Art 64 Live Painting Tournament in Tosa Village Crowns First Winner

On the weekend of June 3-4th, Newaukee, in partnership with The City of Wauwatosa, premiered the first ever ART 64 live painting tournament in The Village of Wauwatosa. Winner Ben Otten, artist #0060, walked away with the $20,000 grand prize in the bracketed speed painting competition. 

During the two-day tournament, sixty-four artists participated in head-to-head matchups in which the audience voted on their favorite paintings. There were four rounds, with sixty-four cut down to thirty-two, then sixteen, until we were left with eight artists battling it out for the grand prize.

“We were so pleased, after a 2 year delay, to be able to bring this unique event to Wauwatosa,” Melissa Weiss, Deputy City Administrator-City of Wauwatosa said. “Our Village provides a great backdrop and a place for people to come together to experience art like they never have before.”

The event featured live musical entertainment, two bars from ART 64 sponsor Lowlands Group (who owns restaurants such as Cafe Hollander and Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club) as well as food from local restaurants. Guests also visited local businesses during the event, checked out street bikes decorated in advance of the Tour of America’s Dairyland (ToAD), and purchased artwork created throughout the tournament. 

Winner Ben Otten said, “I’m absolutely honored to have been out there with all of [the artists] doing what we do best and [I’m] truly humbled that so many people enjoyed and supported my work.”

Congratulations to Ben Otten, our first ART 64 winner! And a big congratulations to all our talented artists, including the Final 8: Ali Kay, John Kowalczyk, Nova Czarnecki, Taylia Smith, Stephon Freeman, Robin Wallenfang, and Jaclyn Close, who all received $500. All participating artists’ were compensated for their attendance and their work from the event can be seen on the ART 64 website.

Paintings were sold during the event, and can also be viewed or still purchased here. (70% of the proceeds go directly to the artists, and 30% go to the Wauwatosa Parks Improvement Fund where it will be used to contribute to the enjoyment of local parks and green spaces.)

A big thank you to the partners of ART 64: Discover Tosa, The Village of Wauwatosa, Lowlands Group, and OnMilwaukee. We’d also like to thank all the sponsors of this event: 

• Mandel Graphic Solutions
• Tosa Cares
• Shop Privy
• Draft & Vessel
• Firefly Restaurant & Lounge
• Front Runner Chiropractic
• Metcalfe’s Market
• The Ruby Tap
• Leff’s Lucky Town
• Village of Wauwatosa BID
• Baskin Robbins
• Salamander
• Gracious Events
• CLARA Healing Institute
• Tosa Bike Garage
• Paulina Esthetics Boutique
• Tabal Chocolate
• The Flannel Fox
• Tosa Block Party
• Megan Papachristou Photography
• Le Reve Patisserie & Cafe
• Mooi
• Yo Mama
• The Flower Lady
• The Village Cheese Shop
• Seva Therapeutic Massage