Anytime Raven is on our screens, we are seated.
Raven made a splash from the moment she graced the screen — and our presence — in season two of the beloved series. Since then she has continued to make her mark, on Drag Race All Stars, Drag U, and the list goes on.
So it was only a matter of time until she would get a spin-off of her own. It came in the form of Painted with Raven, a WOW Presents Plus original that saw makeup artists from around the country competing for $25,000 and a year's supply of makeup from Anastasia Beverly Hills. Now the show is set to enter a new era with a new format — and the new title Painting with Raven — that sees Raven sitting down with beloved queens including Angeria Paris Van Michaels, Jaida Essence Hall, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Shannel, Naomi Smalls, Deja Skye, Phoenix, and Nicole Paige Brooks, to paint and kiki — and it kicks off this weekend at DragCon.
Why the change in format? Well, there were two reasons. “We wanted a very intimate moment with some of the beloved queens that have competed in RuPaul’s Drag Race. Some that we have seen recently and some that we haven’t seen in a while. But all talented with the brush,” she tells PRIDE. “And all the moving parts of Painted with Raven made it a bit cumbersome. So we streamlined it!”
Today World Of Wonder shared an exclusive teaser trailer for the upcoming season and we’re obsessed.
PRIDE also caught up with Raven to talk about why sitting in front of the makeup mirror is the perfect place for queens to open up and reveal all the juiciest of tea.
It seems like time spent putting on makeup together is a really important bonding experience for queens. Why is that?
Most of us do a lot of thinking while painting and getting ready. It’s nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of or just vent to. You are taking time to get ready and why not use that time for a bit of queen therapy? Whether you bond or not? It does help.
Courtesy of World of Wonder
It also seems like a great time to get people to open up, why do you feel queens are more likely to share things while sitting in front of a mirror?
It must be the introspection. Seeing yourself in the mirror and somewhat talking to yourself. I’ve never really thought about it before, that’s a great question. It must be that. It has to be. But it’s also the vulnerability. You’re in a vulnerable state. Sometimes you just let things out. We all do.
Courtesy of World of Wonder
Which of your guests surprised you the most?
The one that surprised me the most would be Silky. We worked together only a few times. Passing each other in the dressing room amid the hustle and bustle. She is quite timid. But very smart and very enlightening. I enjoy Silky a lot!
You are known as one of the GREATEST makeup artists in Drag Race herstory, but did you learn anything makeup-wise from your guests?
Well, I appreciate that. I’ve definitely left my mark, so to speak. I did learn. Of course, I did! Always learning. I learned that sometimes you don’t have to always go by the routine in which you are used to — which is me to the core — and pivoting isn’t always a bad thing. Silky taught me that. Trust your process and allow yourself room for error. I don’t always do that.
Conversely, were there ever any moments when you saw something your guest was doing and wanted to take the brush out of their hand and take over?
[Laughs] Absolutely! Nicole [Paige Brooks] did NOT want to highlight. She likes a very minimal look and I really wanted to grab the brush and go in!
One day I will. I told her I would.
Courtesy of World of Wonder
Aside from being wildly entertained, is there anything you hope the audience takes away from this season?
Makeup is meant for whatever you want it to be meant for. To be beautiful. To be adventurous. To be provocative. To be daring. It can be worn whenever you want to. Wherever you’re going or doing it’s just makeup. At the end of the day, it comes off. You’re still under there!
Painted with Raven will premiere this fall exclusively on WOW Presents Plus, and we can’t wait to see all the glam and hear all the tea.
