This is year five of Battle of the Brushes. When you look back at year one, what feels most different now?

Year one feels so long ago, almost like a dream. I’d say the biggest difference now is the increase in anxiety leading up to the event. There are tons of moving parts and behind-the-scenes details that consume a lot of my mental energy and time.

The first year had this raw, excited energy, laced with uncertainty about how the event would go as we stumbled wildly into the big day like a Great Dane puppy stealing cake off the counter for the first time. While I don’t know exactly what will happen at this year’s event, I do know it’s going to be an absolute blast.

What was your original vision for the event, and has it evolved over time?

My original vision was born one night while fellow artists Ryan Nuemann and Andrew Raymond were painting on a sheet of plywood in the breezeway behind 8th Ave. Gallery. As I watched, I started to imagine a group of artists painting huge pieces live in front of an audience that could walk among the action while listening to live music.

That sparked the idea of making it a friendly competition where the audience could vote for their favorite, and the winner would receive a championship belt, boxing-style, along with bragging rights. After that, I thought it would be great to turn it into a fundraiser and give back to the arts community that helped my career blossom in unexpected ways.

Over the years, the event has grown in ways I couldn’t have predicted. The first year came entirely out of my pocket, but since then, I’ve been fortunate to have generous sponsors and donors who believe in my vision and in Ocala’s arts community. There’s now a $2,500 cash prize for the winner, alongside the belt and bragging rights. We also have a raffle wall of original artwork, which started in round two, and beginning last year, we auction off the Battle pieces.

How do you choose the artists who battle?

For the first two BOTBs, I reached out to local artists I thought were skilled in a way that would lend itself to this style of live creation and who I believed would be interested in competing.

In year three, once we had a cash prize, I created an open call to entice artists from all over to apply for a chance to compete. A small group of us reviews the applications. The top three artists from the previous year receive an automatic invitation back, then we select eight artists from the applicant pool. Finally, we choose one artist at random from the applications as the “wild card.” That gives artists who may feel they don’t have a strong portfolio, including younger or amateur artists, a chance to compete.

How have you seen the event elevate local artists or strengthen the arts community?

This event not only supports the arts community through its donations, but it also provides an opportunity for participating artists and musicians to earn income and gain exposure.

How much has Battle of the Brushes raised so far for local arts organizations?

Over the years, we have raised and donated close to $10,000 to Ocala’s arts community.

Any traditions you’ve started that are now expected by the artists or the crowd?

One tradition that has taken on a life of its own isn’t even part of the event itself. Every year, I create wacky promo videos to build hype leading up to the event. Over time, I’ve made dozens of them, some of which are full-on short films. I know people look forward to them, so I end up pouring a lot of myself into that process.

When you imagine the future of Battle of the Brushes, what’s on your wish list?

When I fantasize about the future of Battle of the Brushes, I see it happening in major cities across the country as preliminary qualifiers, with each city’s winner coming to Ocala for the big bout to determine the ultimate Battle of the Brushes champion.