2009's premier NZ face painter named

2009's premier NZ face painter named

Auckland professional face painter Jane Ellis has won the second annual New Zealand International Face Painting Competition, presented by Youthtown, with a piece inspired by the hit movie Kung Fu Panda. She picked up the award at the NZ ColourFest at the Lakehouse Arts Centre in Takapuna, Auckland, on Saturday. The festival still drew a large crowd of moving-art enthusiasts, despite the rain.

Jane Ellis painted her 10-year-old son Jack for the winning piece and is no stranger to turning children into the creatures of their imaginations . . . Jane runs Rainbow Rascals, a face painting and party business which has been delighting Auckland children for six years. Jack is used to his mum practising on him - he's her main model and Ellis says face painting has always been a nice mother-son activity. She says he is very supportive and has always been her number one fan:

"To him I'm the best painter in the universe - so he was really proud."

Jane Ellis is a former kindergarten relief teacher and says she loves painting children under 10, as they have great imaginations and are like "moving canvases that laugh". She says winning the New Zealand International Face Painting Competition is "huge, absolutely huge" as she knows just how talented the competition is. Ellis says she had to tell her son to pinch her as she was levitating off the ground when her name was announced.

"All the other artists who were there, I massively respect and admire. I know their work, so to be there on the day and be placed first among my peers is huge,"she says.

Jane Ellis says while face painting is her business, it's also her passion.

The contest also attracted Melbourne artist Maria Mormile, who was drawn across the ditch by the opportunity to increase her competition experience ahead of the World Body Painting Festival in Austria.

A mask making competition run by Youthtown was another highlight of the NZ ColourFest, as pre-schoolers, primary and intermediate school kids whipped up creations ranging from dragons to princesses.

The NZ International Face Painting competition is a pre-cursor to the New Zealand Body Art Awards, which will be held for the fourth year running on July 25. This year's awards return to the Bruce Mason Centre and will continue the Fantasia Asia theme showcased by face painters on Saturday.

ENDS

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