There are many types of beauty,art and humans in this world. One that covers ALL is body paint. It’s an experience unlike any other.

“She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.”

~Rainbow Rowell

I became associated with this art form through Playboy,when I was much younger. I had seen that girls working the Playboy Mansion events were completely naked yet painted to look like they were wearing cute outfits. It was interesting but nothing I would have never considered being at that younger age. I grew up in small town USA…naked wasn’t something you did. And you especially didn’t let anyone see it. But I put it on my Bucket List anyhow.

“Creativity takes courage. ”

~Henri Matisse

Years later I was living in Greensboro NC and was in a completely different place in life. I was 30 and had discovered through travel and meeting people outside the “small town America box” ….myself. I was in the midst of a really bad relationship and my self-worth was badly damaged. There was only one thing left to tick off of my Bucket List.

Enter LivingBrush Bodypainting… Scott and Madelyn.

Come to find out I actually knew some amazing body painters right there in Greensboro and they needed practice models. So…game on! I was ready…mostly. I really had no idea what to expect.

“Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?”

~John Keats

I remember showing up and Scott asking me if I wanted to see what I was going to look like. he showed me a sketch and when I saw it……………. WOW. I thought “my parents are going to freak!” haha.

It wasn’t a perfect day and yet it was. I had a sinus infection and my breakfast food plus nerves had my stomach a mess. Also I realized my body tightens and I lock my knees…which caused me to pass out. So I shoved toilet paper up my nostrils,took bathroom breaks when I had to and soldiered on. Scott and Madelyn asked if I needed to stop. I couldn’t. Every time I passed a mirror I could see the painting on my skin and it’s like pieces of my soul were coming back. I cannot describe it any better than that. They painted my confidence back into me.

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

~Thomas Merton

The painting tells the story of Kali, Hindu goddess of time, creation, destruction and power. The front being that destructive nature and the back the goddess mother. A perfect representation of all that I had been through and was still working through in life. Even after I washed the temporary art from my skin I was left with the fire of my reawakening. My human body….I am proud of it. My life…I will work to fill it with beauty and happiness.

“The human body is the best work of art.”

~Jess C. Scott

LivingBrush created this painting on a fabulous model overseas and won the competition. In fact,they are now the 5 time wold champions of body paint! An impresive feat never before accomplished. I am beyond ecstatic that I was able to be a practice model for two of their adventures!

It changed my life 🙂

The second time I was painted I knew more of what to expect! I was excited to be involved again! This painting tells the story of how silk was discovered!

Q&A

1.) Does it tickle? It doesn’t for me but everyone is different.

2.) How long did that take?! Body paintings like these can take between 6-12 hours. These were practice for competition which has to be completed in 6 hours. The Kali took closer to 8 because of my frequent breaks.

3.) Is that done by airbrush? Nope,all hand and paint brush for these.

4.) Is the paint toxic? NO. It’s a lightweight breathable non toxic paint meant to go on the skin. There’s no burning,irritation or staining. And there should never be. If you work with a body painter YOU should know what’s going ON your body.

Bodypaint by LivingBrush Body painting

All photography courtesy of Bonnie Stanley Photography

Body by me! Haha

Until next time…

The painted lady,

~Atlas Moonkitty