GCGA

Mary Starkloff

American Chapter

Creative Groomer

Mary’s inspiration for creative grooming comes from a lifelong love of color and animals. She has always been drawn to visual expression, and creative grooming allows her to enhance a dog’s natural features while telling a story through thoughtful color placement and design—without ever overpowering them. For Mary, creative work should highlight a dog’s structure, personality, and comfort first, while adding artistic expression in a safe and responsible way.

She has been professionally grooming since March 2025, and has been safely coloring her own service animals for just as long. Before becoming a groomer, she often added color to her Black Mouth Cur, Brock, to make him more approachable in public, as his appearance could sometimes intimidate people unfamiliar with the breed. That experience showed her how color can positively shift perception while maintaining professionalism and welfare.

In July 2025, she welcomed her black and white parti poodle, Priscilla Lily, and immediately began exploring more advanced creative concepts with her. Priscilla Lily has become both her canvas and her inspiration, allowing Mary to experiment, refine techniques, and grow artistically.

As a newer groomer, Mary is deeply passionate about continuing to learn, improve her technical skills, and push herself creatively. She values education, collaboration, and integrity within the grooming community, and she is grateful for opportunities to share her work. Mary remains committed to growing as a creative groomer while contributing to a supportive, inspired, and evolving grooming community.

Certifications

SWFDGA certified
CPR certified

Instagram | TikTok

Pet Groomer Mary

North Fort Myers, FL

Other Artists in the American Chapter

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Image for Adriane Pope

Creative Grooming Artist & Educator
Adriane Pope is a legendary figure in the world of creative grooming, with over three decades of professional experience and a legacy that has shaped the industry. Based in Conway, South Carolina, Adriane began her journey at the Southern Institute of Pet Grooming, graduating in 1992. Just two years later, she launched Adriane’s Groom and Go, a mobile grooming business that continues to serve her community today—bringing grooming directly to the doorstep long before it became a trend.

Adriane entered the grooming competition circuit in 1994, quickly earning placements in all-breed categories and later making her mark in creative grooming. Her love for creative began in 1998 and has remained her passion ever since. Over the past 25 years, Adriane has earned multiple national titles, including first place at the inaugural World Championship Creative Grooming Competition (World Expo 2017) and first place at Groom Expo Hershey 2017. Her award shelf includes two Groomer to Groomer magazine covers, the 2015 Barkleigh Spirit Award, and a nomination for Judge of the Year at the 2021 Barkleigh Honors.

In addition to competition acclaim, Adriane’s influence extends across media and education. She was featured in the HBO documentary “Well Groomed”, appeared on the CBS Morning Show, and has served as a respected judge, mentor, and educator ever since retiring from the competition ring. As a Wahl Elite Team Member and Opawz Creative Grooming Educator, Adriane now dedicates her career to advancing the industry through knowledge-sharing and advocacy.

As a distinguished member of the GCGA USA Chapter, Adriane brings unmatched experience, mentorship, and heart to the global creative grooming community. Her legacy is not only in the awards she's earned but in the artists she continues to inspire.

Featured in Well Groomed documentary
Nominated for Barkleigh honors 2021 Judge of the Year
Wahl Elite Team Member
2021Jerry Schinberg Award

Certifications

Wahl Educator
Opawz Creative Grooming Educator

Image for Alaina LeBlanc

For more than 25 years, Alaina has been a professional pet groomer. About a decade into her career, she found herself experiencing burnout and searching for a way to reignite her passion. That search led her to creative grooming—and it completely transformed her career.

Initially drawn to the artistry, Alaina quickly became fascinated by the science behind creative grooming, studying color techniques, skin and coat health, product chemistry, and safe application techniques. Combining her lifelong passions for art and animals gave her a renewed sense of purpose and creativity.

As the owner of Pawfections Pet Salon in Kennebunk, Maine, Alaina introduced creative grooming to her community at a time when no other local salons were offering anything like it. She later expanded into Asian Fusion styling, discovering that creative grooming is about far more than just color—it’s about bringing out the unique personality and individuality of every dog.

Creative grooming also led Alaina into competition, where she discovered a love for freestyle artistry and runway presentation. She earned a 3rd Place finish in Intermediate Freestyle at the New England Grooming Show and is continually pushing herself to grow as both an artist and educator.

Today, Alaina is passionate about helping groomers rediscover their creativity, build confidence, and continue learning. She believes creative grooming has the power to inspire, elevate the profession, and remind groomers why they fell in love with the craft in the first place.

Third Place – Intermediate Salon Freestyle Competition at the New England Grooming Show in Springfield, Massachusetts 2025
Founder & President of the Maine Professional Pet Groomers Association
Founder of The Groomer’s Speakeasy Institute, an education-focused organization dedicated to advancing the grooming profession

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Image for Alicia Mulac

Creative Grooming Artist
Based in Romeoville, Illinois, Alicia Mulac is a vibrant and award-winning creative grooming artist known for her bold transformations, anime-inspired themes, and ability to capture personality through color and design. Since entering the grooming world in 2010, Alicia has combined her passion for animals with a deep love of art, creating show-stopping pieces that turn heads and spark joy.

Her creative journey began while training at The Academy of Dog Grooming Arts in Illinois, where she first witnessed creative grooming as a competition category during the All American Grooming Show. That experience lit a fire in her—setting the course for a career defined by innovation, storytelling, and individuality.

Alicia first began experimenting with creative color on her wirehaired dachshund mix, using mohawks, tassels, and ear color to showcase canine personality. In 2018, she acquired her first white poodle and entered the world of extreme creative grooming, making her competitive debut with a playful design and quickly escalating to more ambitious themed concepts.

By 2023, Alicia was dominating the ring. She earned 1st place in the Creative Open Division at three major grooming shows—Windy City, PetQuest, and SuperZoo—with her standout Indiana Bones theme. That design caught international attention and was featured in the 2024 edition of Ripley’s Believe It or Not: Dare to Discover.

Creative grooming, for Alicia, is more than competition—it’s about emotional expression and joyful transformation. She finds profound fulfillment in seeing dogs come to life through color, confidence, and the extra affection they attract from admirers.

Today, Alicia leads Fairy Tails Mobile Pet Spa, a one-on-one luxury grooming experience serving Chicago’s west and southwest suburbs. Her mobile salon is grounded in safety, compassion, and artistic flair—making every pet feel like a star.

As a proud member of the GCGA USA Chapter, Alicia continues to inspire with her passion, precision, and bold creative spirit.

2023 1st place Creative Open division Windy City Grooming show
2023 1st Place Creative Open division PetQuest
2023 1st Place Creative Open division SuperZoo
2024 in the book "Ripley's Believe it or Not"

Image for Alicia Walker

Alicia Walker grew up in the grooming industry, learning the craft in her mother’s salon from a young age. Surrounded by competition grooming and creative work, she developed an early fascination with color—experimenting even as a child by using her mom’s makeup to add a little flair to the family’s Golden Retriever.

She began grooming professionally at 17 under the mentorship of her mother, a Certified Master Groomer, building a strong technical foundation while continuing to explore her passion for creative grooming. By 2006, Alicia was already experimenting with coat coloring—well before widely trusted products were available—testing and refining techniques to ensure both quality results and pet safety.

As her skills evolved, she expanded into airbrushing and eventually brought her creativity beyond dogs, applying her techniques to horses. What began as airbrushing grew into full coat coloring, allowing for longer-lasting, high-impact designs that have become a signature part of her work.

Today, Alicia is known for her vibrant, imaginative creations that turn heads and spark conversation. Whether it’s a brightly colored dog or one of her famously transformed horses—like her “Temu Zebra”—her work consistently brings joy to her community. She is passionate about educating others on safe creative grooming practices and takes pride in showing just how fun, expressive, and responsible color work can be.

Certifications

Terriers, Non Sporting and Sporting certified with NDGAA, IPG Certified Salon Professional, IPG Certified Professional Groomer, CCA Temporary Color & Accessories

Instagram (main) | Instagram (horses) | Facebook

Image for Alissa Law

Creative Grooming Artist
Alissa Law is a rising creative grooming artist based in Tucson, Arizona, where she blends imagination, storytelling, and skilled technique to create joyful, narrative-driven transformations. Her journey into creative grooming began just three years ago when she entered a local mock competition in Phoenix and transformed her standard poodle, Georgette, into a striking black-and-pink unicorn—earning her a placement for "Most Creative" and igniting a newfound passion.

Alissa dove headfirst into the competitive circuit, entering her first trade show at SuperZoo with a bold A Bug’s Life themed design. That experience taught her the value of planning, and as a talented sketch artist, she began mapping her concepts out on paper before ever picking up a clipper or dye brush. Her next design, based on the Disney classic Oliver & Company, featured a cityscape, a taxi cab, and beloved characters sculpted across her poodle’s coat—a nostalgic tribute to one of her favorite childhood films and a personal creative breakthrough.

Over time, Alissa has grown more confident with each competition, particularly in the art of carving—once a challenge, now a source of excitement and expression. For her, creative grooming offers the freedom to merge art with affection, bringing both dogs and their stories to life through color, texture, and playfulness.

Alissa owns and operates Georgette’s Paw Spaw, a boutique grooming service offering one-on-one care and pet-safe color in a fun, comforting environment. Her work reflects a genuine love of learning and a desire to keep pushing her creative boundaries.

As a proud member of the GCGA USA Chapter, Alissa is part of the next wave of artists helping to shape the future of creative grooming—bold, joyful, and always evolving.

Image for Alyssa Kasiba

Creative Grooming Artist, Educator & International Speaker
Alyssa Kasiba is a powerhouse in the global creative grooming community—an award-winning artist, educator, and speaker whose work has inspired a new generation of groomers to see grooming as a true art form. Based in Elgin, Illinois, Alyssa brings together a lifelong love for animals and formal training in media arts and animation to craft high-concept grooming pieces rooted in storytelling, pop culture, and theatrical design.

Her journey began unexpectedly at a PetSmart bathing station, where she was first noticed for her natural comfort with grooming tools. What started as a helping hand quickly turned into a professional path—fueled by her artistic vision, work ethic, and deep connection to the animals she styles. Alyssa’s artistic instincts, shaped by her early ambition to become a Pixar animator, have remained at the heart of her work—translating seamlessly from sketch pad to salon.

In 2016, Alyssa entered her first creative grooming competition at the All American Grooming Show with her cockapoo Yoshi dressed in a Dogs of Anarchy theme. From that moment on, the “creative bug” took hold. With unwavering dedication, she progressed from entry-level to open division, placed in competitions across the country, and debuted increasingly elaborate themes such as Big Hero 6, Oliver & Company, and Monty Python.

Alyssa’s career has since taken her around the world—teaching and competing across the U.S., Canada, Taiwan, and South Korea. Her accolades include:

Barkleigh Honors: Creative Groomer of the Year (2022, 2023, 2024)

ABC’s Pooch Perfect finalist

Cover features on Groomer to Groomer Magazine (March 2022, May 2022, July 2024)

Backstage Hero Award, Sportsmanship Award, and Inspiring Creative Educator Awards (2023 & 2024)

She is a certified OPAWZ Creative Grooming Educator, CPR Certified, and a beloved mentor in the creative grooming space. Alyssa also leads Simply Diffurent Mobile, a luxury mobile salon that embodies her artistic philosophy: grooming should be expressive, inclusive, and uniquely fun.

Alyssa is the founder of Simply Creative Groomers and a core leader of The Creative Contribution, a nonprofit initiative that provides supplies to groomers in need. She teaches across multiple platforms—including conferences, cruise line seminars, and international shows—with a mission to make the creative space more vibrant, welcoming, and educational for all.

Barkleigh Honors: Creative Groomer of the Year: 2022/2023/2024
Finalist of ABC's Pooch Perfect
The Creative Contribution's:
Backstage Hero Award 2023/ Sportsmanship Award 2023 & 2024 / Inspiring Creative Educator 2023 & 2024
Cover of Groomer to Groomer Magazine:
March 2022 (Sailor Moon)/ May 2022 (Spiderman)/ July 2024 (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)

Certifications

CPR Certified
OPAWZ Creative Grooming Educator

Image for Amber Messenger

Amber Messenger

Amber Messenger discovered her passion for animals at an early age, growing up in a small town where her love for pets quickly became a defining part of her life. Her first dog, a Pekingese with a big personality, sparked an early fascination that only deepened over time. At ten years old, she received a dog encyclopedia that she still treasures today—an early symbol of her curiosity and dedication, even proudly sharing it at school for show and tell.

At eighteen, Amber began working at a local animal shelter, gaining hands-on experience and strengthening her connection with animals. In 2012, she entered the grooming industry as a bather at Petco, where she met a mentor who would shape the course of her career. Under Shelly’s guidance, Amber was introduced to professional grooming, with a strong emphasis on safety, proper handling, and respect for the animals in her care. During this time, she also gained experience assisting with cat grooming, though she found her natural connection and understanding to be strongest with dogs.

In 2016, Amber attended the Northwest Grooming Show, where she further expanded her education by completing pet CPR training and attending a creative grooming seminar with Angela Kumpe. This experience sparked a new level of inspiration, leading her to explore creative grooming more deeply. Shortly after, she welcomed a white Standard Poodle into her life, providing both a companion and a canvas to begin practicing color work and creative expression.

Amber went on to successfully run her own grooming business for five years, building a loyal clientele and strong reputation. However, driven by a desire for continued growth and new opportunities, she made the decision to relocate to the Oklahoma City area to further challenge herself and evolve within the industry.

While Amber values all aspects of grooming, creative work is where she feels most inspired. She finds that artistic grooming ignites a sense of purpose and energy, allowing her to fully express her passion for the craft. Whether through subtle accents or more expressive designs, she embraces every opportunity to bring creativity into her work.

Today, Amber continues to refine her skills while balancing both technical and creative grooming. Alongside her Standard Poodle, Bubbles, and her white Pomeranian-Poodle mix, Zues, she continues to explore color and design, using her own dogs as both inspiration and creative partners.

Certifications

Temporary color and accessories
Professional pet grooming and styling
Hair and Skin 101
Advance Hair and Skin
Pet first Aid and CPR
The Canine Coat Type Course
Topical conditioning of Canine and Feline Skin and coat