From the HeARTist - Karen Hansen (Daniels) - WHY FACE AND BODY ART IS MY PASSION

Let me tell you a few special stories from my time as everything from a Children's Face Painter at Rotorua birthdays, community and corporate events , a Glitter Artist, a National Beauty, Creative and Special Effects Makeup Artist, Head Stylist, team leader, event producer and Body Painter. 

It has always been the people that matter, and how I make them feel.

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Working on a client's high end Fantasy Makeup, I was suddenly overcome by the way he was not only transforming under my paintbrushes, but by the bravery of his being and the pain he had walked through in life. I was moved to speak softly while I worked, about how the paint, the black underlayer, was the depth and blanket of the night, the void, the beautiful darkness from which all creative expression will arise. AS the gold came through in the highlights layer, It was the sun, the day, his being shining and glowing in golden joy, and abundant riches of spirit. We saw, we felt, and we celebrated. When he looked in the mirror, he teared up with love and joy - one of the beautiful hazards of heart work and water based paint!

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Working with the community of emergency housing children and families, my whole face painting gazebo was filled with the energy of gratitude and peace. For  Hours I stood and painted face after face - at top creative speed, with every child taking away a dreamy smile of creative empowerment. The energy of those families in line was a beautiful thing itself to experience: No arguments or negativity - just witnessing my creations, celebrating the smiles and heart excitement of their peers when I showed them the mirror, and waiting patiently for their turn.

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Face Painting at a kindergarten christmas party, the teachers lined up to take their turn once all the children were finished. One, in her 70's, looked at me with such trepidation yet openess and confessed "I have never had my face painted, not even as a girl". It was my honour and delight to bring a magic garden to life around her eyes - the artwork unique to her, as each of my paintings are. Looking in the mirror when I finished, she had the sweetest smile - direct from the being of her inner child. She nodded in approval and almost skipped away!

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Weaving a team's energy together for a large interactive theatre show. (100+ team members) I found that by building a team as a family unit, then empowering and believing in the right people, whilst giving them creative license within a specific area, my vision not only came to life, but grew and flowed in imaginative and energetic ways I could never have planned for. Years later, I have people telling me how the experience of that family, and working with me, changed the way they see and experience the world for the better. Many of them have kept the bonds going. I've had everything from letters delivered to my doorstep to beautiful comments online. Each one makes my heart shine!

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A grandmother, with her mokopuna. Comes up to me when the facepainting line is closed. "Would you have time for one more? She's never had her face painted, because she can't wait in line, or gets upset at the last minute" Me: "Sure, climb on up" Girl shakes her head and starts crying. I feel her fear, and her longing at the same time. I sit down beside her at ground level, with my crown and my sparkly dress. I take some cosmetic glitter, that i've suspended in the gentlest skin nourishing balm I can create. She won't look at me. "Kia Ora, i'm Karen! I have some sparkles here - look how pretty they are on my hand!" (I proceed to swipe some on the back of my hand and let it glimmer in the sunlight) Would you like some magic princess sparkles on your hand too? The Girl nods, but still won't look at me properly. I take her hand with love, and add the glitter. "WOW! Look how beautiful your hand is! Would you like some on your face? (I could tell by now it was a sensory issue) "See how soft and warm it feels!" She nods again, caught between desire and fear. I ever so gently, embodiment of calm, apply some glitter balm in a crescent moon shape. "Look!" I pull out a princess bow bling I have handmade, on peel and stick medical tape. "Would you like this face sticker crown?" she nods again, peace and security replacing the tears. I apply the stick on princess crown, with a little extra glitter, catch her eyes and smile. "You look SO BEAUTIFUL! I'm SO GLAD you trusted me! Thank you, honey, would you like to see?" She nods for the last time. I show her the handheld mirror. Her face lights up in joy, all traces of fear vanish. Her grandmother smiles at me with happy eyes over her shoulder, and tells her moko how amazing she is, and thanks me for making time for her. 

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Body Painting a model with red ochre in a spiritual artwork of mine, the most ancient sacred pigment, mixed with rainwater collected in my yard from cyclone gabrielle, and watching her embody the power of the sacred feminine through dance - a beautiful healing experience for both us and the public who engaged with her, one that has continued to develop in each of us long after the event this living sculpture was created for.

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Delivering Face Painting Entertainment at a Rotorua Charity event, two boys , a little shy before, are painted as monsters. Upon leaving my chair, all shyness had disappeared, and they were transformed into fearless creatures! They went right up to the scariest looking warrior at the event, and roared a challenge before giggling and running off to play. He was so amused, he came up and congratulated me afterward. He said he could see the work I was doing with people, and honoured it.

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These stories and so many more, are my why. Why I give so much of myself to each and every person that sits or stands before me. Why I am at once exhausted and uplifted after every event. Why I care, why I am passionate, why I will always go above and beyond to leave each person: child or adult, who I connect with in my art practice - a little stronger than they were before. Why I love what I do. Why what I do, helps me to love myself deeper - and feel my own power deeper aswell. Why my own journey into love and empowement ripples, and expands in the world, just like a family.

Arohanui,

-Karen.