It was around July or August of 2009 when I got a call from a fellow bodypainter named Mark Reid. I had met Mark earlier in the year at the Face And Body Art International Convention in Orlando and we hit it off pretty good. He called to see if I would be available to participate in the first-ever U.S. Bodypainting Competition as a professional instructor. He explained that he and Pam Trent from New Mexico were organizing the New Mexico Bodypainting Festival and that I would be joined by several other instructors including my friend Pashur. In all honesty, I couldn't tell if this was a pipe dream he was shooting for or something that really would come to fruition. I said that I obviously wasn't booked for anything else. In fact, I didn't even have a 2009 calendar to write down any bookings over a year away. I said, "Sure, count me in."
I had my doubts as the year passed that this project may or may not even happen. There would be a glimmer of hope like the launching of the website and then silence for months at a time. Even as of a month before the event, I was hearing that the participants were not as many as had been hoped for and there seemed to be some disorganization as to my role in the event. I'll even admit that I had thoughts of pulling out, but I really wanted to stay committed to the project and to keep my word to Mark and Pam. Once I arrived at the hotel, all of my fears were alleviated and it turned out to be an incredible experience.
It was the night before the event and the organizers and instructors gathered in Mark Reid's room for a champagne toast. The rooms were top notch at the Albuquerque Embassy Suites and the welcome comp was a granite tray of cake and chocolate covered cherries. The group consisted of Mark and Pam, Pashur, Erika Harrison (the queen of henna), and photographer Rich Johnson and his girlfriend. Pam seemed overly emotional and gave us all a heart-felt thanks for helping her achieve this dream that she had been hoping for for a long time. We then had a great time relaying stories and catching up with each other. Then it was off to bed to prepare for the weekend's festivities.
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