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April 13, 2015

GSN’S GROUNDBREAKING HIT SERIES “SKIN WARS” RETURNS FOR ITS SECOND SEASON ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 AT 9PM ET/PT

Rebecca Romijn Returns to Host TV’s First Body Painting Competition Show   Entertainer RuPaul Charles and Body Painting Icons Craig Tracy and Robin Slonina Return as Judges

APRIL 13, 2015, SANTA MONICA, Calif. — GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today the season two premiere of SKIN WARS, hosted by actress Rebecca Romijn (X-Men), on Wednesday, June 10 at 9PM ET/PT.  Television’s first-ever body painting competition show and GSN’s most watched original series ever, SKIN WARS seeks to find the most skillful, accomplished and versatile body painter in America. In its second season, twelve contestants will compete in elaborate body painting challenges to avoid elimination and win over the approval of judges, including legendary entertainer RuPaul Charles and body painting icons Craig Tracy andRobin Slonina.   The winner of SKIN WARS season two will receive a $100,000 cash prize, an all-expense paid trip for two to the World Body Painting Festival in Austria, and a nationally-distributed Royal and Langnickel custom brush collection with their name on it. Natalie Fletcher of Bend, Oregon, was named the series’ first winner in season 1.   The body painting artists with “skin in the game” this season are:

  • Aryn Fox (Cincinnati) – RAW Artist of the Year in 2013 in the special effects makeup category, Aryn has been body painting for four years.  She also works as a tattoo artist, capitalizing on her love for horror and gore by working as a make-up manager at a haunted house. She changes her hair color every eight weeks.
  • Avi Ram (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) – Born and raised in Israel, and a former soldier, he moved to the US in 2008 to pursue a career as an artist.  He has been airbrushing for 10 years and now owns his own successful airbrush store.  After watching season one of “Skin Wars,” he focused his efforts on body painting and earned a spot on the show – which is now his first-ever body painting competition.
  • Cheryl Ann Lipstreu (Belews Creek, NC) – Despite body painting for only one year, this soft-spoken all-American farm girl is extremely talented and competitive.  A self-proclaimed child prodigy, she studied art in Madrid, and upon returning to the US, won her first-ever body painting competition after only two months.  She was introduced to body painting through an artist who painted her along with her horse. 
  • Dawn Marie (Madison, WI) – Known as the “glitter queen,” this body painter is also a special education teacher and married mother of three.  Raised in a small town, Dawn has been body painting for 10 years and is the co-founder of Glitter to Gore, a makeup and body painting supply company.
  • Fernello Nelson (Queens, NY) – Trained as an EMT, Fernello has also been body painting for five years, leaving his medical career to pursue a full-time career as a painter.  Determined to become “the Bill Gates of body painting,” he wants to bring his entrepreneurial skills to his passion.
  • Kyle Vest (Orlando, FL) – This jack-of-all-trades has worked as a florist, go-go dancer, aerial ice skater, costume designer and stilt walker before deciding body painting was his true calling. Having overcome dyslexia as a child, Kyle sees himself as the consummate underdog who has a lot to prove.  He is also a graduate of the Joe Blasco Master’s Program and Herron School of Art.
  • Lana Chromium (San Diego) – Born in Russia, she says her passion for art exploded after moving to California. She holds a degree in graphic design and can paint in a variety of mediums.  Lana often travels to music festivals and Burning Man, but also draws inspiration from her 5-year old daughter. 
  • Marcio Karam (Pompano Beach, FL) – Growing up in Brazil, this Latin charmer spent his youth as a competitive surfer and surfboard designer. It was a friendly dare that kick started Marcio’s body-painting one Halloween and it’s been his main focus ever since.
  • Rachel Deboer (Maui) – Whether painting, performing or dancing in her own ultraviolet burlesque dance group in Hawaii, this full-time artist is always putting on a show. She discovered in her youth that using makeup to transform her look awakened her self-confidence and says, “Body painting is a sacred medicine for humanity. Everyone should have it done at least once in their life.” 
  • Rio Sirah (Atlanta) – A deeply spiritual man who likes to incorporate comedy into his body art, Rio was raised in a strict religious environment but his mother always encouraged his artistic endeavors. Always believing he was destined to be an artist and for bigger things in life, his path has taken him through the depths of homelessness to the successful painter he is today. 
  • Rudy Campos (Houston) – A professional body painter for over 10 years, he is no stranger to the paintbrush. He hopes people will take humor in his boisterous opinions while taking his craft seriously. Living a polyamorous lifestyle, he believes that everyone should live their own lives for themselves and no one else.
  • Sammie Bartko (Heber City, UT) – The wife of a pastor, Sammie hopes to challenge herself beyond her typical “PG 13” face-painting hobby. Recently, she began painting breast cancer survivors of all ages in support of cancer research.

  SKIN WARS is executive produced by Michael Levitt of Michael Levitt Productions (“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” “Ask Oprah’s All Stars,” “Billboard Music Awards”), Jill Goularte, Colleen Sands and Rebecca Romijn. Craig Tracy and Robin Slonina serve as producers.  

About GSN The leader in game show entertainment across multimedia, GSN presents original and classic game shows, competitive skill-based programming, as well as games via its 80-million subscriber television network, a dedicated GSN.TV website and through digital game sites. GSN’s cross-platform content gives game lovers the opportunity to win cash and prizes, through GSN’s popular TV game shows and GSN Games free casual games, mobile and social games, and skill-game tournaments. GSN’s television network is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos. GSN is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and DIRECTV. For further information, please visit GSNTV.com.