The 8th Avenue Gallery will host its second annual “Battle of the Brushes” live painting competition on Saturday, March 18, from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.
“Battle of the Brushes: Round 2” will feature returning champ Mel Fiorentino and runner-up artists Teddy Sykes and Jordan Shapot, along with seven new artists: Kyle Corely, Rae Grand, Aug Element, Jesse Kasabian, Sky Noel Sadler, Jessi Miller, and Christian Stanley.
The competition will kick off at 2:30 p.m., and each artist will have seven hours to start and finish a four-foot by four-foot painting in front of a live audience. Throughout the event, attendees will enjoy live music, free beer and wine, and the opportunity to vote on their favorite art piece.
At 9:30 p.m., the painting will stop, and a Battle of the Brushes winner will be crowned.
In addition to offering a unique experience for attendees, the event will also serve as a fundraiser for two local art nonprofits: the Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA) and the Magnolia Art Xchange (MAX). Original artwork from each of the participating artists will be raffled off during the event, and the proceeds will be donated to both nonprofits.
According to 8th Avenue Gallery, each artist will also have their artwork displayed inside the main gallery, and a portion of all sales in the gallery will be donated to MCA and MAX.
The 8th Avenue Gallery is located at 1531 NE 8th Avenue in Ocala. For more information, visit the art gallery’s website.