The Facepaint Rookie Party

There are three pillars of truth in my life.  Snowboarding, Music and Facepaint.

Last year (2010/11) was my Rookie Year as part of Snowmass Ski & Ride School.  Amongst various hideous and unspeakable hazing routines, including semi-regular death threats from Brockman – which continue to this day, I took on the responsibility of throwing the biggest Rookie Party ski school had ever seen.  Of course I wasn’t alone in my endeavors, I had a wonderful team of a select few whom I will thank again and for eternity, because we fucking killed it.  So year 2 rolls around, a new rookie team joins the school and once again the skiers try to run the party.  Haha.  Anyway the responsibility was wrestled back to where it belongs until once more the snowboarders held the mantle, the gauntlet has been thrown down, good luck rookies.

At long deliberation the theme was chosen, this was to be a circus party.  Which I interpret to mean; dress as whatever you want that’s awesome.  Especially clowns.  One day I will throw a clown party, for just clowns, all clowns.  Seeing the opportunity and grasping the prompting of any excuse, I called for a Facepaint Pre-Party at the Sanctuary, as usual Freestone Philips loves it and accepted the plan.  Honestly the Rookie Party was always going to be awesome, but I was suitably more excited over the prospect of a dedicated Facepaint Pre-Party, you would be too if you knew my artist.  From that point on we set about gathering our core Snowboard School crew and buying a shit load of face paint in preparation for some arts and crafts, it was time to get messy.

The crew amassed at 7pm and the stellar vibes of the Sanctuary were elevated to become a technicolour arts and crafts dreamfest.  It is at this point I will happily disclose that I may have schemed up the entire concept just to have my face painted by one person, the illustrious Kaylie Thompson.  It is exactly as I said before, if only you knew my artist.  We arrived at the google image station and began to peruse pandemonius possibilities, I was mostly focussing on finding the mask that would bank me the most quality time in the studio chair…  Or maybe it’s because I’d just watched Teen Wolf .  ”There! That one.” I said.  ”Red, that’s clearly not a lion…” “I don’t care, I want it.” Yep, it worked.  I was all ready to get lost in there until Ricky Ryan’s rendition of ‘The Spirit of Disco’ shocked me out of trance.  Literally, he was terrifying.

With the facepaint party complete it was time for a photoshoot.  Once again we were joined by the beautiful and effervescent patron saint of Sokold, Kelly Simmons, for an all out neon disco face paint bonanza.  Profile pictures all round.  At the upper limits of coherence we set off down the valley road from Sanctuary and safety to darkness, danger and party time.

Mini adventures were had all the way to the door, as all mini adventures should.  One last picture on the snow and then into the circus.  And what a fine circus it was! All the rest of the story is better described by the pictures that document.  But let it be known that face paint is one of my favorite things on this earth.  What other substance or medium could turn an entire conference filled with ‘professionals’ into a raucous literal circus filled freaks and geeks unafraid to sing nor sin.  Facepaint is the mask behind which to hide your greatest inhibitions, and to others, the window to reveal a true piece of self.  Rawr