Binghamton University to host 24-hour Drawing Marathon
Artists selected include students, alumni, local artist
Binghamton University will host its Sixth Annual Drawing Marathon from 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 30, to 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, in the Old Champlain Atrium, room 133. The event is free and open to the public and will be livestreamed via Zoom.
10 selected artists will complete a full-size figure drawing in 24 hours. Artists will draw with charcoal on large sheets of prepared paper (provided by the organizers) from a clothed, live model, who will pose for the entirety of the marathon. Short breaks will be given, but artists will be at work for the run of the marathon. Visitors may observe the artists throughout the 24-hour period. The drawings will be claimed by the artists upon the conclusion of the event.
Two cash prizes will be awarded the morning of Saturday, Oct. 1: the jury prize of $1,000 and the people’s prize of $500. The people’s prize will be awarded on the basis of qualitative comments received by visitors to the marathon. The jury prize will be awarded by the jurors: Blazo Kovacevic, associate professor of art and design at Binghamton University; Christina Boyd, vice president of community relations for United Health Services; and Kelli K. Smith, assistant vice president for student success and acting director of the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development.
In addition to these prizes, the Binghamton University Fine Arts Society will give a basket of art supplies to one artist demonstrating the most creative or innovative approach to drawing.
“The Drawing Marathon is a chance to discover one’s artistic second wind when powerful creative energy is released at the very time physical energy diminishes,” said Kovacevic. “This second wind reinvigorates both mind and body, and can result in a rewarding, even spectacular, artistic creation.”
This year’s artists include Binghamton University students Samantha Ballin, William Xu, Juliette Sakmar Åberg, and Troy Richards; Binghamton University alumni Gulzara Tokhtamysheva, Rebecca Stein, Robert Provilus and Maya Madden; SUNY Cortland student Alyssa Cusimano; and local artist Pavla Esworthy.
The marathon is co-sponsored by the Binghamton University Department of Art and Design, Center for Learning and Teaching, United Health Services and the Binghamton University Fleishman Center.