PQs Phone Booth

First off tell us how you were "discovered" and how your modeling career all started? *I wasn’t as so much ‘discovered’... I consider myself, a self made woman. My very 1st photoshoot was a sunshine girl in a local newspaper, The Ottawa Sun. After that I took interest & starting building a portfolio, but it wasn’t until Imoved into the capital of Canada at age 31 to further my education as a graphic designer that things really took off. It was here that changed it all. Starting off a freelance model, I put myself out there to local camera clubs and started meeting new photographers and volunteering for local events. My very 1st paid modeling job, I had found out years later that my image made Cover Girl for an international Slovakian women's magazine! I was elated!!! Building my portfolio over a period of the next 10 years of my life, it was then in my early 40’s that it really took off and I am now proudly signed on to one of the largest modeling agencies in Ottawa; MIM - Models International Management as an actress under their AIM division, working towards MIM model status!
What has been your favorite shoot / campaign / work to date? *That would be a toss up between 2 shoots. This shoot here that is being featured ‘Phone Booth’ was great because of the concept. I scouted out these 3 phone booths in a rough area of the city and while we were shooting , we had a ton of ‘onlookers’ wondering what was going on! Secondly, I just finished a very creative, yet simple project that involved a huge soft box light (way bigger than myself) and a strong fan to blow my outfit and hair back. The light was part of the set, but you can not see the fan, so imagine....It was all white, white room, white outfit. The idea I wanted to portray here was that the light being projected at me was SO strong that it was pushing me, my outfit and my hair back, my fav. as I just know the images are going crazy and look soooo good in a high fashion magazine!
How would you describe your personal style, Where do you pull your inspiration from? *I shop at lot at vintage 2nd hand stores, looking for those one of a kind diamond in the rough items and my wardrobe is FULL of them!!! Let’s just say when I go to the airport, I have the officers there telling me “I look like a movie star” OUUUHHHH!!!!! hehe ♥♥♥

Do you have any hidden talents? *Oh yes! I grew up drawing which turned to painting which turned into ‘ANYTHING’ creative!!! I am also a photographer. Specializing in newborn photography known as the Anne Geddes of Ottawa & I got me some crazy COD gaming skills too! (for those of you who don’t know what COD is = Call Of Duty!).
Do you get to travel a lot for your work? If so what's your favorite city that you have visited? *No, so I travel for leisure pleasures. Obsessed with the Ocean, sun & sand, Florida will always be my favorite destination as it is only a 3 hr. flight!!! Sometimes the modeling industry gets a bad rap with the jealousy and egos encountered between other models and agencies.
Was this true for you? Have you managed to tough it out and make good friends? * Most definitely! I hear all the time what a wonderful role model I am and how younger models can, will and do look up to me as a role model! I have designers stopping in at my agency, spreading the good word of “how amazing that dress looked on Kandisse *& how amazing Kandisse looked in that dress”. The support is overwhelming actually! I was in 2 major modeling contests this past summer and I found not only my entire home town was backing me up, but the entire world was! I placed 2nd internationally in the Vizual Magazine contest and placed 13th world wide in the prestigious Jetset competition. I beat out 1000’s and 1000’s of ladies worldwide in both comps and could NOT have don't so without everyone’s support!! xx Being short and curvy, NOT a size 0, I have broken through many barriers that the industry has set before me. I have since graced many runways at my height. Continuing to do, what I was told, I’d never do. I continue to inspire people everyday and people continuously inspire me.