January 30, 2013
Some art aficionados might argue that the Sistine Chapel and the Mona Lisa are the most beautiful works of art. Historians and architects might debate that the Great Pyramids stand far and above as the greatest architectural achievements of all time. And while Evel Knievel might have found his Harley Davidson XR-750 to be the finest piece of machinery ever built, I tend to think that the human body beats them all. Sleek, clean, and designed for just about anything we can throw at it from triathlons to Poboys and Abita at Jazzfest, our bodies work with amazing accuracy and precision while looking, in some cases more attractive than others, generally beautiful.
While I do not consider myself to be as enlightened as Leonardo da Vinci, for as long as I can remember, people have laughed and rolled their eyes at my off-the-mark and unusual take on the human body. They have called it odd, and have asked why it is the majority of my own creations are of peoples arms, heads, ears, and especially their eyes. When my sister was little, I loved that she wore pigtails; the nape of her neck was the most beautiful that I had ever seen. It is also the reason that for as long as he has been alive, my nephew Brennan's hands have been the subject of many of the sketches that live inside the sketchpads that only I see. I have fielded my fair share of Texas Chain Saw Massacre jokes, Frankenstein comments, and statements of my just plain weirdness in my view of the shell that holds our souls. For me, it is simple: to see such interest and beauty in other people takes an inner bliss. A bliss that is not always obvious on the outside, but kept deep inside a person with an appreciation for being alive no matter what life hands you.
Artist Craig Tracy changes the game by taking our most beautiful creation, and turning it into a canvas for some of the most innovative and creative works of art. Tracy has become the cornerstone for fine art body painting. Born and raised in New Orleans, Tracy's creativity was nurtured by parents with a unique appreciation and bliss for life that resonated with the artist. Many artists who display such bliss in their work, or an appreciation for the human body, come from parents who supported their efforts as artists. Surrounded by these abilities all his life, he took his first step to his position as a leader in fine art body painting by taking a job as an airbrush artist at a local shopping mall. At twenty, he worked as an illustrator supported by his graduation from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Later, Tracy found his way back into body painting through research and investigation. I particularly like this about this artist: he has also followed a path I admire; Tracy allows the images and the advice of other artists to inspire him. An artist, who allows connections to other artists either through teamwork, or inspiration, bridges the gaps in the art world allowing messages to travel more easily from the artwork to the viewer. Inspired by the surfaces of the human body, the curves and plains, Craig Tracy gives these curves and plains new life. Tracy most commonly paints them into animal or plant compositions but he also allows for inspiration to take over, in some cases letting his brush be guided by spontaneity. This can be seen on his website, craigtracy.com, in the piece titled "Lotus". His work with the ad campaign for Lifestyles depicts couples engaged in intimate positions and situations, the women beautifully flesh toned and in the throes of ecstasy while their male partners are covered in body paint depicting wild animal prints. The zebra ad is particularly sexy. His latest jump into the commercial world was a job that took him to the West Coast for an automotive brand's advertisement in the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
The self-proclaimed "lover of the real and tactile" shies away from Photoshop or any other kind of digital enhancement to create his striking effects. Common sense would dictate that, in the cases of some colors and tones of a model's skin, this might require a bit of enhancement to complete the process. The one thing we can hope for besides pure realism is, perhaps, a backdrop that is painted prior to the body painting. The painting itself can take several hours to an entire day, utilizing an assistant for painting and sittings that might go beyond a time frame that is comfortable for the artist or the model. Models are either commissioned clients, or people interested in the field who want to apply for a sitting. Potential models can visit his website, craigtracy.com, for commission opportunities.
Just in case you think that the beauty and mystery starts and stop with air brushing, you are wrong. Tracy uses several different methods of applying the paint to the body. While air brushing represents about 30% of his body of work, other tools include sponges, paintbrushes, and his fingers. Happiness and freedom are incredibly important to this artist as he rejects the idea of developing a style, allowing collector's works to be different and mysterious with each image. Versatility means success for Craig Tracy and sharing is his main goal. He loves to share his work in his gallery, with the public, and if the offer is sweet enough, commercially.
The artist's gallery, Craig Tracy's Painted Alive Body Painting Gallery, is located at 827 Royal Street in the French Quarter, and it's hard to imagine a better home for a mind and a talent like Tracy's. New Orleans is known for its unique and often times unusual take on almost anything. We are also known for having a bliss that lives in our hearts, our traditions, and the ideals we keep very close to us as a community. Tracy's gallery is a monument to his talent, and to the life we celebrate in New Orleans. Open space accented with the bright colors of Tracy's work, along with the details of the building unique to the Quarter; the gallery embraces tourists and locals alike. Live performances and special exhibitions have made it a destination during special events and French Quarter celebrations. An impressive gallery front it is, but what happens behind the scenes is the truly blissful thing. The gallery is the launching pad for a career that now spans the globe and will continue to expand with the ever-growing interest and respect that body painting is gaining due to artists like Tracy.
Craig Tracy's talent, love for his craft, and dedication to New Orleans and the French Quarter, has tenacity and zest that sets us apart from all of the other neighborhoods in all of the other cities out there.
As long as there are artists like Tracy, artists who not only represent success but inspire, folks like me can confidently continue to fill our sketchpads with the unusual, the odd, and the downright puzzling. Because as long as we have artists like Craig Tracy, the art world, and its admirers, will always know true bliss.
While I do not consider myself to be as enlightened as Leonardo da Vinci, for as long as I can remember, people have laughed and rolled their eyes at my off-the-mark and unusual take on the human body. They have called it odd, and have asked why it is the majority of my own creations are of peoples arms, heads, ears, and especially their eyes. When my sister was little, I loved that she wore pigtails; the nape of her neck was the most beautiful that I had ever seen. It is also the reason that for as long as he has been alive, my nephew Brennan's hands have been the subject of many of the sketches that live inside the sketchpads that only I see. I have fielded my fair share of Texas Chain Saw Massacre jokes, Frankenstein comments, and statements of my just plain weirdness in my view of the shell that holds our souls. For me, it is simple: to see such interest and beauty in other people takes an inner bliss. A bliss that is not always obvious on the outside, but kept deep inside a person with an appreciation for being alive no matter what life hands you.
Artist Craig Tracy changes the game by taking our most beautiful creation, and turning it into a canvas for some of the most innovative and creative works of art. Tracy has become the cornerstone for fine art body painting. Born and raised in New Orleans, Tracy's creativity was nurtured by parents with a unique appreciation and bliss for life that resonated with the artist. Many artists who display such bliss in their work, or an appreciation for the human body, come from parents who supported their efforts as artists. Surrounded by these abilities all his life, he took his first step to his position as a leader in fine art body painting by taking a job as an airbrush artist at a local shopping mall. At twenty, he worked as an illustrator supported by his graduation from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Later, Tracy found his way back into body painting through research and investigation. I particularly like this about this artist: he has also followed a path I admire; Tracy allows the images and the advice of other artists to inspire him. An artist, who allows connections to other artists either through teamwork, or inspiration, bridges the gaps in the art world allowing messages to travel more easily from the artwork to the viewer. Inspired by the surfaces of the human body, the curves and plains, Craig Tracy gives these curves and plains new life. Tracy most commonly paints them into animal or plant compositions but he also allows for inspiration to take over, in some cases letting his brush be guided by spontaneity. This can be seen on his website, craigtracy.com, in the piece titled "Lotus". His work with the ad campaign for Lifestyles depicts couples engaged in intimate positions and situations, the women beautifully flesh toned and in the throes of ecstasy while their male partners are covered in body paint depicting wild animal prints. The zebra ad is particularly sexy. His latest jump into the commercial world was a job that took him to the West Coast for an automotive brand's advertisement in the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
The self-proclaimed "lover of the real and tactile" shies away from Photoshop or any other kind of digital enhancement to create his striking effects. Common sense would dictate that, in the cases of some colors and tones of a model's skin, this might require a bit of enhancement to complete the process. The one thing we can hope for besides pure realism is, perhaps, a backdrop that is painted prior to the body painting. The painting itself can take several hours to an entire day, utilizing an assistant for painting and sittings that might go beyond a time frame that is comfortable for the artist or the model. Models are either commissioned clients, or people interested in the field who want to apply for a sitting. Potential models can visit his website, craigtracy.com, for commission opportunities.
Just in case you think that the beauty and mystery starts and stop with air brushing, you are wrong. Tracy uses several different methods of applying the paint to the body. While air brushing represents about 30% of his body of work, other tools include sponges, paintbrushes, and his fingers. Happiness and freedom are incredibly important to this artist as he rejects the idea of developing a style, allowing collector's works to be different and mysterious with each image. Versatility means success for Craig Tracy and sharing is his main goal. He loves to share his work in his gallery, with the public, and if the offer is sweet enough, commercially.
The artist's gallery, Craig Tracy's Painted Alive Body Painting Gallery, is located at 827 Royal Street in the French Quarter, and it's hard to imagine a better home for a mind and a talent like Tracy's. New Orleans is known for its unique and often times unusual take on almost anything. We are also known for having a bliss that lives in our hearts, our traditions, and the ideals we keep very close to us as a community. Tracy's gallery is a monument to his talent, and to the life we celebrate in New Orleans. Open space accented with the bright colors of Tracy's work, along with the details of the building unique to the Quarter; the gallery embraces tourists and locals alike. Live performances and special exhibitions have made it a destination during special events and French Quarter celebrations. An impressive gallery front it is, but what happens behind the scenes is the truly blissful thing. The gallery is the launching pad for a career that now spans the globe and will continue to expand with the ever-growing interest and respect that body painting is gaining due to artists like Tracy.
Craig Tracy's talent, love for his craft, and dedication to New Orleans and the French Quarter, has tenacity and zest that sets us apart from all of the other neighborhoods in all of the other cities out there.
As long as there are artists like Tracy, artists who not only represent success but inspire, folks like me can confidently continue to fill our sketchpads with the unusual, the odd, and the downright puzzling. Because as long as we have artists like Craig Tracy, the art world, and its admirers, will always know true bliss.
