A Look Back: 5 Unforgettable Takeaways from the Monster Drawing Rally
My Experience as a Live Artist at the Portland Art Museum
There are few things as exhilarating for an artist as creating in front of a live audience. In 2018, I had the honor of being a participating artist in the Monster Drawing Rally, a beloved, high-energy live drawing event hosted right in the beautiful outdoor courtyard of the Portland Art Museum.
Though the event is now a piece of Portland art history, the experience was a formative one. This is a look back at what made the Portland Monster Drawing Rally so special and the key lessons I took away from drawing under pressure.
What Was the Monster Drawing Rally?
The Monster Drawing Rally was a live drawing event and a brilliant fundraiser that supported the museum’s educational programs. The concept was simple yet electric: dozens of local artists were invited to draw in 30-minute shifts at long tables set up in the museum’s courtyard. As soon as a piece was completed, it was whisked away and hung on a wall. Attendees could then bid on the fresh artwork in a lively, fast-paced auction, with proceeds supporting a great cause.
Watch the Rally in Action: My Vlog from the Event
Portland Art Museum: Friday, July 13 2018 @ 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Words can only do so much to capture the energy of the Monster Drawing Rally. I filmed this short vlog during the 2018 event to give you a first-person view of the artists, the crowds, the courtyard setting, and the excitement of the live art auction. You can see the entire creative process for my piece, and be sure to watch until the end to see the final drawing go home with its happy new owners, a father and his daughter.
5 Unforgettable Takeaways from the Experience
01. The Energy of a Live Audience
Drawing in an open-air courtyard, surrounded by hundreds of enthusiastic patrons, creates a unique and palpable energy. That direct connection between creator and audience, with people watching your every move, is a powerful motivator.
02. The Challenge of the Ticking Clock
Creating a finished piece of art in under an hour is a true test of skill. You don’t have time for hesitation. This fast-paced environment forces you to trust your instincts and rely on your fundamental drawing skills, a principle that is invaluable in the world of professional design.
03. The Power of Community
One of the best parts of the Monster Drawing Rally was working alongside a room full of Portland’s most talented artists. It was a shared experience of creative intensity, a chance to see other artists’ processes up close and feel a real sense of camaraderie.
04. The Thrill of the Live Art Auction
Unlike a quiet gallery, the auction format made purchasing art an exciting event in itself. The bidding process had a unique and playful twist: potential buyers would be offered a fanned-out deck of playing cards. The person who drew the highest card won the right to make the first bid on a newly completed piece.
This clever system added an element of chance and fun to the process, creating a lively, competitive atmosphere. It was incredible to see your work, finished just moments before, being enthusiastically claimed by a lucky card-drawer. It was a brilliant way to break down the barriers to art collecting and make the entire experience more interactive.
05. Creativity for a Cause
At its heart, the event was a fundraiser for the museum’s education initiatives. For me, the art I created was a donation to the Portland Art Museum. The entire experience was about gaining exposure, testing my skills under pressure, and contributing to a cause I believe in. Knowing that the final payment for my piece went directly to supporting the future of arts education in our community added a powerful layer of purpose to the entire night.
A Strategy of Quality Over Quantity
One of my most vivid memories from that night was making a deliberate strategic choice. In front of my drawing station, I had laid out a collection of custom insect stickers and brand stickers from my personal projects, offering them as freebies to the crowd that was gathering.
While many of the talented artists at the rally focused on producing multiple, faster drawings within their short 30-minute slot, I chose a different path. I decided to invest my entire shift into a single, highly detailed piece of art, letting the crowd watch as it came to life.
The risk was that I would only have one piece to offer, but the potential reward was creating something of undeniable quality under an intense deadline.
The result was a testament to the power of focused effort. As soon as the timer ran out and my single, detailed drawing was hung on the wall, it was sold instantly. A small orange tag was placed on it, marking it as claimed before many others had even drawn attention. A crowd of over eight people had rushed to draw cards for the chance to bid, one of the highest turnouts for a single piece that evening.
Later, one of the main event coordinators told me she was incredibly impressed, not just with my unique style, but with how it drew such a dedicated crowd. While some artists had pieces on the wall that didn’t sell, my focused, high-effort approach created a piece with immediate, undeniable demand. It was a powerful, real-time validation of a principle I hold dear: that people recognize and are drawn to quality, detail, and dedication.
The best part was seeing the art go home with a father and his young daughter, a perfect end to the night. This is the same philosophy I bring to every client project at Graphicsbyte. We don’t rush to produce quantity; we focus our energy on creating a single, exceptional result that stands out.
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