Florida body-painting artist Captain Ron Wolek sets sail for Key West’s Fantasy Fest

Award-winning South Florida makeup artist, Ron Wolek – better known as Captain Ron Wolek – made his way to Key West’s Fantasy Fest this week.

Although Wolek resembles a fisherman – with his long hair, beard and captain’s hat – his talents include transforming naked bodies into canvases and turning people into living, breathing works of art. If you aren’t familiar with any of his social media pages, Wolek’s work has appeared on “Stranger Things,” “The Walking Dead” and “The Vampire Diaries.”

From Oct. 20-26, Wolek is debuting his latest project, “The Beauty Garden,” inspired by the Garden of Eden, during the 10-day island party happening Oct. 18-27. The mega festival has been celebrated annually for 40 years in Key West, and participants dress in exotic costumes to strut around parades, drink with friends, and dance to the beat of a different drummer.

With the assistance of “Captain Ron’s” eight-man crew of makeup artist, hair stylist and body paint designers, the Beauty Garden located next to Fairvilla Sexy Things will become an artistic destination for festival visitors looking for the celebrity body-painting treatment.

“I want our customers to walk into The Beauty Garden as ordinary people and walk out feeling glamorous, gorgeous, extraordinary, just like a Hollywood star,” Wolek said.

Their Fantasy Fest bookings have a wide variety of customized looks including: glamour makeup, zombie face paint, painted on lingerie and bikinis, body paint glitter catsuits, and more elaborate designs that can cover the entire body. If you’re heading to Fantasy Fest and hoping for some time with the captain, it’s best to book ahead of time.

Stay on top of Orlando news and views. Sign up for our weekly Headlines newsletter.

This article appears in Come Out With Pride 2019.