Nicole Harris paints with a garden tool during an artist competition. Photo provided

PARKERSBURG – The community is invited to an evening of creative competition at the Parkersburg Art Center’s Portrait Artist Caper at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The event will feature twelve artists and four volunteer sitters competing to create a completed portrait in two hours.

There will be surprise challenges, music, and interactive activities to engage the audience during the competition.

“It’s a fun way for the community to get involved early and for them to invest in the Art Center,” said PAC Managing Director Jessie Siefert. “When you support a sitter, you also help give their artists a competitive edge.”

Siefert said this year the volunteer group featured “balding and bearded men,” Dexter Hughes, Tim Bennett, Chris Bennon and Mark Lewis.

In the days leading up to the competition, the community has an opportunity to donate to the volunteer sitters.

According to a release from PAC, the sitter who raises the most in donations prior to the event will earn their assigned artists an advantage during the competition.

Donations can be made online at www.parkersburgartcenter.org/portrait-artist-caper. Through the website, guests at the event can also watch the standings and donate to help the artists through the various challenges.

According to the PAC release, the artists are Virginia Killian, Tracy Love, Stephanie Merrill, Eryn Gray, Morgan Otto, Margee Bias, Nathaniel Brown, Haley Combs, Doug Jones, Marlene L’Abbe, Emma Romanowski, and Lucy Walsh.

The artists will bring their own art mediums like oil paints, graphite pencils and gouache paints.

Admission is $10 for non-members and free for PAC members. Tickets are available prior to the event or at the door on the day of.

“This event is truly about having fun while supporting the arts,” said Artistic Director Abby Hayhurst. “It’s unpredictable, it’s creative, it’s funny and it’s always a great time.”

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com