ARTIST SPOTLIGHT : CRAIG TRACY
The Human Canvas : Fine Art Body Painting
By Kim Welsh
Craig Tracy , born and raised in New Orleans , is the owner of Craig Tracy ’ s Fine Art Body Painting Gallery . He has always known he would be an artist , and credits New Orleans ’ authentic and vibrant culture as a significant factor in his passion , creativity and bliss . His family ’ s photo album is filled with images , capturing moments of the family members ritually painting each other ’ s faces for Mardi Gras , when individuality and self-adornment are considered standard practice .
In 2005 , Craig and his artist friend , Jeral Tidwell , were awarded First Place in the World Body Painting Festival , held annually in Austria with over 180 artists from 40 different nations . Craig has since judged at the festival many times , crediting body painting as one of his life ’ s greatest passions . He also enjoyed judging three seasons of Skin Wars , a body painting reality competition that premiered in 2014 on the Game Show Network . “ In the past forty years ,” Craig says , “ I ’ ve painted on almost every surface known to man and I can unequivocally state that nothing even comes close to the beauty and complexity of working on the human body .”
Considered a cornerstone in body painting ’ s progressive movement , today Craig Tracy paints bodies exclusively and has elevated this ancient art . He owns and operates the first art gallery in the world dedicated to fine art body-painted images , opened in 2006 . The gallery allows even the most seasoned art collectors and novices alike to see and experience firsthand what body painting is ultimately capable of expressing . With a passionate and pioneering spirit , Craig personally meets and educates hundreds of people each week in his gallery . The gallery is filled with spectacular photographic , paper and canvas prints , and there are numerous videos of the process and books that focus on this art form . For a memorable experience , please feel free to visit his gallery at 827 Royal Street from 10 a . m . to 6 p . m . daily . You may even get lucky and see this internationally-acclaimed artist create one of his beautiful fine art body paintings right before your eyes !
22 | The French Quarterly