Veteran soldiers know how to strategize and marshall their resources on the field of combat.
Carla Joseph, the winner of Art Battle 2016, is now the local event's first repeat champion. She topped the 12 competitors to win her second title in three years.
"It was so fun. I enjoyed it - probably more this year than past years because I'm not so shy and I'm getting more used to it," she said. "I can pretty much block everybody out when it's happening."
Art Battle is an international organization that has local, regional/provincial, national and global events always within the same format. Fine arts painters are given a canvas, an assortment of colours, a 20-minute time limit, and a live audience. In Prince George, the event is held at Hubspace and there are three rounds of four painters vying for the audience's votes. The top vote-getter moves on to the finals, plus one wild card winner who topped the second place painters from all three initial rounds.
Those final four must reset the clock and paint-off again for another 20 minute throwdown. Whomever earns the most votes in the finals goes on to the provincials in Vancouver this coming summer.
Lisa Redpath of the Community Arts Council, the event's local host agency, remembered when she saw Joseph win the audience over in that final round, despite a strong set of competitors alongside her (Michael Doyle, Darlene Nicoletti, and Erin Stagg were the other finalists).
"She painted a war horse, and she finished by slathering her hand in red paint and stamping her whole hand on the black and white horse, and you could just feel the ripple go through the crowd, it was a turning point and you could feel it in the room. People afterward said it gave them chills."
The 2017 Art Battle winner, Christina Watts, was not competing this year, but did attend as a spectator and agreed that "when she did the red hand, she changed the whole competition, it was exactly what the painting needed and the audience got a real 'wow' moment out of that."
Joseph admitted that she hoped for that effect and saved it until the end.
"I've been practicing," Joseph confirmed. She worked on two competition elements she knew from past experience she would need to control. One was painting as well as possible within the 20 minute time limit, so she practiced for speed. Two was experimenting with colours to pick an effective and efficient set, so she didn't waste time thinking about which shades to use on the two images she chose.
Both her images - the preliminary round was won by depicting a large bear sitting with care alongside a cub, with trees and birds around. This painting was a silhouette in black and white except for the dominant tree which Joseph painted autumn red - were chosen and rehearsed well in advance.
"I've been doing bears a lot lately, using it in the mural work I've been getting, and in the classes I'm teaching," she explained. "I chose the red tree because I was inspired by the girl who went missing in Smithers, Jessica Patrick (found deceased on Sept. 15 after a two-week absence), and that also inspired the red hand on the horse. Jessica was on my mind so much through the last month, and it came out in these ways."
As with all Prince George Art Battle events, the artists' paintings are sold at auction that night, with half the money going to the Community Arts Council and half going to the artist. The audience of about 150 people bid this year's paintings to their highest-ever sales results. Redpath said they averaged about $200 each, with the war horse image getting the highest bid at $500.
"People know they are bidding on a unique work of art, and because of the creation under pressure, they also know it's special for that reason as well. It's a memento of a big, exciting occasion you all shared together."
"The first year, I think my pieces went for $80 each," said Joseph. She has developed her skills while the community has also developed its understanding and awareness of this rare event.
"I'm just glad all three of my girls came to see me this year," said Joseph. "I want them to see me do that, and maybe think they can do challenging things, too. And they are all aspiring artists, too."
