Today we’d like to introduce you to Melinda Abreu.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Melinda. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Absolutely, everything kinda started one day when I was working on my Sculpture thesis, at the time, I was working towards my dual BFA degree in Sculpture and Digital Media. I was in the studio and had just finished casting faces of friends and family in plaster. When a colleague of mine came up to me and said, “Hey, you know what you are basically doing is special effects makeup”.
As a kid, I knew I wanted to work in film and loved all the horror movie monsters, and of course, I wanted to be an artist, as I loved working with the figure in my sculptural work, drawing, painting and funny enough, even had works of a few makeup artists on my studio wall of inspiration. I guess at the time, I didn’t know how being an artist and wanting to work in film was going to merge as it did.
So, I cannonballed right into working with makeup, to me it was another medium I got to work with and I was so excited by it. A friend of mine got me a job working at a beauty retail store and that’s where I learned all my ins and outs of beauty makeup. A few years and a ton of research, studio sessions with models and a bazillion photos later, I left the beauty counter in my town of New Bedford and went to work at Kryolan City Boston, a makeup brand that specialized in theater, tv, body art, and special effects makeup. I wanted to expand, know more about the different worlds of makeup, body painting, theatre, film, and of course special effects. That’s exactly what happened. I fell in love with body art and just couldn’t stop designing and creating. I loved working there and I met so many wonderfully creative people, makeup artists, drag queens, teachers, you name it! Until one day, a very renowned makeup artist came into the store, I knew exactly who he was and they were filming a very big feature film right around the corner and he invited me to go and visit the makeup trailer. I, of course, did! And that’s when it hit me, I knew right there and then, that was exactly where I was supposed to be and I was looking at what I had to be doing. Being on a film set, seeing the magic happen behind the scenes, it’s exactly what I have wanted to do since I could remember, I was on Cloud 9.
So, I left, I quit my job and decided that’s it, I want to work with makeup in film and theater. I worked very hard for about 2 years building my work. I had the absolute freedom and opportunity to put my creations on a living breathing canvas and I was going to go all the way. I also networked every chance I had, I couldn’t have done it without the amazing group of people around me. They were there with me until the wee hours of the morning, day in and out covered in glue and makeup. Over the next following years, I met more wonderful people and other makeup artists who saw my work and really it was through them that I would get hired. It started with small jobs here and there and then slowly started escalating to an opera here, a ballet there, and then a feature film. Ever since then, I haven’t stopped on film sets and stage productions and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love it.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth roads are boring. Off-road keeps life a little spicy.
There were a ton of struggles along the way. However without them, I don’t think I would be as successful, you learn from them and get better. One struggle in particularly that I had was people telling me that I would never make it, that there’s so much competition in the field and that “every makeup artist wants to work in the film” that why should I be any different. What made me so special? Their words, not mine. And for moments I really did begin to doubt myself and even thought about moving away to L.A. to try to make it there. But instead, I turned that doubt to fuel my drive and I just kept moving forward and kept creating better work. I said to myself, this is what I want and I am going to get it.
Also, my parents are immigrants and I am the first generation here in America. My parents didn’t know any English so, of course, they would only speak to me in the language they knew which resulted in me not knowing a lick of English when I started school. So, I would have to stay after class and learn English. But knowing that about myself I would work harder at allowing my work to speak for itself and establish its own presence. Also, I had the opportunity of working on some international films and that gave me the advantage of being trilingual. Sometimes I still say a few words backwards in English.
Oh yes, my top advice would be to Exuberate your Confidence! Confidence is key, it puts a spotlight on your personality and believe it or not I have found that its really tough for some people, especially young women. With today’s media, image, etc., it’s hard! But if you show that your confidence about what you do and who you are, no matter where you are on the totem pole, novice/professional, people/clients will be attracted. I strongly believe now, more than ever women from all walks of life are becoming more empowered, especially in the workplace. So don’t be afraid ladies, Shine!
Another super important piece of advice, is to do what makes you uncomfortable, take risks! I know that in my experience, getting a call and accepting work to go on a movie set and not know exactly what I am going to do or exactly how it is going to turn out definitely kept me awake at night, more than once. However, without those risks, I wouldn’t know what I would be capable of doing. So, if you’re nervous, it’s a good thing.
Lastly, you have to adapt to change, be a chameleon in different environments. with how fast technology is advancing it’s almost obligatory to be prepared and expect anything and everything.
Please tell us about your business.
I am a Make-up Artist. My work involves creating and applying makeup and effects on actors/performers in theatrical productions, film, television, fashion and the commercial industries. I also specialize in body art, hair laying, airbrushing, lifecasting and sculpting characters/prosthetics. I am primarily known for my body art, my work in body painting is really what sets me apart from others. With it, allows me to take a step back and see how every element applied on the figure works with one another, even though the tiny details in makeup are very important, taking a step back and seeing the entire picture is just as if not more important. What also sets me apart from others is that I also have a Fine Arts degree in digital media which allows me to understand the technical aspects of when I am applying a makeup to be in front of a camera that is 4K, 8K and now 18K resolutions.
I wake up every day and still can’t believe that I am doing what I have dreamt of doing since I was a kid, I get to play with makeup for a living. It’s surreal and I love it.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
Yes, as a kid, I was constantly drawing, constantly painting always doing something creative. I remember my parents were remodeling our home when I was young and my family at the time couldn’t afford to get my sister and I toys, so I would draw Disney Characters, on loose shingles that I found on the ground on the side of the house and my sister and I would play with them as if they were marionettes, I believe one of them was definitely Aladdin and his magic carpet. Being creative was the outlet that I had and was constantly surrounded by, my father was a carpenter so he would always be building something new and my mother, a florist and she loved decorating homes, so I never lost any support from them when I told them that I wanted to go to school to learn art. They taught me that good things always come when you love what you are doing and work very hard at it.
Also, I was the oldest in my family, so I was thrown a lot of responsibility at a young age. By the time, I was eight, I already had to take care of my younger sister and the house when my parents were away working. That taught me a lot going into my professional career, especially when I decided to quit my job and pursue my goals, I had to take the responsibility of disciplining myself to get better professionally whether it be to coordinate makeup sessions with models, collaborate with different artists or do research.
Pricing:
- Bridal $120.00
- Beauty $75.00 includes traveling and lashes
- Halloween $75.00 includes travel
Contact Info:
- Website: www.melindaabreu.com
- Phone: 508-717-2703
- Email: melindaabreuartistry@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mabreuartistry
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/melindaabreuartistry
Image Credit:
Drew Pion Photography, Adam Katz Photography, Shop Calico, Oh My Photography
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