Bernard Safran was born in 1924 in Brooklyn, NY to immigrant parents. He grew up in the rough neighborhood of Bensonhurst where gangsters operated and developed a visual memory of the colorful sights and sounds of everyday life in the working class city. His childhood left him with an appreciation for ordinary people. As an artist, Safran used a warm, dark palette in his paintings to emphasize the brooding atmosphere of the city, while also acknowledging the strength and grittiness of individuals within the overwhelming settings.