Side Street Studio Arts kicks off Ultimate Painting March 13

Side Street Studio Arts in downtown Elgin, in partnership with Canadian-based Ultimate Painting, will kick off a series of monthly painting competitions starting Friday, March 13 running through June 5.

Ultimate Painting is an international tournament, where artists create the best work they can in 20-minute rounds of live painting. The audience votes for their favorites and the champions move on. Twelve area artists have applied and been selected. Local band Crybaby will perform live music during the inaugural event, while audiences will witness the artistic process on display while being able to bid on the create works via live auction.

There is a $15 suggested donation request at the door or online ahead of time. Donation income goes to support the visual and performing artists, space, and supplies.

Created in 2009 by Simon Plashkes and Chris Pemberton as Art Battle, the Ultimate Painting community has grown to more than 60 communities across North America. This season they are on track to produce more than 250 events, and help sell more than 4,000 original artworks to art lovers across the U.S., Canada and worldwide.

Each event creates a one-of-a-kind environment, and Side Street Studio Arts' events will be no different. Featuring live music by local musicians, refreshments, live auctions, and the opportunity for art lovers to get a front row view of the creative process, it aims to make the Ultimate Painting events an exciting and original experience for the artists of our area as well as downtown Elgin.

The 12 artists selected are: Amy Porter, Ken Simonsen and Kimberly Witz, all of Elgin; Karl Jahnke of Crystal Lake; Patrick Rork of West Dundee; Bruce Bachelder of Glen Ellyn; and John E. French, Kazi Kimi, Nathan Maxwell, Samantha McDonald and Carnell C. Newbill, all of Chicago.

The event features 12 competitors across three rounds: Round 1: 6 painters, Round 2: 6 painters, and in Round 3, the top two painters from rounds 1 and 2 compete in a four-way final around. Winners of local events qualify to compete in city, area, and international championship events. Artists participate for free and have a chance to sell their work. Audiences pay a $15 suggested donation at the door to support the event and artists.

"Ultimate Painting was brought to our attention by former artist-in-residence Luis Reyes," said Side Street Studio Arts director Amanda Harris. "We looked into it, and man, it looked amazing! Any opportunity we find to not only give artists exposure and access to creative resources, but to also make a community event, we try to jump on it. The Ultimate Painting events have all the makings of being some of our biggest most exciting events to date!"

The Side Street Studio Arts Ultimate Painting Events will be Fridays, March 13, April 3, May 1 and June 5. For event updates, visit the Side Street Studio Arts Facebook page.

Side Street Studio Arts was founded in 2013 by Elgin residents Tanner Melvin and Erin Rehberg. Currently under the direction of Amanda Harris, Melvin, and Rehberg, it has become an outlet for the Elgin arts scene providing accessible space encouraging all aspects of the artistic process from creation to curation. For information, visit sidestreetstudioarts.org or call (847) 429-2276.