Penny Lecture: in conversation with James Mac MUA

Fresh from the success of his debut exhibition MakeupXArt at Morley Gallery in January 2024, James Mac will talk about his career as a makeup artist as well as giving an insight into his own story, as a queer, Irish person living with Tourette’s Syndrome.

About James Mac MUA

James Mac Inerney is an internationally acclaimed Professional Makeup Artist, most recognised for being a finalist on the Netflix / BBC series Glow Up (season 2) and guest judge for RTÉ’s Glow Up Ireland, hosted by Maura Higgins.

As a senior professional artist James has worked for L’Oréal Paris at Paris Fashion week, and MAC Cosmetics in Los Angeles and London Fashion Weeks. James is Senior Head of Creative – Editorial Artistry at the Aliya Baig Academy of Makeup in Hyderabad, India, and recently awarded for most outstanding Senior Faculty member at the academy, which is part of the International Makeup Association.

James has gone on to work as a celebrity makeup artists with clientele including Eva Longoria, Netflix’s Heartstopper and Doctor Who star Yasmin Finney, Aisling Bea, Kat Graham, and cast members of RuPaul’s Drag Race US and UK.

A graduate of Dublin City University – with a Bachelor of Science in Multimedia studies – James’s major was in photography and visual communications, which leads itself into the current work he does. He won the creative student category in the 2018 Irish Beauty awards and was first runner up in the student category of the 2018 Irish Body Painting Championships.

James is now based in London, working towards a freelance career outside of social media, whilst maintaining his online presence.

In 2024, James collaborated with Morley Gallery to curate MakeupXArt, his first exhibition.