Twelve hopeful painters competed in Art Battle #216 held Friday night at the Charlotte Street Arts Center. Nearly 150 people came out as the artists showcased their skills under pressure.
Artists apply to participate in the Art Battle by submitting pieces of their work online, and then Art Battle judges select the artists they believe are the best. Each painter is required to bring their own painting utensils, brushes, sponges, string and whatever else they need. Things like spray bottles or power tools aren’t allowed in the competition.
“We’ve had people use bear hair, pine needles, basically anything you don’t have to turn on,” said Andre Samson, organizer of the event.
Nat Perry was Art Battle #216’s final victor. Perry’s weapon of choice was paint-dipped string; she abandoned the easel and sprawled out on the floor to create two abstract pieces.
“I’m really thankful, and surprised,” said Perry. “I used to paint a lot of realistic things but hit a block. I had painted with string as a child and I thought, ‘You know what, I’m going to go back to painting with string.’”
All artists are given the same colours and amount of paint. The battle consists of four rounds, each lasting twenty minutes. As the artists begin to paint, the crowd circles the easels set up in the center of the room to admire the action.
Samson was one of the people who originally brought Art Battle to the East coast from Ontario where it began as a paint-off at a party.
“From the start it was based on a small setting.”
Audience member’s tickets double as a voting card. When the round is finished a section of the ticket is ripped off and placed in a can that represents each easel. The voters must choose their favourite painting, and the artist with the most votes moves on to the final round.
All the paintings created during the art battle are put up for silent auction immediately after they are finished.
“It’s awesome because in my opinion that’s a way of voting too,” said Samson. “Although it doesn’t get you the championship, often people who don’t win bring in the highest bids.”
The winner of the final round is awarded a cash prize of $100 dollars and takes a spot in the New Brunswick championship happening in June. Whoever wins that battle will represent the province in a Canada-wide art battle that will take place in July.
