© copyright, Jean Sweet Ehlinger, 2009

Jean Sweet Ehlinger is an artist with an intense personality, creative spirit and passion for her life's work. Sweet's career achievements as a salon owner, freelance hair and makeup stylist for fashion print, marketing manager and fashion trade show producer prepared her for her current career as a photographer for the hair and beauty industry.

In 1970 Jean Sweet married Jack Ehlinger, graduated from beauty school and completed her first year in college. By 1974 Jean opened her first beauty salon directly after graduating from Miami University with a BS in Education. Within the next thirteen years, Jean opened two salons building a staff from three to twenty five. In 1986, Jean sold the salons to become a full time hair stylist and makeup artist for fashion print. For the next seven years, Jean followed the fashion scene working on editorial and advertising photo shoots in Madrid, Spain, New York City, Miami and Chicago. During that time, Sweet's clients included Montgomery Wards, Sears, Finger Hut, May Company, Jasmine Bridal, Jenna Couture Bridal and other commercial advertising work with photographers Dennis Manarchy, Jim Caulfield, Ken Franz, Steve Orlick and Jean Moss.

From 1994 to 2000, Jean expanded on her natural design abilities to produce a line of knitwear leading her to move to Chicago in 2000, accepting a position as marketing and sales director for fashion designer, Patricia Rhodes. Three years later Jean initiated curvCollaborative LLC, offering marketing services for small fashion and beauty companies. For the next four years, Jean was the acting director of American + International Designers, a fashion trade show in New York City, and designed marketing materials for Artizen, a manufacturer of professional hair care appliances. During this tenure, Jean was once again immersed in photo shoots for independent fashion designers and professional hair care magazines. Eventually, Jean began photographing editorial hairstyling which appeared in Peluquerias, International Edition, Launch Pad, American Salon, Modern Salon, Estietica Italia, Salons Unlimited, Sophisticate's Hair Style Guide and Cut & Dry.

Currently Jean's main focus is photographing the work of creative hair stylists and designing web sites for small business owners. Jean Sweet acts as a coach, mentor and director to help talented hair stylists express themselves through beautiful images. Jean's collaborative style as a photographer maintains a comfortable environment for innovation among her associates and clients. Jean Sweet offers photo shoots on location, at salons and in her studio.

Jean Sweet also provides private instruction and group classes on "Camera Ready Hair and Makeup". For more information, contact Jean at 312.627.1720 or jean@curv.com