Antioch Barber Turns Hair Into Works Of Art
ANTIOCH (KPIX 5) -- Most people go to the barber shop to get a little off the top. But at Ajja's in Antioch, what Derek Hernandez is doing is definitely over the top.
"When it started off, it wasn't that easy," Hernandez told KPIX 5. "I was kind of scared that I was gonna mess somebody up."
At age 23, Hernandez one of a growing number of "super barbers" who use people's heads as a canvas to create stunning works of art. Today, the subject is the upcoming Mayweather/Pacquiao fight.
"You know, the fight's coming up, so I decided to give this a try," Hernandez said.
Using only his eye and his electric clippers, Hernandez begins removing tiny bits of hair as the image of boxer Floyd Mayweather begins to appear. It's like drawing, in reverse.
"More like erasing, than drawing it on there. It's like you're working with a black piece of paper and a white pencil," he described it.
Alex Fagalar owns the shop and controls the music. During our visit, it was Frank Sinatra, which drives the young guys crazy. Hernandez said it helps him focus on work, work that the owner said he can't begin to compete with.
"I've been in the business for 23 years and this young dude right here is the best I ever seen all around," Fagalar said.
Hernandez has won national contests and will soon appear on a new CW television series with top barbers competing for cash. But he also says he's been cutting hair for fun since he was 12 years old. "And then when I found this and it excited me, so I decided to give it a try," he said.
And it's a good thing he did, because the ability to do something like this isn't something you should keep under your hat.
Hernandez said the Mayweather/Pacquiao haircut cost $150 and took two hours to complete.
The new CW show "Cedric's Barber Battle" premieres on sister station KBCW 44 / Cable 12 on Friday April 17th at 8:00 p.m. Hernandez is scheduled to appear on the May 1st episode.
