FEATURED ARTIST - Melita Safran

The Make-Up Artist

Croatian born, Melita Safran, grew up in an artistic family. Her grandfather Antun Mezdjic (1907-1981) was a painter and a professor at The Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. He died when she was very young and before she could really get to know him, “I wish I could have known him. I have so many questions I would like to ask him.”
Her parents were professional musicians. Her mother played the piano and her father played the viola. Melita followed in her parents footsteps and also finished musical academy and currently works in comedy theatre as a concert master/the first violin in their orchestra.
Drawing has always been an interest to her as well. Many of her paintings here at FAA are in colored pencil. Throughout school she constantly drew in her notebooks. At that time it was mostly horses. Later, she branched out and added other animals as well as figurative artworks. One thing led to another and the next thing she knew she was painting with make-up.



I asked her, “What made you think of using make-up?”
“The idea came to me in a dream. In the dream, I had lipstick in one hand and used my other hand to apply it to the paper. No brushes or pencils; I just used my hands. Then I saw a lot of colors. It looked abstract; which is strange because I have never done abstract work. It was a while after my dream that I actually tried to paint with make-up. I realized that I could ask my friends for their old make-up. Instead of throwing it away, they could give it all to me and they did”… and becoming the make-up artist began!
At first, she was astonished at how easily it spread onto the paper. She tried all the colors, eye-liners, eye-shadows, lipsticks, powders, nail polish…you name it. Some of the make-up couldn’t be put over others and some smeared way too easily. Spreading in places she didn’t want it to go. She discovered that the best way for her to start was from left to right so as not to smear finished areas. After completing the painting, she seals it with a pastel fixative. It takes several days to dry, but after that it is secured to the paper.
One of the other problems she comes across is not having access to a large variety of warm colors like yellows and oranges, “You have to work with what you have.” Now, of all the problems to have with a particular media, that was not one that I expected to hear, but it makes sense; even though, here in the USA, those eye shadow colors were just in fashion a few seasons ago. They (who are ‘they’ - the fashion police?) called them sunset colors. I seem to recall also seeing those colors on teenagers eyelids over the years.

Her most challenging piece was Wisdom as it was the largest painting she had ever painted. She had to buy an easel just so she could do it. “I had a lot of trouble with the sky as I used some liquid shadow and couldn't put anything over it. I thought of putting some trees or a forest in the distance.” Well, she didn't and that was a great decision. The painting turned out amazing.


Painting people has always been challenging for her. “Because of a lack of practice,” she says.

The most fun she had creating a piece was when drawing, The Pack. “This drawing isn’t with make-up, but it was the first time I worked with negative shape on black paper. It was really fun and experimental.”


In the next few years, Melita would like to do a show on her make-up pieces. She would call the show “Ladies”, an exhibit for ladies only. She says that it will take her a couple of years to pull it together because doing art is not how she makes her living right now. For now it is her hobby because she has a full time job, she only is able to paint with the limited time she has available.

I don't know about you, but I'm dying to see more. More, Melita, more. Please do more.