About me

“Talent is a gift from God”. I have been given many: dancer, choreographer, costume designer, makeup artist, art director, photojournalist and author to be.

I photographed backstage numerous notable celebrities (Sophia Loren, Isabella Rossellini, Dolce Gabbana...). My fashion photo-reports and interviews with Missoni, Woody Harrelson, Armani…were published as exclusive in Croatian media.

For more than three decades of a successful career in theater, fashion, cinema and photography, I was blessed with favorable critics. Tirelessly, I promoted the beauty of art creating and directing many “first of it's kind” projects: Theatrical fashion shows in the former Yugoslavia, Mister Croatia, Croatian Spring; The First Festival of Croatian Designers, body-painting performances, The First Croatian Children’s Festival in NYC…

I wasn’t a pioneer only in the arts arenas, but in politics as well. Working with Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei on the filming of Welcome to Sarajevo by Michael Winterbottom, in 1996, (as a make-up artist and choreographer), was a painful reminder of my country’s political turmoil.

In 1989, just before the war, I joined the Citizen’s Association for United Europe, the first opposition political party in Croatia, a state of former Yugoslavia. I risked my life trying to make a difference. Twenty-three years old and one of only three women, I staged a live TV political campaign seeding a new vision of life. Twenty years later, it became a reality.

At the start of the war, when the first innocent man died only a few blocks from my house, I organized a demonstration Wall of Love, standing for peace and love.

My last project in Croatia was multi-media photo exhibition Faces. It showcased my backstage celebrity photographs. At the time when people were healing from the devastating ten-year war, I staged an opening of an exhibition inspired by Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, evoking recollections of golden old times. I plunged into the wintry waters jetting from the central fountain in my hometown of Split. All the while dancing to George Michael’s Freedom, celebrating life, beauty, artistic expression and detachment from the world of indulgence and self-gratification.

Spiritually that event was my symbolic baptism, the moment of my rebirth. I was 33.

That day I announced to the Croatian media that my next photo exhibition will be spiritual and will unveil in New York City, where I would come to embrace my dream, leaving everything else behind. That happened in November, 1999. I was not an English speaker at all.

Since then, the concept of an exhibition has been transformed into the book I am looking publisher for.

My entire life’s experiences are a preparation for what is waiting for me: the promotion of my book and a burning desire to share the miracles I experienced.

“Talent is a gift from God: what you do with it is your gift to God”. HEAVEN SENT: One Photo, One Hundred Miracles;Transcendental Photo-Monograph and exhibition in Times Square will be my gift to God. That is my dream. Nothing less.

And take care of my precious and talented daughter Nova.

My courageous supporter.

My brightest star.

Check out her blog at www.omgitsnova.blogspot.com.
and www.youtube.com/omgitsnova

Dalmatian Artists-Nova M and Dijana

 (2006 in Dalmatia)

The sky is NOT the limit!

And now, PLEASE, check out: 
Heaven Sent; One photo, One Hundred Miracles!

Click HERE: http://dijanamesin.blogspot.com/p/books.html

Thank you!!!

ALL PHOTOS COULD BE USED ONLY WITH PERMISSION.

You can contact me at dijana.mesin@yahoo.com

IF PERMITTED TO USE, THEY MUST BE CREDITED.