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Liz BarnesBritish self-taught artist
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of Liz Barnes
- Discovering a Talent for Drawing
- Practicing on Family
- Transition to Body Art for Pregnant Women
- Therapeutic Value of the Hobby
- Safe and Non-Toxic Art
Biography of Liz Barnes
Liz Barnes is a 27-year-old self-taught British artist from Derbyshire, specializing in body art for pregnant women. Instead of using canvases and paper, Liz draws directly on the bellies of expectant mothers, creating portraits of their babies, storks delivering babies, and even motorcycles. With two children of her own and a background as a caregiver, Liz only discovered her passion for body art in November of last year. However, she already has a growing number of satisfied clients and is considering turning her hobby into a full-time career.
Discovering a Talent for Drawing
Liz first realized she had a talent for drawing when she painted a skull on her seven-year-old son Jack's face for Halloween. Jack wanted to go trick-or-treating as a skeleton, so Liz bought some paints and decided to do the makeup herself. It turned out exceptionally well, and Liz was surprised by how much she enjoyed the process, especially considering she hadn't drawn since school. Determined to continue, Liz bought more paints and started studying online tutorials.
Practicing on Family
Liz initially practiced her newfound passion on her family, including her sons Jack and one-year-old Corey, as well as her partner Neil, 23. She then began uploading photos of her work to a personal social media page. Since then, she has painted hundreds of faces and hands, until she finally noticed the potential in painting pregnant women's bellies.
Transition to Body Art for Pregnant Women
Liz's first experience with body art for pregnant women came when a woman asked her to paint her baby bump for Comic Relief. The first client requested Liz to paint her unborn child and even brought photos of her other children to make the portrait more personal and realistic. Another client asked Liz to paint her husband's motorcycle on her belly against a Caribbean backdrop. Jennifer Brown, a 30-year-old, wanted vibrant "raver" clocks painted on her belly, hoping her baby would become a raver like herself in the future. The length of time for each painting session varies depending on the complexity of the design and the stage of the client's pregnancy.
Therapeutic Value of the Hobby
Liz believes her artwork possesses several beneficial qualities. For expectant mothers, it provides a wonderful way to celebrate their pregnancies, while for Liz, it allows her to be a part of something special in their lives. Her hobby also holds significant therapeutic value for Liz. Several years ago, in 2010, she experienced a miscarriage at a late stage of pregnancy, after carrying her baby for six months. For a while, she found it challenging to be around pregnant women. However, her loss led doctors to discover a medical issue with her cervix. After undergoing surgery, Liz became pregnant again and gave birth to Corey. Now, instead of feelings of loss and resentment, Liz experiences joy when connecting with pregnant women.
Safe and Non-Toxic Art
All of Liz's body art for pregnant women is completely safe for expectant mothers. She uses professional-grade, non-toxic body paint, ensuring the well-being of her clients and their babies. Many of Liz's clients go on to have professional photoshoots to preserve the joyful moments in their memories.
