We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mira Scirica. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mira below.

Hi Mira, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Am I happier as an artist? I feel like I am much happier being able to work as creative than I ever would be at a regular or standard job. I think I knew that at a young age that I never wanted to have a desk job or a typical 9-5, the idea of laboring my life away for something I wasn’t passionate about was never something I wanted for myself. I actually remember wanting to be a Marine Biologist for the majority of my childhood and teens but realized I was pretty bad at biology in high school and that it wasn’t just swimming with dolphins it was a much more scientific career! Back when I lived in North Carolina, I was studying to get my degree in Psychology as I’d grown very passionate about mental health but dropped out a few months into the pandemic to pursue cosmetology through the Aveda Institute and a career in the makeup industry. I am glad I had that bit of experience and knowledge with Psychology because as I’ve realized throughout my years in the industry, makeup is a very intimate experience and my makeup chair acts as a safe space for all my actors and models and more often than not their time in my chair is also their time to really talk about anything troubling them in life. Working as a Freelance Makeup Artist really gives you a taste of other careers, it’s not all fun and beauty! It’s being a business owner, an accountant, a manager, a therapist, a script supervisor, a consultant, and so much more.

Mira, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Mira Scirica and I am a New York based Film & Fashion Makeup Artist with a specialty in SFX/Practical effects. Now lets talk about how this all started…as a child I loved to paint and draw and slowly began to incorporate those same skills on faces to create intricate and detailed characters. I would experiment with different styles of makeup and colors just like painting to teach herself more about what worked with my face and what didn’t, I yearned to know more and continued to pursue education to further learn this craft.

Originally, I am born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina where I attended the Aveda Institute Chapel Hill to obtain my cosmetology license and then after working out there I decided to relocate to New York City to attend the Make Up Designory Institute (MUD), and completing the master’s program. It was during this intensive training that I designed makeup for a series of beauty and fashion photoshoots and designed a range of characters. I think it was during this time period at MUD that something switched in my brain and I decided to pursue a career more based in SFX makeup in film and let my work in fashion and beauty makeup take the backseat. As a licensed professional I had worked in multiple areas of the beauty industry as a makeup artist, hair stylist, esthetician, and beauty consultant over the past years in the industry so moving into the Film Industry was a whole new adventure filled with long hours, hard work, and ultimately the most fulfillment I have ever felt in my life.

Since moving to New York, I have worked on countless films, commercials, shows, and shoots and have met so many amazing and talented people through those experiences. If I had to name my proudest career moments currently, I would have to say one of them was having the opportunity to be Lead Artist and Key my first NYFW show this past September which consisted of 3 separate shows showcasing stunning clothing designs that I designed the makeup for and led my team of 25 artists from all over (even from Japan!) to make it happen! Another great one was actually this past week where I alongside my Co-Key got the opportunity to Key the makeup and create this full body paint look for “Stranger Things” number for this year’s “I Put A Spell On You: ALiiVE at Webster Hall” show which was such an amazing time and for such a great cause as it raises money for the Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest agency serving LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness​! I think my final proudest moment would have to be seeing my work on film for the first time after wrapping production with my first SFX project in New York that took place during the Strike last year, The October Diaries.

Currently, I mostly work in film as that is more often where the demand is for my craft is, especially with there not being as many SFX artists in NYC as opposed to LA. However, I don’t like to be put in a box with my creative skills so I still provide my services in commercial work, beauty makeup, editorial, fashion, photography, and just about anything beauty or SFX related! I am constantly looking forward to evolving and refining my art and designing more intricate and magical characters while continuing to seek out those opportunities to bring to life characters and inspire others in the same way I am constantly inspired while making my talent into their most empowered and beautiful version of themselves or in the case of special effects work, their scariest selves.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the reactions and feelings my artistry creates for others and getting to see that while working on and off a set! I love to see the awe and happiness when my clients look in the mirror and feel beautiful and on the other end of the spectrum I love to see the audience gasp and get grossed out when they see the practical effects and injuries I do in horror films. It’s really cool to think about that my work and those reactions are essentially immortalized in film and print!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think it’s difficult for non-creatives to understand the severe burnout we can get from a busy season or a taxing gig. I imagine they don’t understand how you can be burnt out doing something you love or think “well it’s just makeup” when it is so much more than that. I am someone who suffers from burnout more often than I would like to admit and it was something that I had a hard time accepting; however when I really took a good look at it, it made sense why it was a reoccurring problem. As much it may appear glamorous to be booked and busy, during a busy season I am working back to back gigs, making invoices, making and prepping prosthetics, having conferences with directors, picking up and restocking materials, and working 10-12 hour days all different hours while barely getting 6 hours of sleep, eating cereal for dinner, and having no time for self care. It can be really difficult to manage all of these things as essentially you are managing an entire business/company by yourself, for yourself, so you can continue to do the work you love! I think that aspect of this career isn’t talked about as much so it’s harder to imagine for some until you actually experience it or see it happen to someone close to you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mirasciricaartistry.com
• Instagram: miraccosmetics

Image Credits
Nitara Ortiz Annesha Dasgupta PHOCUSD VIEWS Paris Ruiz Seth Miranda J Santillanes Nick Bright