Carmel McCormick has taken out the Supreme Award at the New Zealand Body Art Awards, for the second year running.

The Auckland professional face painter impressed the judges at Auckland's North Shore Events Centre on Saturday night with her dual entry of an elephant and komodo dragon. She managed to place first equal with herself in the Handpainted Body Art section.Carmel McCormick has taken out the Supreme Award at the New Zealand Body Art Awards, for the second year running.

The Auckland professional face painter impressed the judges at Auckland's North Shore Events Centre on Saturday night with her dual entry of an elephant and komodo dragon. She managed to place first equal with herself in the Handpainted Body Art section.Carmel McCormick says she feels "unbelievably lucky" to have won the top award two years in a row.

Other winners included a mother and daughter; Nicole Heydenrijk, who took out the fluorescent prize and Yolanda Bartram who won Air Brushed Body Art.

Novice artist Estela Shen proved she has a big future, winning two categories; Masquerade Mask and Creatures.

Head judge, Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor, says the talent just continues to get better every year.

The New Zealand Body Art Awards will return to Auckland's North Shore in 2009, with the event going from strength to strength every year.

The full list of winners at the 2008 New Zealand Body Art Awards are:

Supreme Winner: Carmel McCormick
Best Performance By A Model: Levi (model for Carmel McCormick's lizard)
Best Emerging Artist: Kelly Zhong Ni Ren

Hand Painted Body Art
Winner: Carmel McCormick (first equal with two entries)
Special Commendation: Kelly Zhong Ni Ren

Air Brushed Body Art
Winner: Yolanda Bartram
Special Commendation" Philip DuChard

Masquerade Mask
Winner: Estela Shen
Special Commendation: Tracey Trinder

Fantasy
Winner: Kim Stevenson
Special Commendation: Michelle Perry
Creatures
Winner: Estela Shen
Special Commendation: Andrea Hows

The World of Fluorescent Illusion
Winner: Nicole Heydenrijk
Special Commendation: Dara Wakely

Prosthetic and Rubber Masks
Winner: Magdalena O'Connor
Special Commendation: Maria Wood

Ethnic/Tribal
Winner: Jennifer Savannah
Special Commendation: Kim Boyd

Ta Moko Maori
Winner: Hayley Marlow
Special Commendation: Bobby McDonald

Picture: Carmel McCormick, her models and judge Richard Taylor
Photo credit: Gino Demeer

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16/06/08