I know your wondering....... gee Sweet Loretta what happened at the North American Body
Painting Championships? All I can say is what happens in vegas, stays........ Ok it really does end up on Facebook and Myspace!
I'll have to take my friend Craig's advise and "grow an ego" meaning I'll just have to get serious! However, I was not into painting that weekend, my heart was with my friends but not in my art - so I went and did my best to hold up the very bottom of the pack. If only the had been giving a finger painting award.......hey wait I do recall an abstract artist using real professional body makeup for the first time making it into the finals. I was the only artist competing who I heard say they liked the artwork... but see, so did the judges. Thankfully we do not all paint the same... now would that not just be so boring?
I was happy to see Scott Fray with his sidekick Foxy Moxy there. His work has a simplicity and to it, Craig Tracy called it tribal - not sure I can label it but it speaks to my soul. I really liked Sandra Gariby prelim artwork - very urban and very fresh - I knew her originality would place her into the finals. Of course there was so much more I loved. As in Austria more paintings in the finals there branding themselves - barf - love my friends hate it when they use this type of platform to brand themselves. Keep that at home for the marketing campaign - we get it! Give us your real art. I mean if you can only get photos here - then your not really doing enough body painting. Not all who paint bodies are body painters.........
I will say it was rockn' fun to see so much kindered talent in one place - as always a great group of amazing artists, seasoned and rising talents.
In all it was certainly a first event, some broken rules and a lack of follow through by the organizers, and as noted in another blog as there are politics in painting, no one wants to scold aloud a top talent, or point out that some noted ranking high again celebrity's again isn't really better than some one who ranked in the middle or that a new look albeit new - isn't necessarily good.
Ah art is indeed subjective - if you compete you must trust the judges and let it go, and if you grumble be willing to do so aloud. If you stay silent, improvements can not be made and we all lose. Growing an art form take - of god will I write it ... ok it takes a tribe. Be part of it in full it you really want to evolve... but I digress
..... and there were established painters who we don't normally see, who came out simply because there was a cash prize..... we all like money.....
in all it was simply a very good and wonderful event.
I've seen a few AP type blogs and photos around - but no better pictures than my friends and fellow artist Robbie Hay took of the finals on stage - I'll have to get those, but alas she is a bit computer naive and can't seem to figure it all out. I love her.
I will say the photographers did not show up and they - you guys really missed out!
Great art - my crummy pics - I always get to wrapped up to take photos! and I was dummping about 8,000 yes 8,000 face and body pics off my two computers and lost a few of these - but enjoy.
