About

The Girl Behind the Company

Hi, I’m Melanie Banayat, owner of Banayat Fine Art and the MiliGirl Collection. I am an entrepreneur, artist, writer, daughter, mother, girlfriend, and two times ex-wife. Of course, this list is not in any order of importance — it just seems to roll off the tongue well this way. Even though I’m not particularly proud of having two marriages that didn’t quite fulfill the “’til death do you part promise”, I am happy to say that I survived (as painful as it was) and I did get a lot of good life experience material that inspires much of my work.

I was born in 1965 and raised in the big city of Phoenix, Arizona. I also lived up in Oregon for 16 years. I now reside back in my home state in Prescott, Arizona. Like most American’s I have a diverse heritage, which is a big factor in why I create images that represent a diverse mix of nationalities in my original artwork and on my products. I’m part Filipina, part Spaniard, and part Native American Pascua Yaqui Indian. I have been an artist most of my life — well, at least as far back as I can remember I knew I wanted to live, play, work, and breathe the life of an artist. I worked as a graphic designer for 12 years. Then I took a detour into unknown territory for 11 years when I bought a fishing resort up in Oregon, as well as a ten-acre farm with a dozen cows to boot! I’m still not quite sure what possessed me to travel down that path, but once again it all makes for good stories to tell.

I, f i n a l l y . . . made my way back to my true north after divorce #2 and decided to pursue my long time passion for a career in Fine Art, as well as my dream to produce a line of greeting cards that featured my artwork.

The art featured on my notecards come from my original oil paintings, where the images were inspired by real people and real life stories.

The MiliGirl Collection notecards target women going through different, and sometimes trying, life experiences – from marriage and motherhood to career changes and body-image issues.

I started painting these images of women as a form of therapy after my fifteen-year marriage ended in a painful and difficult divorce. During that period of time I was consoled by many friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers who shared with me their own personal stories of enduring life’s challenges and rising up through recovery. Their stories were expressed to me by way of belly shaking laughter, to shoulder soaking tears, and ear piercing screams, which ultimately inspired me to paint and write about all of it. Their stories and my own were the whole reason I was able to paint these images and write the words to compliment them — because they’re real.

These ‘Anytime Cards’ include categories such as:
“Motherhood”, “Rising Up”, “Living Green”, “Romance”, and “Real Women”.

The notecards speak the language of common ground -
“I see you, I feel for you, and I know your heart more than you may realize”, or “Hey, maybe we’re not so different after all — and that’s a good thing.”

I love traveling where I can stay in one place for a good long stretch – long enough to meet some locals and get a good feel for the place, and maybe even make a few friends. I like movies with happy endings, hangin’ out with my kids, and singing loudly in my car. I can’t live without: Dancing, my family, and Girl’s Night! I have strong feelings about: Health, education, and giving back to my community. I believe in: Having dreams, and pursuing dreams.

MiliGirl is my nickname given to me by my grandparents.

Pronounced (mee-lee-girl)