Meet Ginelie Mendieta | Neighborhood Clown/Eclectic Facepainter/Healthcare Worker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ginelie Mendieta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ginelie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I knew coming into the new year that I wanted to commit to a shift in my perspective on life and all the things that make it wonderful. I wanted to become intentional about navigating through my limiting beliefs. I think I often held myself back from getting into facepainting sooner because I thought “well, I didn’t go to beauty school so maybe not yet” or “what if I’m bad at it?”, and other things of the sort. I’ve always been attracted to makeup, changing my appearance, expressing myself through my wardrobe and hair. Facepainting was something I would do on myself every Halloween and having been a theater kid in high school, the seed of interest for the art of facepainting was always there.

One Halloween in 2022, I had a friend tell me at a Halloween event “I saw the photo of your facepaint online but I thought it was a filter! You would never do it on people for money?”. I shied away from the question but always came back to thinking that maybe one day it could be something I could try.

Earlier in the year, I was working two part-time jobs, and needed a creative outlet to not go insane. Facepainting became the focus of my interest and I’ve stuck to it since, through the highs and the lows, the learning curves, and successes. I didn’t think twice about it this time around, I just jumped into it and figured it out as I went along. What started off as a leap of faith has become an opportunity to heal parts of myself I once doubted. I’ve nurtured my creativity, I’ve provided joy to adults and children alike, given the opportunity for children to practice autonomy over their little bodies, and have found myself in community among other business owners and creatives who are ambitiously bringing their visions to life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
How does a college grad become a face painter? She becomes one by learning to become unashamed and detached from the expectations of everyone else other than her own.

Growing up in a big family, attention from my parents was less than what I desired or needed at times as a kid. It’s not to say they weren’t loving, rather, they could only give each daughter so much while still trying to keep us afloat. I internalized many of my feelings, and I often fell into people-pleasing tendencies. I did my best to be the child who didn’t bring my parents any problems.
I often found myself pouring my feelings into writing, and I would often find myself reading memoirs since a very young age. I think what fascinated me was the ability and strength for people to choose to reinvent themselves and that the option to do so existed.

At the age of 13, I began drinking and hanging around older crowds. In high school, I was a truant student and disinvested from building towards a future. I got lost in apathy and began to feel exhausted by upholding myself to standards that weren’t my own. My parents were constantly having marital troubles at home and I felt that no adult at school understood my circumstances. I did what I recommend any lonesome youth to do and I picked up The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I finished the book in less than 24 hours and woke up with such an urge to experience life the next morning.

That week, my classmate and still friend, Bryan Sosa, invited me to see a theater showcase the after school program was putting together. I attended and from there on I found myself spending hours afterschool motivated to help put together costumes, sets, scripts. I felt accepted by a community of weirdos and outcasts. We ran the program on a limited budget but it was my motivation and I found family there for some time and it really was what I think began to make me feel accepted and seen beyond the chaos of my life and any internal battles with myself.

At the time, I never thought college was an option. I ended up being transitioned out into a continuation school where I graduated a year later than I was supposed to. In my time there, I had an angel of a teacher, Ms. Norah Cunningham, who believed so ambitiously in me. She opened up my worldview towards one of activism. I was learning how to channel my inner rage and let downs towards a motivation for change and creating community. She made it a point that she would not let me leave that school without registering for at least one college class.
I ended up studying at Los Angeles Valley College, then transferring to UC Davis where I graduated with a degree in Community and Regional Development.

My experience was never traditional to begin with. As a facepainter I make it a goal to make everyone feel included. I’ll be the first to assist people in feeling comfortable and totally unserious. That’s one of the many reasons I even dress up as a clown for gigs. As a community clown and facepainter, I do my best to be there for the grassroots community organizations who also run their programs on limited means. I’ve always believed that everyone has a place in movements, and we’re blessed with gifts from time to time that should be shared on a very human level. I’m fortunate that I’m reaching a point where facepainting feels balanced between getting booked for community events, private parties, and markets.

Face paint is for everyone who wants it. I won’t paint a child if the child doesn’t want it. I will put glitter on a boy who wants it. My designs aren’t gender-based. I do my best to make changes or incorporate the ideas or color choices that children might have in mind. I believe facepainting is a rare opportunity for children to have some say over the way they look, even if it’s just for a moment,
I don’t know the struggle of everyone that sits in my chair but I always go into it doing my best to let them know someone today, right now, wants them to feel special.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m very loyal to the places I got too so although I might not know too much, I would choose to take them to these places due to the overall vibe, service, or enjoyable simplicity. All vegetarian-approved.

Food:
Check out Street Vendors!!
La Maria Colombian Restaurant
El Gallo Giro
El Pulgarcito(North Hollywood Location, walk down to the Circus Liquor and take a phot with the neon clown sign!)
Daniel’s Tacos or Cactus Taqueria (if your budget is tight)
Colmelati (Oaxacan Artisanal Ice Cream)
Las Anitas (Underground Restaurant with Vegan Options at Olvera Street)
Gokoku Vegeterian Ramen Shop (Best Vegan Sushi)
Izakaya Ramen (I get half spicy/half creamy Vegan Ramen)
Cahuenga General Store (no other cafe like it in LA)
Aroma Cafe (good for literally any occasion, IDK how but it is)
Sun Cafe
Ginos East of Chicago (place order before going in)
Town Pizza (They sell vegan pizza by the slice as an option!)
Lenzini’s Pizza (carry-out only)
Magpies Soft Serve

Drinks:
Any Tiki Bar(duh! But Broken Compass has quality food to go with it)
Kalaveras (happy hour and brunch is 10/10)
Lawless Brewery (lots of community events and everyone is always so nice)

Adventure:
Lake Balboa (check out the swan boats, rent a bike, Japanese Garden, Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve)
Electric Dusk Drive-In
Lake Hollywood
Los Angeles Historic Park
La Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Downtown San Fernando
Magnolia Park (lots of spooky stuff year-round)
LA Observation Deck at City Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall Outdoor area
Descanso Gardens

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to every organization, person, and business who has opened up space for me on this journey. Big thanks to my community of friends and loved ones who have continued to encourage me and show me support through their attendance at events, shouting me out in a room of opportunity, community care, and constant encouragement! I come from a community organizing background as well, so for me to get to this point in time where I am learning to connect my creative skills to movements; I could not have had the heart behind it without the struggle and resilience of the working class communities and organizers around the world and at home.

Community Organizations: The People’s Struggle San Fernando Valley, Aetna Street Solidarity, La Raza Unida, Beverly Vermont Community Land Trust.

Promoters: Sin Buena Obra Productions, Ruben the Roach

Small Businesses: Crybaby Rodeo, The Midnight Hour Records, All Power Books

My beautiful parents and six sisters: Daisy, Jocelyn, Kimberly, Nydaline, Sherlyn, and Faith

Instagram: Tesorito Facepaints

Image Credits
Jocelyn Mendieta @bychicadeluz