FROM THE START
Ever since I was a little boy growing up in Europe in the 1970’s I always enjoyed and played with visual imagination on my hair. I was known for taking up too much time in the bathroom at front of a mirror which of course drove the family crazy. I can still remember messing about with my wet hair creating James Dean/Elvis Presley pompadour (US )/ quiff (UK) styles after taking a bath during my preteen years. In Poland at that time as a child I couldn’t find gel or brillantine. I was just discovering the use of lacquer for my hair.
After a small trip to Turkey my mother brought back some gel for me knowing I could finally set my first Elvis Do without it falling down right away….It was magical. In the mid 80’s I came to live with my father in Santa Cruz California where I came across interesting new styles for clothing and hair. That was the end of my innocence. Sometime in the 90’s I decided to become a hairdresser/hairstylist…..This has been an adventure ever since… While I was on a mini tour with a band I used play with , I was pondering on my future career. My band mate’s girlfriend who has worked for Vidal Sassoon at the time has suggested that I should consider hairdressing due to my acute awareness of hair, fashion, music.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HAIRSTYLING
I decided to take a courageous leap into a new career by entering the new world of hair and beauty at Wayne’s Beauty College in Santa Cruz Ca. then following Miss Marty’s School of Beauty in San Francisco, Ca. In 1998 I received my hard earned Cosmetology License. I decided to take yet another leap and decided to rent a small station at a cute hair salon called Wack Shack Hair Salon in the Lower Haight that was ran by a very talented, experienced and innovative crew of stylists. I have worked there for about 4 years learning the ins and outs of hairdressing outside of school. These years were very rewarding and I have gained a lot of confidence, knowledge and experience on how to be a hairstylist at a professional salon. I have also gained a lot of experience in coloring and cutting from hair stylists who took me under their wing and showed me the ropes.
In 2002 I entered two hair shows in which I created my own hair designs using color and cutting techniques. After a couple of years I wanted to excel and I moved to Posh Hair Salon where I’ve been hired to cut and style hair only. This salon has specialized in coloring and cutting, so the stylists could only choose one of the two. In effect this experience was absolutely precious. I was trained by the owner of Posh Hair Salon on how to cut and blow dry hair for 3 years. I was on the floor creating wonderful magic with my scissors cutting away some great creations of hairstyles. At this point I began to crave creating hair coloring, haircutting and hairstyling all put together into one Hair Creation.
In 2009 I have left Posh Hair Salon to work at a charming Pacific Heights to work at Acabello Hair Salon where I could transform my haircuts and hair coloring from my and my clients’ imagination into reality which has been a breathtaking experience to this very day. I have began working at a wonderful Hair Salon called Red Union Salon in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow/Marina neighborhood. After 5 years of hard work, I have decided to open my very first hair salon called Arthur Sebastian. I have chosen those two names for two reasons. Arthur is my first name and Sebastian is my first son’s name. I liked how the two names sounded as they were combined together.
MY LOVE FOR HAIR STYLING
My clients have thought me the importance of creating hair styles accordingly to one’s facial features, personal and life style. I believe that true work of a successful hairstylist comes from passion and love for hairdressing. There is a large competition in the Hair world, absolutely, but what really counts is the the joy behind the chair and the love for creating styles for people as well as determination to make hair clientele superbly satisfied which in effect gratifies me the hairstylist.
My best work is done when there is never a pretentious moment behind honest, well done creation. Working with people gives me joy. I thrive on clients’ energy. People simply give me joy and their individual characters result in gaining my inspiration for whether it’d be styling, cutting , coloring or straightening hair. As long as I stay true to what I love my work will and my clients will be happy.