Over the Edge + October 6, 2010

features 9

Do You Wanna’ Be on Top?

Competition brings in Canada’s Next Top Model Nikita Kiceluk

ECATERINA CIUGUREANU
FEATURES EDITOR

The above is a reference to the America’s Next Top Model theme song; if you got it, this
article is for YOU.

Who is Angie McCabe? Oh, just the single most ambitious person that | know. In five

days she managed to pull off what took Tyra Banks months. Angie is the force behind
Prince George’s Top Model. The project is a spontaneous collaboration of creative and
adventurous people of ours truly, Prince George. Watch this amazing project develop, vote

for your favourite models, and support our local artists on Facebook!

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

| grew up in Calgary, where | spent the last few years of high school gearing up for a
career in the arts. During high school, | also took a couple years of cosmetology where

we did makeup, hair, waxing, massage, facials, pedi’s... let’s just say I’m a useful friend!
Somehow, | ended up in Prince George where | am currently finishing up the last year of
my nursing degree — the maternity ward is destined for me! Among my crazy life, | still find
time for my art. There’s a big hole in my life when | am in a creative-low. | love photography
because | love picturing in image in my head, and then trying to create it in real life; | guess
the same goes for all art forms! | started using 35mm SLRs back in high school, which
really helps when understanding how and why an image turns out the way it does and

| like the surprises with developing photos. | picked up my first DSLR and spent lots of
time playing around with friends, until people | didn’t know started asking me to take their
photos. | guess this is when | really got into my photography, and decided that it just may be
possible to have my ‘career in the arts’ afterall! Well, at least half-and-half with nursing! If |
had five lives, | promise I'd fill them to the brim.

Q: So how did you get involved in this whole modelling
business?

As | said before, | have a little experience in the hair and makeup industry. This said, | love
working creatively with others who get as excited as | do about a project! It’s great to feed
off of others creative energy — there’s no better place!

Q: How did you get the Opportunity to work with Nikita from
Canadian Next Top Model‘

Honestly, | Facebook’d her! You never know unless you try. And it just so happened that
she loved my work enough to call me back later on that summer to do another photo shoot
with her! It was so great working with her, an experienced model, because there’s almost
an over-load of great photos to choose from in the end.

Q: Describe the project you are currently working on for
readers who don’t know about it yet?

With the start of the new season of America’s Next Top Model, my little creative brain got
so inspired and | thought, ‘why not make a group on Facebook to see if anyone wants

to get together to make some really cool photos —artistically inspired, avant-garde,

and over-the-top!’. Once | put the group online, the response was great. | went to a few
local businesses to see if they wanted to help us out by lending their product to use in

our photos. The rest is history. Now, | have an entire team of hair stylists from Loxx Hair
Academy, four makeup artists, 14 models, tons of great prizes donated by local companies,
and so many others who are helping make this event into a ‘big deal’ for Prince George.
Starting Thursday September 30th, | will be doing a photo shoot each week with a different
theme and using different sponsors. Facebook fans of our page, “PG’s Next Top Model”, will
get to vote on their favourite photo using the ‘like’ button. This will determine the winning

Left: Nikita Kiceluk Right: Photo submitted by Angie McCabe

photo of the week and there will prizes as well for the ‘fan favourite’. Nikita and a panel

of judges will critique the photos each week and decide who should no longer take part

in the competition. There will be a finale fashion show held at Riverstone Bar & Grill mid-
November, where the winner will be announced and grand prizes won. | am also flying
Nikita into town for this event, where she will be taking part in the runway walk, and she can
give the girls some tips on modelling and having a successful career in the industry.

Q: What can you tell us about the applicants so far?

| have a nice variety of girls — short, tall, long hair, short hair, and all will different looks and
personalities. | think we have some really great competition here! Each week, | will also
have some behind-the-scenes videos which will be posted to Facebook so everyone can
get involved and have a little look into what our models are like on-set!

Q: Can you give us some teasers, some ideas for photo shoots
you have?

Well, | don’t want to give too much away because that would ruin all of the fun, but for our
first photo shoot we have free-range of anything we want from Paris Jewellers!

Q: How can we as an audience get involved?

People can join the group to vote on their favourite photo each week, and watch our weekly
behind-the-scenes videos and come to our finale at the Riverstone! If any local businesses

want to get involved, they can donate prizes or gift certificates which will be awarded to

the lovely models, and amazing hair stylists and makeup artists! There is some really great

media coverage.

Q: Was it hard to convince Nikita to come up to Prince George?
Not at all. Simple Facebook message and her instant response was “Yaay! Yes!”

Q: What are your hopes and dreams for this project, since it is
your baby?

| hope to that the aspiring models will build some good confidence for modelling and get a
great portfolio in the end. The new and upcoming hairstylists will have a great opportunity

to show off their talent and have a nice portfolio to start off their careers. | want my makeup
artists to go over the top, and do things they have never done before — or have always
wanted to. | hope that people will recognize the incredible talent that we have here in Prince
George. This event will also be a great way for local business and independent artists to get
their name out. From this event, | would like to push myself to try new things and hopefully
attract more aspiring models in the future who want to start a portfolio.

Q: If this whole thing really picks up, what would you pick: the
scrubs or a camera?

Well, I'll always have my degree and | love the area I’m working in at the hospital. Right
now, it’s really hard for newly graduated nurses to get a full-time line at the hospital, so I’d
be happy with a part-time or casual position, which would give me all the time | need for my
photography!

ANGIE MCCABE