Athletes put the “grunt” in grunt work. Heavyweight athletes in particular perform feats that are so muscle-bending that it can be hard to watch. With feats so impressive, you might never consider all the sweat, grit and grind to be art.
Tim Bachman does, though.
A longtime artist, Bachman was participating in a portrait painting session at the McConnell Arts Center when Kevin Buckland, contest director for Art at the Arnold, invited him to apply for the competition. That was seven years ago and, Bachman has been involved in the event since. This year, his piece depicting two strongman athletes won first place.
Art at the Arnold, a decade-plus-old competition at the annual Arnold Sports Festival, consists of a figure drawing and painting of fitness athlete models. In the afternoon of the festival’s first day, artists sketch throughout the convention center events, and the second day, they work all day with the inspiration gathered before. Bachman found himself pulled toward the Trial by Stone event, part of the Arnold Strongman Classic.
“I was impressed with the athletic form of the athletes and their focus in attempting to grasp the odd-shaped and obviously heavy stones,” Bachman says. “Each athlete had their own unique technique to carry and complete their grueling task.”
For many, drawing a constantly moving, twisting and turning figure seems no less intimidating than carrying a massive stone. Bachman isn’t fazed.
“Not surprisingly, athletic body forms are everywhere,” he says. “In my life drawing sessions, I have drawn a commuter-bicyclist with highly-developed leg muscles, gymnasts, dancers and just regular people who routinely work out.”
Timothy Bachman
Mirror Room
Timothy Bachman
McLane Joji photoshoot
One particular Art at the Arnold challenge: the time constraints. Bachman says it’s essential that each artist utilizes their time efficiently. This may not be usual for someone like Bachman, who says he has to scale back his temptation to create a full-on masterpiece, knowing he may run out of time.
This didn’t alter his artistic process, though.
“While my creative process did not change, I enter the competition with an attitude of doing my best in the amount of time given, finding a subject for my work of art that embodies the spirit of the competition and not worrying about making mistakes or failing to create my best work,” Bachman says.
While he works primarily in pastels, for several years Bachman has been experimenting with 325-grit flint mixed with warm-toned paint and then rolled onto paper. This unique method allows Bachman a surface with added texture, more layering and color intensity.
“I like to work in a variety of mediums: pastels, photography, sculpture and photo montage,” Bachman says. “Each of the four mediums informs my approach to creating a piece of art differently.”
Another part of the joy of the competition is interacting with the other talented artists. Bachman says he’s amazed how each artist can approach the same athletic pose in their own unique style. The competing artists walk around the arena to watch one another’s progress, ask for advice or offer suggestions.
“If the background noise of the crowds and spectators were nonexistent, we would only hear the soft whispers of paint brushes on canvas and muted scratch of caulk, ink and pastels on paper,” Bachman says. “A silent symphony of artists composing with full concentration.”
Mallory Arnold is an editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
