As an artist, Monica Noriega is more interested in seeing people’s immediate reactions to her work than seeing it hanging on the walls of a museum.

    That’s because this 38-year-old uses other people’s skin and bodies as her canvas: She’s a body art artist.

    “Body art to me is one of the coolest forms of art because the human body is not only beautiful but so amazingly mesmerizing,” Noriega said. “So when you paint on a beautiful model and you see the art in motion is very exciting to experience. The model’s movements make the artwork come to life. Painting on people’s skin is like instant gratification to see it go from vision to reality and to hear all the wonderful comments to see people’s reactions to the piece. Although the model will wash it off, the pictures remain as testimony.”

    Although she has been an artist all her life (she said her first “masterpieces” were done on her mom’s walls), a year and a half ago Noriega founded her own company, Dragonfly Boog, which offers services such as face painting, full body art, belly painting (which looks beautiful on pregnant women), and glimmer tattoos.

    Her background is in graphic design, but now she earns a living as a body art artist. She is regularly hired for birthday parties, quinceañeras, and other celebrations. But she’s begun competing in body art fashion shows in several clubs in downtown San Diego.

    In 2009, only a month after deciding to become a full-time body art artist, Noriega won first place in the novice category for face painting in the Face and Body Art International Convention, which took place in Orlando, Florida. She repeated that same success this year, when the convention was held in Las Vegas.

    Since body art may be something new to many people, Noriega said the art form is starting to pick up many adherents and admirers.

    “Body art is becoming more and more popular these days. It is being used as a promotional tool, as art expression, in performing arts and also at special events as entertainment or for conversation pieces,” she said.

    As an example, she said someone will call her up for a private event and request that she paints 2 to 3 models to serve drinks at their cocktail party, or she paints a company’s logo on a model to promote at a company event.

    “I think that the impact body painting has at these type of events is well worth it because it embeds a mental picture in our mind, much more effective than a sign we would drive by,” Noriega pointed out.

    Noriega, who now calls San Diego home, was born in King City, in northern California, to a father from Sonora and a mother from Chihuahua. Her family later moved to Arizona, where she was raised. She said her Mexican background inspired her to become an artist.

    “Mexico is surrounded by amazing colorful art everywhere you look,” she said. “You have murals, pottery, and jewelry. I love the use of color, I like Diego Rivera’s work, and Día de los Muertos artwork is very unique and one of my favorites.”

    Her family is her number one fan, and she said her parents are always there to support her work.

    “My family is very supportive and proud of my work. My dad loves to watch me paint. He is the person who encouraged me to enter the first competition so early into my body art career. My Mom says that nobody else paints like me, but I think she may be just a tad biased,” said Noriega, laughing.

    Whether it is painting beautiful princess designs at a birthday party, or monster faces during the Halloween season, Noriega is always there to create her moving masterpieces on skin. But to really appreciate her work, one needs to see the sensual creations she paints on her full body masterpieces on the models.

    “I think an artist is born with the gift of creativity and what you do with it makes you the type of artist you are,” she said.

    Through her body art, Noriega has truly become an artist who gets close to people’s hearts –and skin.

    To learn more about Monica Noriega’s work visit www.dragonflyboogart.com.