- April 3, 2023
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Victoria Gomez Mayol poses with her winning painting at the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ten of the 12 Art Battle Ormond Beach artists prior to the start of the tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Rachel Caldwell feels more comfortable sitting on the stage during the second round of Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
DJ Jukebox Bully played an exciting mix of the old and new jams while putting on a light show. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Barbara Saunders competes in the second round of the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Barbara Saunders. Photo by Michele Meyers
Victoria Jones' nephew, Henry Jones, watches the second round of the Art Battle. Photo by Michele
Artist Rachel Caldwell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist John Berglund focuses on his canvas in the second round of the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Sandy Fraser concentrates on her painting during the second round of the Art Battle at Frame of Mind. Photo by Michele Meyers
Art Battle Ormond Beach winner Victoria Gomez Mayol. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Ryan Smith prepares to battle in the second round of the Art Battle at Frame of Mind. Photo by Michele Meyers
Finalist, Eva Capulli, cannot be distracted from creating her art during the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Finalist, Ryan Houman, puts the finishing touches on his painting at the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Ryan Smith competes at the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photos by Michele Meyers
Victoria Gomez Mayol checks her final painting as it sits on the artists' stage. Photo by Michele Meyers
April Pettersen looks at Eva Capulli and Ryan Houman's final paintings. Photo by Michele Meyers
Owner of Frame of Mind, Victoria Jones, watches the second round of the inaugural Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Event hostess Thays Franca hands the Art Battle Ormond Beach winner Victoria Gomez Mayol the winning check. Photo by Michele Meyers
Victoria Gomez Mayol poses with her winning painting at the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach resident Joy Brown bought Victoria Gomez Mayol's Art Battle painting.
Sam Rosu helps her friend, Rachel Holland, sell her wares at the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artists Miguel Hine and Eva Capulli pose for a photo before the inaugural Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mistress of ceremonies Thays Franca and Matt Graifer, the Young Professor, MC. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Julia Marshall creates a layered effect in her painting at the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Miguel Hine tips his hat at his artwork during the first round of the tournament at Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist LC Tobey smiles for the cameras before she attacks the canvas in the first round of the Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Perego salutes to the crowd before he conquers his canvas at the inaugural Art Battle Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Twelve artists met face-to-face at the Frame of Mind parking lot on Friday, Dec.10 and battled with brushes for three, 20-minute rounds to prove who was the boss of the canvas. Only one came out victorious.
Art Battle is a global live art tournament, according to their website. Twelve artists are selected from a combination of targeted and random call-to-artist submissions. The group is divided evenly, with each competing in the first and second rounds of the competition. Two artists from each round move on to the third and final round when a single winner is picked. Artists must create a work of art in 20 minutes each round.
Art Battle International takes place in an array of larger cities worldwide. From Miami to Los Angeles and Vancouver to London, these tournaments usually take place in interesting venues where the senses are tantalized by music, lights, an array of refreshments and the art itself. Patrons have the opportunity to watch the creative process unfold then vote for their favorite artwork through a quick and efficient texting platform.
Theresa Lieberman, vice president of the Ormond Beach Arts District and founder of Imagine Daytona, LLC, was pleased when they acquired a license to hold Art Battle tournaments in the Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach area.
“We are the smallest market they have given a license to,” she said. “We wanted to bring the Art Battle to Ormond Beach since it is on the cusp of the arts. It’s a well-known art community in Volusia County and we want to help grow that potential.”
Lieberman handles the operations, promotions and marketing while her business partner, artist Angel Lowden, is responsible for the “experience” and choosing the artists who participate in the Art Battle. Lowden was introduced to the sport-like art competition in 2018 when she applied and was invited to participate in two Art Battles in Jacksonville. A multitude of friends, including Victoria Jones, owner of Frame of Mind, and partner Ryan Smith, went to support Lowden.
“It was so much fun,” she said. “Everyone thought this is amazing. We’ve got to get this to Ormond Beach somehow. So it’s been a goal to get Art Battle going here in this area for a few years now.”
Artists invited to attend the first Art Battle Ormond Beach were: John Berglund, Rachel Caldwell, Eva Capulli, Sandy Fraser, Victoria Gomez Mayol, Miguel Hine, Ryan Houman, Julia Marshall, Perego, Barbara Saunders, Ryan Smith and L.C. Tobey. Capulli, Gomez Mayol, Houman and Smith received the top votes and moved on to the third and final round where Gomez Mayol won.
Gomez Mayol drove from Sarasota to compete, where she won an Art Battle in 2019 before COVID hit and made it impossible for her to compete at the next level. She will now compete at the state level in Sarasota.
“To prepare, I try to paint in increments of 20-minutes for practice,” she said. “When I compete, I put on my music play list and get in the right mood.”
Ormond Beach resident Joy Brown, purchased Gomez Mayol’s painting.
“The color and the passion she had while she was painting drew me in,” Brown said. “It was fascinating to watch her process. The palette did not match the photo. It was her translation.”
This is the first of five Art Battles to be held in the Ormond and Daytona Beach area. The next battle will be held at the inaugural Daytona Beach Art Festival on April 9 in downtown Daytona Beach. The spring event will be an art immersive experience where the Art Battle will be a perfect fit.
“My goal is to bring art to our area and make it an art community,” Lieberman said. “I want to help with the economic revitalization, collaborate and get creative with our community.”