you never need a partner to dance Zumba all you need is yourself and the rhythm of the music to just let yourself go!!!
DG- What is your favorite place that you have been?
D-My favorite places I’ve been so far would be England, that was on my bucket list and I actually got to go and study Shakespeare there! And yes, watch the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company performance Stratford-Upon-Avon–not bad from a girl from Brooklyn. One of my other favorite places was standing under a waterfall in Puerto Rico. Long before the hurricane devastated it. The last place that I hold in my heart, is the National Park between Montana and Wyoming. You can actually see the world the way that God intended it to look. The waterfalls, the volcanic actions, the remarkable wildlife, the beauty in the mountains and that famous Lake that when you stand in front of can’t tell if you’re standing right side or upside down. The thrill of watching a buffalo walk alongside our van with a head as wide as a tractor was amazing!! Walking beside us, the bison exuding nothing but peace and tranquility; something that unfortunately we in modern society can only seem to find if we go to a national park.
DG-What is something that inspires you?
D-All depending on the context of the art or work–whether it’s acting or face and body painting. Sometimes it the parts that I play. Like the theater production, Sotto Voce by Nilo Cruz. The play was about a survivor, or rather a lover of someone who never did survive a voyage. It was a ship that was carrying close to 900 Jewish refugees trying to escape Hitler. We as a nation failed those people by not allowing them to dock. They ran out of food and even clean water going from one place to another being turned away except for a few that were allowed to land in Cuba and England the rest succumbed two Landing back where they came from and going right into concentration camps. I get inspired by others stories — it helps us not repeat history and learn from the mistakes.
The face painting exposes people to thinking outside of the box and opening up their world. This inspires me! The abundance of colors is inspiring to me! Exposing people to beauty and/or comedic forms that elicit a great memory and a good time.
DG-If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be?
D- To stay positive to keep heart. You only have one life Make It Count!