‘He’s a legend’ | Merrimack Valley

ANDOVER — For David Nicholas the paint that goes typically on people’s faces has constantly been a instrument for empowerment — not hiding.

“A tiny powder and paint will make you what you ain’t,” he said. “It really is not just about camouflaging or concealing the spots persons might not like, a large amount of it is about working with the make-up to harmony out your features.”

Nicholas, 62, embraced makeup and started painting his individual deal with and the faces of many others when he was a kid, which led him on a journey to work on countless numbers, maybe hundreds of thousands of faces all over his occupation. The self-taught makeup artist has produced over stars, which include “Grey’s Anatomy” guide Ellen Pompeo just as she was setting up out as a design for the reason that he knew the Everett, Massachusetts native’s sister.

He forged a extended, prosperous career getting built up Cher, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tom Bergeron and people today know if they have a “challenging task they simply call me,” Nicholas explained. He’s had studios throughout the Boston metro spot the place he’s qualified up-and-coming makeup artists and helped people today embrace their natural beauty.

He is been in Andover for the past 7 decades, and now he is giving up his studio and retiring.

That isn’t going to suggest he’s hanging up his brushes for superior. Nicholas will even now make house phone calls for purchasers and continue on some of his preferred work: volunteering at hospitals to aid folks with pores and skin conditions. 

“I will die with a brush in my hand,” Nicholas stated. “I don’t know how to not do what I do.”

All through his job, he is volunteered at each medical center in Boston to assist makeover patients dealing with various pores and skin ailments, like alopecia, burns and numerous other concerns that influence their visual appeal.

“There isn’t really a illness or incident I haven’t confronted with makeup,” he mentioned.

“It really is the most satisfying when you see an personal empowered by picking out how they glance,” Nicholas stated. “I want them to know it can be an possibility for them to decide on if they are hunting for enhanced harmony in their functions or to dress up on a exclusive event.”

“Observing notably ladies empowered by means of my corrective work is especially fulfilling because regretably, society is cruel. If you do not blend in, regrettably, persons can be cruel,” he explained. 

Nicholas’ roots lie with his upbringing in the North Cambridge Jefferson Park tasks and afterwards Somerville, he mentioned. At only 8-decades-outdated he commenced painting people’s nails on the porch for 10 cents apiece. He had his very first enterprise playing cards advertising and marketing himself as a makeup artist at 15.

As he grew up and became a teen he would usually don makeup — contacting it his “Boy George” section in the 1980s. His mothers and fathers understood he was homosexual even though increasing up and openly embraced it. 

“That’s the root of his success due to the fact he never ever had to struggle for that at all,” said David Miranowicz, Nicholas’ spouse who is known as “the other David.” 

“My parents were really accepting of me and hardly ever claimed anything at all was incorrect with me,” Nicholas claimed.

As a successful make-up artist and happy, overtly homosexual guy in the 1990s Nicholas met Miranowicz who had just graduated from Merrimack College and was performing as a personalized assistant to a single of Nicholas’ purchasers.

“Remaining a younger gay person I understood he was a constructive purpose product,” Miranowicz said, introducing he was enamored by Nicholas’ charisma.

They are usually referred to as “The Davids,” which was painted on their Andover studio wall. 

They’ve been alongside one another in existence and company for 27 many years. Nicholas performs with the paint and Miranowicz can take care of the finances as co-entrepreneurs of the make-up studio and DNI Cosmetics, Nicholas’ makeup line he begun additional than 30 decades ago when he recognized no a person make-up brand name protected just about every skin tone, he claimed.

As Nicholas retires, Miranowicz will proceed their make-up line and get again into modeling, he stated.

Their Andover make-up studio is closing at the end of August, just as their lease was up, Nicholas mentioned. The pandemic did hasten his final decision to retire and pull back as an artist. He possible would not be instructing any far more classes but will maintain building up men and women 1-on-one.

As they pack up the Andover studio, they gave absent a comprehensive-entire body mirror to a younger woman who grew up getting her make-up completed by Nicholas. She often preferred to be a product, and now she’s carrying out it in New York City and will have that piece of her upbringing with her, Miranowicz said as he dashed out to her mother’s auto with the mirror.

They will also have to pack up the “thank you” notes from stars like Tom Selleck and Dick Clark and the photos and newspaper clippings of many others that adorn the walls.

“He is not cozy becoming called a legend, but he’s a legend,” Miranowicz stated.

Wanting back at his 45-year career, Nicholas is proud of his work in an sector he is brazenly criticized. He is delighted to have taught quite a few individuals, notably females, how to use makeup to empower on their own.

“We ought to acknowledge individuals no make any difference what they search like,” he said. “No matter if they adorn them selves or pick out not to.”

In new years he’s seen, people embrace his stance on how makeup ought to be used as a instrument to empower them selves and not just cover blemishes.

He’s especially amazed with transgender youth he’s served makeover to embrace themselves, he explained.

“I am hopeful because people are quite accepting of modify, but I hope the new era isn’t going to forget we paved the way,” Nicholas mentioned.