Side Street Studio Arts to host local finals for Ultimate Painting

Side Street Studio Arts, in partnership with Canadian-based Ultimate Painting and Imago and sponsorship from Elgin's Martini Room, hosted a series of painting competitions in January through June. Out of those competitions, six area artists have been selected to compete in the City of Elgin Finals at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at Imago, 215 Prairie St., downtown Elgin.

The winner of this event will head to the international Ultimate Painting competition in Toronto, Canada in November.

Ultimate Painting is an international tournament, where artists create the best work they can in 20 minute rounds of living painting. The audience votes for their favorites and the champions move on. Sixty area artists competed in five Elgin competitions, all held at the Next Door Theater.

The five winners, Sam Burt, John French, Doug Hanson, Chelsea Ren Haynes, and Chloe Sha, as well as the audience vote favorite Victoria Kozlowski, will compete against each other in three rounds of 20-minute painting. Out of these rounds, the highest vote-getter will head to the international competition.

"I signed up for the Ultimate Painting competition in 2015, because I thought it would be a good networking opportunity and chance to meet the local community of painters," said John French, last year's City of Elgin UP Champion.

"We love these events," said Side Street Studio Arts director Amanda Harris. "They combine performance, visual art, and community. Everything Side Street is about. We are excited to expand this programming to Imago for the city finals. It will give us more space to spread out and engages another downtown Elgin business."

For the first time ever, this event will also feature a kids competition. Young area artists Imogen Bouwmeester, Ava Fitzsimmons, Maddie Hargadon, Breanna Kozlowski, Isabella Shababy and Kentyn Tredwell will each create an original work of art in 15 minutes. The audience will vote on their favorite, and the paintings will be up for auction. All young artists will receive prizes, but the winner will receive a prize package that includes a visual art kit, Side Street gift certificate, and more. Money from paintings sold will be split between the artist and Side Street's Small Wonders Arts Education Scholarship Fund.

Side Street Studio Arts was founded in 2013 by Elgin residents Melvin and Erin Rehberg. Currently under the direction of Harris, Roberto Martinez, Melvin, and Rehberg, Side Street provides educational and creative resources and an accessible space, run by artists. Side Street's mission is to support the artist and the artistic journey through collaboration. For more information on Ultimate Painting, visit sidestreetstudioarts.org or call (847) 429-2276.