A & E

Amber Thompson was slightly underdressed last night as she roamed the Three Rivers Arts Festival gallery -- she wore a top hat, hot-pink wig and a thong.

"I'm freezing," Thompson, 18, of Butler, admitted.

She wasn't completely exposed. Her body was coated in bright, abstract swirls of body paint and glitter, applied by Butler artist Rebecca Rose.

A self-taught artist, Rose, 27, has been painting for about 10 years. She uses various kinds of body paint to achieve the creamy appearance and texture on her subjects' skin.

"While people are being painted, they feel very relaxed," Rose said. "They get a calming sensation, especially on the skin. It's kind of like going to a day spa."

Some clients come to her with specific requests, while others tell Rose to paint whatever she feels like. "Sometimes, people want to be painted the day before an event, like a sports event, so they have a theme in mind," she said.

When given creative freedom, Rose tries to get to know the person before applying any paint.

"I think I look more at their personality than their skin tone," she said.

Some colors, like a solid white, show up better on darker skin, she said. But, for the most part, the paint can be mixed and blended to match or complement any skin tone.

Subjects can be clothed, partially clothed or in the buff like Thompson, Rose added.

The paint washes off with soap and water, and "it will last for about a day if you leave it alone," she said.

The design on Thompson's body took five hours to apply.

"She's very patient," Rose said. "A lot of people get tired, or they get ticklish and I have to stop."

Rose's body painting was featured at last night's opening of 30 Below, an exhibit of artwork by 11 artists younger than 30.

Kait Wittig, of Artists Upstairs, came up with the idea.

"I noticed a lot of artists we work with are older, cool, accomplished artists," said Wittig, 22, of Squirrel Hill. "I was in a position get some younger artists into this space, and let them show their work in a legitimate gallery. I'm hoping to make this a semi-annual event."

---

Go see it

What: 30 Below, exhibit by Artists Upstairs

When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Saturday.

Where: Three Rivers Arts Festival Gallery, 937 Liberty Ave., Downtown

Cost: $3 donation requested

Details: online

• Most Read
• Most E-mailed
• Latest News