Hey, so sorry to disappoint!
For all the videos assignments I’ve done while at the Times-News (gotta be close to 100), this was a memorable one. I had never heard of breast painting before. Well, maybe with the exception of living in Asheville – it seems like something one would do at a weekend festival.
But this was actually for a good cause. Women who either had breast cancer, or those who hadn’t but knew someone with it and wanted to support them, came out to an intimate gathering of about 10 or so women. Participants pour paint onto a palate, and then dip their breasts into the paint, which are then pressed to a canvas. The women can then add to the breast impression with actual brushes after that. It makes for an abstract memorial to the artists’ breasts, some of which are mostly gone to mastectomies. The paintings were later auctioned off, with proceeds going to breast cancer support groups.
I’d done a few other articles on breast cancer while at the paper. I don’t have to tell you it’s a common disease, but there is so much support out there.
Anywho, for one of my earliest videos, it’s nice to see people actually still watch them. Even if they thought they were gonna see Phish/Bonnaroo-style breast painting.