By Amber Ford
The Mountain Times
When many people think of local artists, our many great painters, photographers and crafters come to mind. Local hair stylist Jessica Thomason of New Moon Salon thrives on the creativity that is her livelihood. From her initial studies at Mt. Hood Community College, Thomason has a variety of beauty licenses under her belt, including nails and facials, but works strictly on hair at her salon in Welches.
Having worked at several salons in Portland, Thomason brought her talent and skill to the mountain in 2018 when she opened New Moon Salon in the Rendezvous Plaza. Crediting her clients for her overall passion when it comes to being a stylist, Thomason acknowledges how each client request shaped her business into the success it is today. “I love that I get paid to hang out with friends and be creative,” Thomason said. “I have meaningful relationships with my clients. We have real conversations, and I’m very grateful that they trust me with their hair. Not many people actually get paid to create art all day, and I’m glad I found a way to do that,” Thomason added.
As a top tier stylist in both Portland – and now Welches – Thomason has had a variety of experiences with clients over the years who inspired her and sharpened her skills, providing challenges with each cut and color. Creativity is at the forefront of her profession, but the connections and relationships she establishes with her clients are just as important. “Working with middle school and high school age kids is really rewarding for me, especially kids who identify as part of the queer community,” Thomason said. “They know I’m a safe space, and their parents also trust me as a person they can talk to. I remember being in middle school, and I’m pretty sure no one would disagree that it’s a time where you really ridicule yourself for how you look. We are so critical at that age. When I see a young person looking at themselves in the mirror with a real smile on their faces, it brings me so much joy. Honestly, anytime I can help someone’s outsides reflect how they feel on the inside, that is when I feel I’ve really made a difference for someone,” Thomason added.
Although her city stylist days may be behind her, Thomason has found that when it comes to her location, clients and their respective requests are similar no matter where she creates. “I’ve found that the mountain and my clientele don’t differ much from my years in downtown Portland,” Thomason said. “It’s a lovely variety of ages and stages, styles that vary from subdued to wild. My favorite thing is to figure out how to get as close to someone’s vision as possible, and problem solving my way to the result,” Thomason added.
While Thomason specializes in a variety of different unique and transformative stylist techniques from a basic cut to extreme color changes, she finds herself fascinated and continuously sharpening her vibrant color craft.. “I love doing rainbow hair color,” Thomason said. “While I do a good amount of vivid color work, the majority of my cuts and colors do not look quite so punk rock. The difference between being up here versus the city is that I see my clients everywhere!” Thomason added.