Paint and brushes will be flying at the first ever Wetumpka Battle of the Brushes.
The live painting showdown will feature 50 contestants in a themed painting competition.
“It's like a bake off, but it's a paint off,” organizer Brittni Smith said. “There'll be 50 artists battling out on the canvas.”
Smith is following the advice of Downtown Wetumpka artist Don Sawyer, who died last year.
“Don kept on telling me to try to build the art scene long after he's gone,” Smith said. “I’m sticking to that. This is just something different to try to do. It is not like the same old kind of art show. It's something fun to build the art community more.”
Artists will have four hours to create a masterpiece. Anybody 16 or older can register regardless of talent. There is a bonus to participating. The winner will receive $1,000, second place is $500 and third place gets $250.
“We'll provide the canvas, and we provide a table in, like an area to paint in and a chair,” Smith said. “They can bring their own easel. They can bring their own stool, or whatever. They bring all their own paints and stuff.”
Smith said artists will not be totally blind going into the May 10 event at the Wetumpka Civic Center.
“There will be five themes that will draw from the day of the event,” Smith said. “The registered artists will have the themes ahead of time. If I were them, I would take the themes and start sketching out ideas so when the theme is drawn, they already have an idea of what they are going to do. They won’t waste time thinking about what to do.”
It costs $35 to register. There are 50 slots available and about a dozen artists have already registered. Artists interested in participatingÂ
The judging will be blind. Artists will also have the ability to sell some of their artwork at the painting showdown.
Those interested in registering need to email wetumpkasbattleofthebrushes@gmail.com.
The event is being organized by Sunshine and Pixie Dust, Gress Consultancy and Brittni Smith Artistry.
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