Art Battle for Community 2 Reminder

Art Battle supports creative urge
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
By Molly Kimelman
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- Twelve local artists will duke it out to see who reigns superior in the process of speedy but creative artistic expression in the Creston Neighborhood Association's Art Battle for Community: The Rematch.

Wednesday's event will pit artist against artist in a quest to see who can create the most innovative piece based on a spontaneous topic within an hour's time. The works will then be auctioned off to the highest bidders.

Art Battle for Community: The Rematch is a Creston Neighborhood Association "Hello Neighbor" event. Last year's fund-raiser netted nearly $3,000 for community projects.

"We're trying to find ways to reach out to residents," said Creston Neighborhood Association board member Tommy Allen. "We got such a positive response last year because the event gave people a sense of connectedness to their community."

This year's art battle coincides with the National Golden Gloves Tournament this week in Grand Rapids, hence the boxing theme. The artists themselves won't know this year's topic until game day, but Allen hinted it may be environmental.

The 12 participating artists, nine of whom reside in the Creston neighborhood, work with assorted media and in diverse settings. Reigning champ Shelly Klein designs furniture professionally. Meanwhile, last year's runner-up Michael Pfleghaar works primarily with oil paints to create logos and illustrations for a number of companies. Klein and Pfleghaar are returning for this year's battle and will be joined by Nathan Goddard, Kelly Allen, Michael Ingold, Gloria Oostema, Aneka Vanderhill, Beth Fowler, Cat Campbell, Lisa Price, Tom Post and Abbey Bradley.

Allen expects this year's battle to produce "pretty diverse (art), with a lot of contemporary art, but also realism, conceptual art and even impressionism."

If you go

When: 6-9 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Sazerac Lounge, 1418 Plainfield Ave. NE

Admission: $15 donation

Pictured is the organizer and local ham Tommy Allen....I dont know who told the press I create logos!

Posted by Michael at May 6, 2008 04:52 PM