Madrona Redhawk brings calculated chaos to her surreal beauty looks

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One glance at Madrona Redhawk’s Instagram and you’re completely enchanted by the calculated chaos of her avant-garde artistry. Her work that forms an eclectic mix of face paint masterpieces and innocent destruction first started with doing hand-prints while she was studying Native American face paint – which accidentally became part of her playful personal brand. 

Being her own personal inspiration, the artist moves her subconscious through surrealism and creates parody out of wearing make-up. From applying make-up using household items such as forks and paint rollers, using a ventilator to cover her face with glitter or using her hands to basically apply just about anything to her face, her videos are mesmerising. 

Growing up in Las Vegas, the 18-year year old has created a hyper-fixation on skylines while watching the dazzling flickering lights of the Strip. Through the medium of make-up and performance art, Madrona is becoming a reluctant member of the beauty community with her unique way of destroying her make-up looks, by topping the finished product with handprints of paint.

Here, Madrona talks about unique aesthetic, Lisa Simpson being her idol, and why humans should tails. 

Where are you from?

Madrona Redhawk: I live in Las Vegas and I have been since I was three, it is an extremely unique place and I love it!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and where you grew up?

Madrona Redhawk: I grew up biking, hiking, making art, and of course watching copious amounts of TV. Growing up in Vegas, you get accustomed to the 24-hour lifestyle and instant gratification, it is definitely a city of excess but also a warm city full of friendly people. 

What’s your earliest beauty related memory?

Madrona Redhawk: I would use my mother’s blush brushes as ‘brooms’ because that's what I thought they looked like!

What is it you do and why do you do it?

Madrona Redhawk: I’m a little all over the place when it comes to art. My most recognised work is by far my performance art followed by my make-up, but at home I’m making papier-mâché buildings constantly (which are making a little city in my living room and blocks the remote signals for the TV, almost like a real city!) and hand-sewing historical doll clothes. I sometimes draw, making what I think is my most impressive work. I adore detailed drawings and have spent a year on just one drawing before, it is exhausting!

How did you get into it?

Madrona Redhawk: I sort of fell into all my forms of art, I never imagined in a million years as a child that I could or would become a professional artist. Like most children, I enjoyed making crafts and drawings but never thought I was very good, but in 9th grade I got placed into an art class because no other classes were open, and that was one of the best things that has ever happened to me! My teacher gave me all the supplies I needed and gave me space to figure out what I wanted to do artistically, and eventually it has built up to what I do today.

What’s been your career highlight so far?

Madrona Redhawk: Being featured on Instagram’s Instagram page was huge for me, I got viewed by millions upon millions of people, I had never experienced anything close to that amount of attention! It coincidentally was posted a few days after my birthday as well, so it was like a super special birthday present!

How would you describe your beauty aesthetic in three words?

Madrona Redhawk: Chaotic, colourful, sharp.

Which fictional character do you most relate to and why?

Madrona Redhawk: I’ve always identified with Lisa Simpson, especially as a child. I’ve been vegan for years now, but before I was I tried to go vegetarian for a few days to be like Lisa because I idolised her! We are both self-righteous, persistent, and just a little annoying! Not to mention the scholarly pursuits, I have always had a passion for learning in general, but especially history.

As a warning to the other members of the resistance, your head is to be mounted above the gates of the city. How would you do your make-up that morning? 

Madrona Redhawk: I would start with this wavy checker print make-up I’ve been doing for years over my mouth and nose. It makes whatever it’s put over look featureless, perfectly eerie for the situation. I would put bright blue eyeshadow on my ears, and paint on these big simplified “eyes” I like to do.

If you could have a new sense on top of your existing ones, what would it be?

Madrona Redhawk: I’ve read articles about an experiment that allowed humans to see ‘impossible’ colours, like a colour that is both red and green simultaneously, I would love to be able to see those colours as well as UV radiation naturally.

What does beauty mean to you?

Madrona Redhawk: Beauty to me is something I want to look at all the time and that I think about when I’m not looking at it. Of course there are caveats to that, crime scene photos have the same effect and true crime always makes me uncomfortable (although like most people I am hopelessly addicted to crime shows).

When do you feel most beautiful?

Madrona Redhawk: There are definitely things that make me feel more beautiful, like when my skin is looking nice or when I bleach and tone my hair and it’s fresh, but I never feel more beautiful and confident than when I’m having fun! I don’t have many friends (I mostly spend time with my parents) but the friends I do have I really love and hanging out with them makes me want to run around and smile at everyone, it’s a great feeling!

It is the sixth day and you are creating humans. They can look however you want them to. What do they look like and why?

Madrona Redhawk: I like the way humans look, but adding a tail would spruce it up. I would also have to remove the nose, since it would be easier to do make-up and make it look better.

You’ve opted to be cryogenically frozen in hopes of continuing the human race. When you’re awoken it’ll be your responsibility to kick-start the breeding. How will you wear your hair on your first date? 

Madrona Redhawk: My favourite hairstyle is doing pin curls on the top of my head and to leave the hair on the bottom alone, it sort of looks like Mozart’s hair in Amadeus, if that doesn’t impress my date I don’t know what will.

Are you optimistic about the future?

Madrona Redhawk: I’m as optimistic as can be allowed considering the situation! Humans are crafty and at worst I believe some would survive even if it turns into a Mad Max-style society. I definitely agree that this is our last good century, at least for a while.