Art + physics = Good hair
Jennifer Leigh cuts Dhara Williams’ hair at O2 Salon in Portland. Leigh, who has a Maine College of Art degree, says her training helped refine her aesthetic sense. Empathy is also key, she says, because clients “give me a view of their lives” during appointments
Jennifer Leigh cuts Dhara Williams’ hair at O2 Salon in Portland. Leigh, who has a Maine College of Art degree, says her training helped refine her aesthetic sense. Empathy is also key, she says, because clients “give me a view of their lives” during appointments.
Q: Have you done nonhair-type jobs?
A: I was a really bad waitress. I once spilled white clam sauce on someone in the middle of his first date.
Q: How did he take it?
A: He wasn't very happy. That was the beginning of the end at that job. Almost all of the restaurants I worked at (including Valle's and Pasta Villa) are closed now, but it wasn't my fault! I just wasn't very good at it. I love being a student, on the other hand. If I couldn't do hair anymore, I would try to find a way to be a full-time student again, in perpetuity.
Q: Where did you go to school for hair?
A: Originally to Mansfield Beauty Academy, which doesn't exist any more, on Preble Street. When I graduated in 1986 I worked at a couple salons and trained at Matthew John, which was big in the Old Port back in the day, for two years. He was my mentor, if you will. He taught me that hairdressing is an art and really elevated the skill level I had to a higher level than beauty school itself did. When I left there I became self-employed, a sort of subcontractor for Brenda Broder at Amore. In our biz, that's called a 'booth renter.' That was in One City Center, in, oh geez, like '89, '90 or so. Also in 1989, I went to the Vidal Sassoon Academy in London and did a one-week course and came home and started marketing myself as Vidal Sassoon-trained, which just means classically trained, as opposed to someone trained contemporarily. If that's a word.
Q: Er, not sure
A: But then in '93 or '94 I decided something was maybe missing in my career, so I went to (the Maine College of Art). I studied graphic design at first but ended up being their first self-designed major, in furniture design, which now is a major there. I thought I was going to change careers, but I found that I loved what I was already doing. But going to MECA was helpful in refining my aesthetic sense and giving me a new perspective on how I look at hair.
Q: So when did you open your own place?
A: I opened a salon under a different name, Ola, in July 1999, in a smaller room in this building. I opened with a sink and a chair, the bare essentials, and moved into this room, oh gosh, it must have been '05. This is 'O' 2, second location and second floor, after the first 'O,' Ola. The new thing now is having an apprentice and trying to inspire someone else with the love I have for doing this. She just started today. I sent her out for Poland Spring water, so she's taking a break now.
Q: Didn't you also lose one recently?
A: Yes. Her learning style and my teaching style didn't quite jibe. In a small room, you need the right chemistry.
Q: Where do you get them?
A: I found them both on Craigslist, actually. I advertised for a stylist who loves what they do and is talented and wants to step it up a notch.
Q: Is that a formalized relationship?
A: The state would call it a 'stylist trainee.' The person is actually getting paid as assistant and will be responsible for doing some cleaning and so on and also learning as much as she can by watching and copying what I do, and working on mannequins and models, to learn the skills to move to a higher level and have her own chair. When Colleen (Griffin) is done here, I think she has 1,100 hours to go, she'll build her own business, as I did. There are a number of places in town who take on apprentices and train them from beginning to end to get their licenses.
Q: How much do you charge?
A: A shampoo, cut and style is $45. I am very reasonable.
Q: Both men and women?
A: About 85 percent women. I do a lot of color, which is sort of my specialty. I believe a hairstyle should look natural, so I try to make color look as natural as can be. As much as possible, I try to imitate children's hair, which looks just amazing before it gets all the weight of the world on it! I try to make sure it looks as if it's growing out of the head that color.
Q: How do you get clients?
A: Almost exclusively by word of mouth, and I really like that. Clients tend to pick people they think will fit here, and that works well, when they know a bit about you before get there. It's not the surprise of the walk-in.
Q: Like a blind date.
A: I do get a few walk-ins every year. Personality is really important. People give me a view of their lives, and we sort of share stories. Positive, not gossipy. I'm not really joking when I say that what is said at O2 stays in O2. It's almost like being a bartender.
Q: Except the clients aren't drunk. Or has that ever happened?
A: I did have one person come in after cocktails who was not in any place to make decisions about hair. That was an interesting day. I just said, 'No big changes today, right?' That was back when I was on Middle Street.
Q: What do you do about health insurance?
A: Luckily, I'm married to someone who has it, which is pretty sweet. If I were on my own I'd choose more holistic health care, but I don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Q: No Web site yet?
A: I'm working on one now. It's kind of interesting becasuse I'm old-fashioned, weird as it sounds, a sort of 20th-century girl. So it's a challenge to put myself out there in that way.
Q: What's the worst thing about the job?
A: The 'extra' hours. I work about 36 hours behind the chair, as we call it, doing what I love to do, and spend six to 10 a week on bookkeeping and business stuff and marketing and doing a Web site. Finding a parking spot. That can take an hour.
Q: Where do you park?
A: I don't want to say, but since I went to school here in the arts district, I know a few secret spots, from studying the parking thing.
Q: Ever get disagreeable clients?
A: No. I really think I'm privileged in that way. One of the biggest benefits getting to build relationships with people. Unlike banking or something, this is one of the few careers that requires a personal connection -- it will never be a drive-through.
Q: Where do you get your hair cut?
A: Actually I'm looking for a hair stylist. The last time was by David at the Columbia Barber Shop downstairs. I loved it, but I'm growing my hair out. It only needed to be 'cleaned up' for Christmas then.
Q: Where was your first haircut?
A: At Cut Above, which is still across the street from me. My aunt took me there for my first 'good' haircut. My mother always took me to the beauty parlor, but my aunt was forward-thinking and took me to a place where you get to use a blow-dryer.
Q: Do people tip you?
A: Sometimes, yup. It's not important to me whether people tip or not. There used to be a sort of rule that you did not tip the owner of the salon. Some clients still follow it, which is fine. I set prices where I need to be to make my living.
Q: Do you ever do mullets?
A: I actually had one guy come in for the first time, he'd picked my name out of the book, and when he came in he had a mullet. I was polite about it -- 'Jeez, what can I do for you today?' Then I was relieved when he said, 'I need this mullet gone!' I remember when mohawks came in, and trying to find how they stood up. But the hairstyle of Donald Trump does make you wonder. The comb up, over and around and back over.
Q: It could be maintained by an effort of will.
A: It's not a hairstyle, it's like a physics experiment. I'd like to meet the stylist who knows what's going on there.
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