Publisher’s note: This story was originally published in December of 2017 but since most of you are new to MankatoLIFE since then we thought we’d share it again. Making Faces Mankato will be at Bells on Belgrade again this year. We have it on good authority that they are adding twinkling unicorn horns to their offerings!
How can you turn a squirming child into a princess in five minutes or less?
Face Painter extraordinaire Carrie Goettlicher of North Mankato has the answer. Goettlicher, one of the partners in Making Faces Mankato, can apply a princess design in less than five minutes.
For Love of the Kids!
Her love for kids comes though as she describes her craft, “Some sit like statues, some squirm or are ticklish but each one and each face is unique and it’s a privilege to have worked with literally thousands of them.”
For Goettlicher, seeing the looks on their faces never gets old. “My favorite thing is when they refuse to give up the mirror.” Although she can, at times, feel the strain on her shoulder, it’s all about the kids for her, “It’s worth every sore shoulder because of the look on the kid’s faces when I hand them the mirror.”
Many Designs
Making Faces Mankato designs are not always a simple rainbow on the cheek. Recently at Bells On Belgrade, reindeer, gingerbread men, and the always popular Elsa from Frozen were some of the choices.
“…each face is unique and it’s a privilege to have worked with literally thousands of them.” Carrie Goettlicher
Some of her designs are simple and only require brushes and water-based face paints. Others involve the use of sponges, stencils, and cosmetic glitters. “Often, to save time and still wow them, I bring along a ‘bling book’ filled with clusters of jewels and other add-ons. These add so much to the designs.”
It’s obvious that Goettlicher has found her niche. Once at a benefit fundraiser for a young girl with leukemia, despite wanting to have her face painted, the girl would pull back from the touch of the brush. Understanding that she had been through many medical procedures, some unpleasant and painful, Carrie let the little girl hold the brush. Within minutes, the girl had Goettlicher’s arms painted and then moved on to paint her face. By the end of the fundraiser, the young girl was able to tolerate having a small design painted on her cheek.
The Journey
Goettlicher’s face painting journey began in 2011. “I never considered myself a painter, I was crafty but not with paints of any kind! About six years ago I did some simple face painting for my church. Then in 2013, a friend asked me to help paint kids at Jack McGowan’s annual History Fest. After four days and seeing how much I improved, I was hooked. I remember thinking, ‘I can do this,’ and the kids loved it!”
She started watching face painting videos on YouTube and begin practicing. She painted for hours on her arm and then on her three kids. “As I got better, I invested in better quality paints and tools which has made a big difference.” She is now able to complete a full-face tiger design in five minutes.
Goettlicher, along with the rest of Making Faces Mankato artists have been busy in the Mankato area and have expanded to the surrounding towns.
About Making Faces Mankato, she says, “We generally book by the hour with a two hour minimum. We offer up to three face painters for larger events. We also do body painting, glitter tattoos, henna, hair art, and extensions. More recently, we have been offering princesses like Elsa, Anna, and Belle.”
Check out Making Faces Mankato’s Facebook page to see examples of their work!
