Paint Love, Inc. is hosting its fifth annual Artist Challenge fundraiser on Saturday, May 9, 2020 from 3-6 p.m. as a virtual competition! The event was originally scheduled to take place at the MET Atlanta on April 18, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the fundraiser has shifted to a free, live-streamed event to ensure the safety of the artists and fundraiser participants.

This year, three artists will each begin with only a blank canvas in a race against the clock to complete a painting in just three hours. Audience members are able to make donations to help artists “unlock” the supplies they need to finish their painting in this unique and fast-paced live painting event - all benefiting Paint Love’s arts programming. The competition will be live streamed and viewers will be able to donate in real time in order to unlock tools for the artists to use towards their painting.

Funds raised through the Artist Challenge will provide critical support for Paint Love’s arts programming, which is provided free of charge to Title I schools and organizations serving metro Atlanta youth facing poverty or trauma. Paint Love’s programming is sustained by local, acclaimed artists who not only share their craft to teach an art project or skill, but also engage children in creative self-expression with purposeful themes. During this time, they have shifted programming to continue to serve youth dealing with the current crisis with trauma-informed online and printed content as well as distributing art supplies to families experiencing poverty.

Throughout the three-hour experience, activities will be offered including: a mini yoga class, an art project tutorial and a DJ set dance party break! This year’s event will be moderated by Slam Poetry Master Daryl Funn who will be providing hourly check-ins with the competing artists.

This year’s artists include:

Angela Bortone – a Dominican-Italian painter and muralist influenced by the complexity of emotion and its effect on the body while mixing realistic subjects with loose fluid spontaneous marks.

Cathryn Bozone – a fine artist and designer inspired by the world and nature. Her works typically depict brightly colored flora, fauna and bugs – oftentimes magnifying the overlooked small things in life.

Muhammad Yungai – an art teacher whose vibrantly colored murals depict inspirational, joyous and diverse images of people of color. His work adorns the walls and hallways of classrooms, lobbies and buildings across America.

“Last year’s spring Artist Challenge and fall Silent Art Auction were tremendous successes, raising a record breaking $31,892 for future arts programming. With the cancellation of our live event, we’re hoping that this virtual one will help raise some of the much needed funds for our programming,” said Laura Shaw, executive director - Paint Love. “We are fortunate to be a part of such a generous community that supports our mission to serve the youth of metro Atlanta.”

To view the event, visit the website. Instead of purchasing individual art supplies for the artists, colors will be grouped together in tiers and unlocked after each $100 raised. Once their tier is met, the artist then has access to that color for their work of art. The finished pieces will be available for an online auction during the event.