Internationally acclaimed makeup artist, Sandra Saenz, is Shangri La’s newest Artist-in-Residence. Saenz is a makeup and visual artist disrupting the beauty industry and breaking stereotypes. She is the first Mexican hijabi makeup artist to secure agency representation in the United States and has been described as a “positive rebel.” During her residency, Saenz will connect with communities in Hawaiʻi and online through artist talks and video works encouraging people to leave their unique mark on the world.

Saenz visited Shangri La in April 2023 to conduct research for her official residency in August. Check out the images below that she captured for inspiration during her site visit, and stay tuned to see how she translates these inspo-shots into her work in the coming weeks!

For more behind the scenes info with Sandra Saenz, read “6 Questions: Sandra Saenz, Shangri La Artist-in-Residence” on the Shangri/LOG.