More than 700 people gathered to experience “Bodies As Works Of Art” created by thirty-two artists, from more than a dozen countries, displaying unimaginable works of art on living canvases. Arriving early in the morning, the artists and models setup individual studios including work lights, paints, brushes, sponges, stencils, airbrush sprayers and compressors, drawings of their intended masterpieces, headdresses, and accessories of all kinds. Employing nude models wearing minimal yet discreet covering, the artists went to work focusing on this year’s theme, “The Human Condition.” After six to seven hours of painting extremely patient models, the “artwork” emerges from the studios for judging based on creativity, technique and interpretation of the artist’s statement into the visual artwork… simply amazing. After the judging was completed, the artistic models were photographed and then retreated for a bite to eat and “touchup paint” before the evening festivities: a dynamic performance by body-painted, Angela Reign of Southern Rock and Hip Hop, followed by a narrated catwalk show of the artistic models accompanied by the artists on stage.
Awards for this North American Bodypainting Championship were presented to Cheryl Ann Lipstreu of the USA in first place and Alex Hanson of Canada in second place in the professional division. Additional awards were presented to other artists. Closing out the evening was a “meet and greet” with the models, and entertainment by the rock group, Motor Earth. At the end of the day the artists, models and volunteers were exhausted after being on their feet from 8 am until midnight.
The body painting festival, sanctioned by the World Bodypainting Association, was produced by Living Art America as a benefit for The Chelko Foundation Scholarship. Follow upcoming events at livingartamerica.com and bodypainting-festival.com/en/
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Written and photographed by Terry Check
