International Art Battle Championship at the Pan Am Games Toronto 2015

 had the honor of representing Colombia in the 2015 International Art Battle during the Pan Am Games (Parapan Am) in Toronto. The experience of live-painting at Nathan Phillips Square and the Distillery District was one I’ll never forget. It was my first time painting in front of such a large crowd, and with such a tight time frame to create my artwork, it was certainly a challenge. However, it turned out to be a truly exciting experience, and I was able to connect with many incredibly talented artists from around the world.

The event was filled with a diverse group of participants, each bringing their unique style and vision. I was thrilled to be part of this global artistic community.

It was an honor to be among such a diverse and talented group, and I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this remarkable event. The competition itself, held during the Pan American Games, was a truly inspiring experience, and I look forward to the possibility of participating in future events like this one.

Nathan Philips Square

The artists that participated in the International Art Battle Championship

Leanna TenEycke – 2015 Art Battle Canada National Champion

Jill Higgins – New Brunswick Champion, Canada

Mary-Louise Scappaticci – Eastern Ontario Champion, Canada

Allee Olmstead – Saskatchewan Champion, Canada

Diane Fontaine – Ottawa Champion, Canada

Katrina Manigbas – Toronto Representative, Canada

Ame Papatsie – Nunavut Representative, Canada

Teresa Haderer – Oklahoma State Champion, USA

Tracey Marshall – North Carolina State Champion, USA

Meranda Turbak – Minnesota State Champion, USA

John French – Illinois State Champion, USA

Amy de la Merced – Michigan Champion, USA

Katherine Brennan – Nevada State Champion, USA

Francisco Castro Lostalo – Costa Rica Representative

Alex Flores – Mexico Representative

Rodrigo Castro Duarte – Mexico Representative

Harley Salamanca – Colombia Representative

Andre Castro – Mexico Representative

Tito Ferrara – Brazil Representitive

Rafael Yaluff – Chile Representative

Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the final round, and the 6 artists that did make it couldn’t compete against each other because the battle had to be stopped due to rain lightning conditions. Therefore, the 6 artists that passed into the final round were all crowned the winners of the International live painting championship Toronto 2015.

The 6 finalists; Allee Olmstead, Regina Saskatchewan. Katrina Manigbas, Toronto Ontario. Ame Papatsie, Nunavut Territory, Canada. Diane Fontaine, Gatineau Quebec. Amy de la Merced, Michigan USA. Leanna TenEycke, Oakville Ontario.

There were many people who came to show their support and showed their interest in talking with the artists about their work.

Overall I had a great time, it was a different experience and a different way to engage with art. I believe that at the end of the day, it is a great way to get the audience's attention engaged with the process and the artist himself/herself. I want to thank those who made this possible, especially Art Battle Canada, you can find more information about them here at www.artbattle.ca, and you can also find them on Instagram or look for the hashtag #artbattle or #artbattlecanada