Multiple Emmy Award Winning Makeup/SFX Artist, Costume/Wardrobe Designer and Film/TV Producer
Suzanne’s love of makeup, costume and wardrobe design was strongly influenced in early childhood by 8-time Academy Award winning wardrobe designer, Edith Head, who inspired her passion and talent for recreating period costuming. Suzanne's mother was a high fashion model in New York and a clothing designer who nurtured Suzanne's fascination for early 20th century couture, particularly the 40's era.
Her father was a world famous rodeo clown, stage, and film actor. His alter ego clown character named "Jocko" was loved by many in his rodeo performances. His iconic clown face was created in theatrical greasepaint colors that Suzanne would often play with from his traveling makeup case. Growing up around her father’s famous western film and TV star friends she was particularly encouraged by close family friend, Academy Award winning actor Ben Johnson to pursue her budding interest in the makeup arts.
Suzanne's makeup talents grew with inspiration from the signature styles of two legendary makeup giants in the industry; the renowned British makeup artist, Mary Greenwell famous for creating the "cover girl" look during the 80’s supermodel era; and Italian makeup artist, Francesca Tolot revered for her iconic renaissance style techniques. She developed a strong interest makeup special effects and was mentored in the discipline by the legendary Academy Award winning special makeup effects artist, Dick Smith along with two other industry legends: Emmy Award/Academy Award winners, Marvin and Monty Westmore of the famous Hollywood Westmore brothers makeup dynasty.
Suzanne’s decades of professional experience in hundreds of productions include beauty and special makeup effects, hair and costume styling for movies, television shows, sports programs, commercial ad campaigns, PSAs, documentaries, stage productions and print work. She has worked with Hollywood A-List celebrities, sports stars and other high profile clients. Formerly based in Metro Washington, DC and now in Phoenix, AZ, her professional grooming expertise was frequently sought after to provide provide services to the Presidential Staff, National politicians, famous personalities and top corporate executives in and around the Nation’s Capital.
Suzanne is recognized internationally as one of the leading cosmetic authorities in Ultra High Definition (UHD) makeup science, technology and technique for film and TV production. As an educator and consultant she developed several beauty/corrective makeup application principles and techniques for UHD taught in her popular High Definition Makeup University (HDMU) and used by other professional artists working in the industry today. She has authored textbooks and her best selling videos are used in many makeup and cosmetology schools as an educational protocol to instruct and guide the novice to pro artist in achieving top notch UHD tactical makeup expertise and skill in performance.
She has been a Keynote Speaker and educator for the International Makeup Artist Trade Shows, The Makeup Show, and Beauty Expo South Africa. She has taught UHD makeup courses to organizations such as Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and the IATSE Local 706 and 798 Makeup Unions. She has also taught makeup courses internationally to TV network and film studio/makeup department personnel in Great Britain, Germany, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, and Belgium. Her reputation as a master artist instructor has been continually demonstrated through her workshops and seminars with hundreds of students attending from all over the world.
In 1992 Suzanne established the Phoenix chapter of Women in Film International and served as it's first President. As a veteran magazine feature article author Suzanne's previous editorial experience includes Associate Editor of 1st Hold Magazine, Airbrush Editor of Face Painting International Magazine, and West Coast Contributing Editor for FilmCrew Magazine. She continues to write independently as a makeup industry subject matter expert with feature articles and blogs.
In 2002 Suzanne was called upon by the US military to use her special makeup effect skills in injury simulation trauma to assist in pre-hospital care/casualty simulation training exercises for deploying combat medics. She and her husband, Army LTC (ret) Douglas Patterson, formed and operated Military Moulage Combat Injury Simulation; a multi-disciplinary moulage technology and technique training facility dedicated to the science and applied arts of casualty simulation moulage. Along with a staff of veteran combat medics the company has served all branches of the US Military, government agencies and contractors in the cohesive mission of saving soldier lives on the battlefield.
Suzanne heads up her own production company, Esprit Digital Arts Media that includes a roster of Emmy Award winning Producers, Directors, Writers and Editors. She is also the Director of Education for the international US based Graftobian Makeup Company and for over 20 years has assisted them in developing and creating cutting edge makeup products, along with instructional videos for beauty and special makeup effects used by artists all over the world.
In 2004 Suzanne saw the need for targeted makeup products that met the rigorous demands of High Definition resolution in film and TV. She developed and created her makeup and skin care line, Natural Born Cosmetics, specifically for her celebrity clients and on-camera talent that addresses their sensitive skin issues and makeup needs for UHD compliant products. Her clientele grew into a loyal world-wide customer base of consumers and high profile clients.
On a personal note, Suzanne remains passionately committed to the mission of saving the lives of newborn abandoned babies and orphaned street children in South Africa though her fundraising work for African Havens.org, a faith-based orphanage established in Johannesburg in 2003. In 2006, she created and launched the internationally successful cosmetics supply company, Paint and Powder Cosmetics, and for 19 years it provided a dedicated income stream for this worthy life-saving organization. She continues to support African Havens through various other projects and events.
Above all, Suzanne acknowledges her talents and accomplishments are graciously loaned and gifted through her faith in God and in grateful thankfulness to His provision, purpose and plan. 1 Corinthians 10:31; Isaiah 43:7.
Suzanne
Jocko and Friends
Ben and Suzanne