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Dazzling Designs By Amy Baucom Body painting has existed for many centuries, in many forms. Often worn during ceremonies, it still exists in one form or another among the indigenous people of Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. A semi-permanent form of body painting called Mehndi, uses dyes made of henna, and is still practiced in India and the Middle East.
Davison is no amateur. In Seeboden, Austria, at the World Body Painting Competition, Davison came in 8 th place in the finals, right behind the afore mentioned Reid, who came in 5th. Out of 77 competitors from all over the world, she came in 12th overall in the finals with her amazing designs. In addition to cheek painting and face painting, Davison also does full body painting, which can take any where from three to nine hours, depending on the design. Using cosmetic sponges and acrylic brushes, Davison’s designs are mostly freehand, although sometimes she uses stencils to create specific effects.
But, if you can’t get to any of those exotic locals, or don’t want anything permanent, then AmaDazzle is the place for you. Christina Davison, owner of AmaDazzle, started face painting as an addition to providing pony rides at children’s parties in 2004. Davison took a face painting workshop in 2006, taught by Mark Reid, who said that because of her skills, Christina should have been teaching the class instead of attending it. Mostly done free-hand, Davison can do pretty much any design the customer wants.
In November 2007, she did a commissioned set of paintings for Roasters in the Hastings location on 45th Street in Amarillo. Those paintings are available for sale as a calendar on her website.
Using non-toxic, cosmetically safe paints, Davison works quickly, finishing a face painting in as little as three minutes. The paint goes on easily, and is water-based, so it can be rinsed off with minimal trouble. Although, Davison says, the darker purple can sometimes take a few days to disappear. She also states that most amateurs use craft paint, which can cause allergic reactions or even burns, and cautions that just because the product says non-toxic, doesn’t mean it won’t adversely react on the skin. For this reason, Davison uses only theatre cosmetics or body paints she buys from reputable companies such as Mehron brand’s Paradise Face Paint.
Her Gestational Art is a continuation of the practice of prenatal photography, and takes one to two hours to complete. One design, titled, “Hush Little Baby” and based on the song, took roughly four hours to complete. Her prices for belly painting range from $65-$120 or more, depending on the design, and the time it takes to complete it. Christina, a member of the Amarillo Symphony, teaches Cello classes at Amarillo College, and has taught body and face painting at workshops all over the United States and the United Kingdom. Last Halloween, Davison painted Kimbo Ishii-Eto, director of the Symphony, as Dracula, and also does painting for bar staff and anybody who wants a little something different for Halloween.
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