Australia body art festival a success
Sat 05 June 2010
Sarah Mahoney, Bachelor of Journalism
The annual Australian Body Art Carnivale, held in Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast, was bigger and better this year as a newly expanded three-day event.
The Body Art Carnivale saw a massive turnout of visitors from all over the Sunshine Coast and Australia, as the Eumundi Markets hosted a showcase of competitions and exhibitions celebrating body art in its many and varied forms from May 14 to May 16, 2010.
In its third year, the Body Art Carnivale unveiled new exhibits of vehicle and pavement art, and also included competitions and displays in face painting to body painting, wearable art and special effects, 2D and 3D visual arts and photography.
The festival also hosted many of the Sunshine Coast’s local music artists and dazzling street and circus performers.
Australian Body Art Carnivale event manager Danielle Taylor said she was proud to see the festival step up to the next level.
“It has been a weekend full of excitement and fun and entertainment, and everybody has had a great time,” Ms Taylor said.
Since its origin in 2007, the festival’s body painting competitions were always exceptionally popular with locals and tourists alike, and this year was no exception.
Ms Taylor agreed the body painting competition was a standout display at the festival.
“It was such high calibre,” Ms Taylor said.
“It was really colourful and imaginative.”
Inspired by th
is year’s “fantasy” theme, curious onlookers watched 24 body painting models slowly transform into mythical and exotic creatures, fairytale enigmas and colourful storybook characters.
Third-time festival body art model Donna Pottinger said she was hooked to the body painting experience.
“What I like about it is seeing bodies transform…so whether it’s mine or watching the other models be transformed is wonderful,” Ms Pottinger said.
“It’s great to see that you are like a canvas.”
Artists and their human canvases were given five and a half hours to work on their vibrant creations, using either airbrushing, or sponge and brush painting.
Prizes of over $12,000 were awarded across this year’s body painting competition.
Many of the artists at the Body Art Carnivale, ranging from art and design students to sign writers and tattoo artists, came from all over Australia to showcase their
talents.
Sunshine Coast sign writer Vick Pattison has proven to be a formidable contender in the body painting competition at the festival.
Based in Woombye, Ms Pattison’s commercial work involves painting anything from cars to helicopters, while also working in other commercial airbrushing projects.
“I am interested in painting on everything, so it was only natural that I was going to find the body as a canvas,” Ms Pattison said.
With the help of her model Ellen Leigh, Ms Pattison’s body painting interpretation of Alice in Wonderland character the Mad Hatter won first place in this year’s airbrushing category.
This is both Ms Pattison and Ms Leigh’s second consecutive win at the festival.
Ms Leigh says she enjoys taking part in the body art competitions as a model for Ms Pattison, and looks forward to the next Body Art Carnivale.
“I really love it,”
Ms Leigh said.
“I’m a bit of an exhibitionist, in the artistic sense of the word.
“I have a semi-professional dance background, so anything to, not necessarily get my clothes off, but to show that performer side of me is really nice.”
With the help of Eumundi’s voluntary organising committee and positive community support, it is highly likely the festival will return to Eumundi for another year of body art in either 2011 or 2012.
Ms Taylor believes there may very well be big plans in store for the Body Art Carnivale in the future.
“We’ll keep it under our hats, but we’ll surely come up with some great, new and amazing things,” Ms Taylor said.
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