A Battle Cry for Art

On Saturday, August 23rd, the usually relaxed environment of Saginaw
Township's Magic Bean Café will turn into a battleground as it hosts the first ever Tri-City Art Battle.  While the artists will fight it out for personal victory, there is something larger at stake: they will also be fighting for a space for arts in the community.

The organizers of the battle and artists alike feel a lack of events in the tri-cities that promote the visual arts.  Libby Booth, an artist who will be competing, usually has to travel to get her fill: "It's not unusual for me to drive to Flint or even further just to witness a big art opening or battle.  Having one in my own town is very cool."  She hopes this event will help harvest a bigger interest in the arts in the community.  "Art events that show positive support are something our area really needs more of.  There are way too many people here that go unseen.  I think this event - and hopefully subsequent ones - will give our artists even more hope for their community and themselves."

Fellow artist and competitor Kevin Kucken echoes this idea, "This area needs to see the talented artists that are doing some wonderful work. Artists are an asset to a community and if they do not find support from the community, they will move on to a new city to try and make it."

However, Kucken does feel that things are beginning to gain momentum in the area with the efforts of the Full Spectrum Collective and e. productions, whom recently sponsored July's Rally in the Alley event, which featured live music and artists doing live mural paintings as part of an arson watch project.

The idea to have a Tri-City Art Battle came from Saginaw artist Paolo Pedini, who attended his first art battle in Detroit and recently participated in a battle in Ypsilanti where he took first place.  With his wife Sarah and the owners of The Magic Bean Cafe, Lisa

Kusey-Rechsteiner and Gary Reichsteiner, Pedini's daydream of a local event quickly became reality.
The call for community involvement and support was important to the organizers for the success of the art battle.  Kusey-Rechsteiner explains, "What Michigan needs right now is people coming together and working together to combat all of the negative.  We can't just shrivel up and go away!  We need to promote and support our communities. There are a lot of positive things happening between Bay City, Saginaw, and Midland, and if we can create events to bring even more people to our tri-city area and expose them to the talent that we have...well, what a wonderful thing that would be."

So what exactly can one expect to see at the Tri-City Art Battle?

Twenty artists will compete in front of a live audience for cash prizes.  The audience will vote on their favorite pieces to select the winner.  All twenty available spots have already been filled through an open registration period by artists throughout the tri-cities and as far away as Mt. Pleasant, representing all age groups and a range of mediums from acrylic to oil, to mixed media, to sculpture, to watercolor,

The live aspect of the event adds a bit of nervousness and excitement for the artists.  Kucken is usually nervous painting in front of people, but is looking forward to this opportunity.  "I worry that when I am there I will be blank or have some sort of artist block.

For the most part though, having people around will pump me up.  The excitement in the air is a great energy that I can channel and put into my work."

Pedini is most looking forward to the interaction between the artists and the public.  "This is a chance for artists to meet people that will appreciate their art style and perhaps they'll get to sell some of their work.  The public gets to see what is involved in making an original piece of artwork - it puts a human story behind what was created."

The Tri-City Art Battle is taking place on Saturday, August 23rd, from 5pm to 10pm at The Magic Bean, 5789 State Street, Suite 3, Saginaw. The artists will battle it out from 5pm - 8pm, with the winner announced at 9:30pm along with a raffle for over 30 prizes.

There are a lot of other activities for those in attendance.  Tents will be set up outside for the artists and there will be live music inside and out.  Musicians include Dan from Jedi Mind Trip, John Vasquez and the Bearinger Boys, Carrie Treder, and Loose Change. There will also be a kids area with activities sponsored by the Saginaw Art Museum, and food and wine-tasting sponsored by The Magic Bean and Cork n Ale.

Tickets to attend the Art Battle cost $10 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and under, and children 4 and under get in for free.  The cost of admission covers access to the artist tent, a voting ballot, food and wine tasting, along with raffle entry.