World Body Painting Festival Photography Awards 2009

I have prepared some posts on some great body painters so I will be doing much more during the fall and upcoming winter months, but....... The photography awards have been announced for the 2009 World Body Painting Fest - and two photos ranking #2 and #5 in the Classic Photos show he wonder painting by Mark Reid and assisted by me, modeled by the very talented Viktoria. Well worth your taking a look at those and at the digitally enhanced photos.

One award was entered in the classic but judges thought it to digitally worked to qualify. However it was the judges favorite and they awarded a special award. I am delighted to note it is my friends, artist Susie Peirce and model Aeir. The photo was taken by Thomas Froehlich.

Go see the photos at the WBPF web site - a link is to the side here.
I track down and add the winning photographers links too.

Here it is that special judges award photo.

Best of Special Effects World Body Painting Festival

Now the Special Effects Competition is mind blowing fun. Here's Ulf Scherlings images from the World Body Painting Festival. Se them all at http://www.bodypainting-festival.com/

Best of Airbrush World Body Painting Festival

More great photographs from Ulf Scherling. Here are images from the Airbrush Competition. Again se all Ulf's "Best of" at http://www.bodypainting-festival.com

Best Of Images Sponge and Brush World Body Painting Festival 2009

Each year I wait to look through the "Best Of" images from the World Body Painting Festival. I love to to see all the artists with there models. The beautiful and wonderfully painted models posing with the paint stained and tired artists. Especially wonderful are the images by Ulf Sherling. Here are pictures taken by Ulf. Please go see more at http://www.bodypainting-festival.com.

Candid Shots From Seeboden

Here are some pictures of the back of the body art we painted.  And I take hat "we" to liberal use. I was humbly and happy to be simply Mark's assistant.  If I could help any friend win this great honor _ well what could be better than that.

And here too are some fun shots of work by the 2009 Sponge and Brush winners, Brian Wolfe and Nick Wolfe.  The first image is their prelim artwork and the second image with the dinosaurs and diamond is their final #1 winning artwork.  I love these guys,  I think the diamond was a bit of a statement, and we all have and get to make our own statements as artists.
One reason we are aritists and don't sell insurance! Brian and Nick are very talented with creative spirits and minds.  Their artwork was amazing, as were so many.   I'll post more soon.

Fun And Fifth From Seeboden

Well working with Mark Reid was a blast.
I am slammed for time but will post candid pictures later tonight.

The World Gears Up

Well the time is near and many I know are gearing up to head to Austria for the World Body Painting Festival. The Festval week runs July 13th thru 19th. There are workshops and competition, and side events with 40 nations represented.
This year's themes for Friday and Saturday is Poetry: the power of words and Sunday is Spirituality - beyond the physical world.

Check out more on the Festival web site

http://bodypainting-festival.com/general/festival-2009.html

Mark Reid's Laughter

Mark Reid has the best laugh. It's real and it rolls...... and in his rise as a successful painter and instructor in face and body art..... he's laughing even more these days.

He is one of those artist that it just flows from him - a god given gift. And he shares that gift by showing others how to paint. Mark spent years a single dad, he has three children and now grandchildren and he had spent his fair time clipping coupons so yes he's due.

Years ago I took Mark's first class, then a year later I took another private class with him - and darn it to this day if I don't hear him in my ear as I paint....
I prefer to hear him in my head yelling .."Loretta...." across a ballroom or club crowded with body painters and models..... as I ever sooo slowing respond. I guess the superstar thing hasn't awed me as it has others. Mark is Mark, full of laughter and beautiful images.

Canadian Body Painting Festival

A newcomer the Canadian Body Painting Festival will hold it's next event in September 2009, in British Columbia. Like the world festival this event host workshops and competition for artists. Model and Photographers join this event for performance living art.

World Body Painting Festival

I would be wrong to not start with the foremost body painting event on the planet earth - The World Bodypainting Festival.

Begun in 1998 as a means to bring tourist trade to the community of Seeboden, Austria the event has grown into the premier international body painting event. The event held each July clearly celebrates the art form in a marriage of body painting artist, model and photographer. But the event is much more it includes amazing special effects makeup, music, performance and a training ground and competition for those involved in body painting.

Now in 2009 enjoy an all new website for the World Bodypainting Festival.

I have posted a very few World Bodypainting Festival Hall Of Fame photographs painted by artists I know and respect, and who inspire me to create more. Please see all the hall of Fame photographs on the WBPF website.

Body Painting As Fine Art

In order to introduce you to Body Painting as a fine art I will begin with the various events where artist gather to create living artworks.

When one thinks these days of body painting they think most often of either trade show/nightclub women sporting corsets, jeans and jerseys or glossy magazine swimsuits - yes all painted body art. And while many of my closest artist friends paint corsets, jeans, jerseys and swimsuits..... as alas we must pay the bills..... many paint living artworks that make the heart swoon for a more colorful, carefree world.

So in the first series of this blog on body painting I will introduce you to the various events celebrating this ancient and emerging art form.

And I'll be a bit selfish posting mainly artworks painted by friends. As I move forward I'll feature single artists, as well as models and photographers involved in this passionate art form. Come meet my friends and join me as I meet new ones.