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    Franklinton Artists Mix Pro Wrestling With Creativity

    As with any music and arts fest, this September’s Independents’ Day Festival in East Franklinton attracted a crowd made of eclectics and hobbyists. Amidst all the local artists, musicians, and chefs was a group of individuals dressed in full lucha libra (Mexican wrestling garb) performing an odd mix of painting and fighting.

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    It’s the Artists Wrestling League (AWL) – wrestling no one asked to see.

    Inspired by things he thought were funny growing up, Ralph Walters, the league’s president and CEO, set out to create a wrestling “experience,” or to be as ridiculous as possible while creating something suitable for kids to watch and interact with.

    “I was into a lot of dark stuff growing up – skulls, lucha libre, you name it,” Walters said. “We didn’t have much, and I remember when I finally realized I could make money off of what I loved. That’s when I started painting.”

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    While this wrestling league’s battles do consist of superfluous body slams, soul stealing charades and jackhammers, the real focus remains on a “live wrestling-themed painting battle.” In the competitive paint battles, two league members will face off in the ring. After they’re given wooden canvases, the audience chooses an item for the two to paint and votes at the end on the winner.

    The key, Walters went on to explain, is that the wrestlers have fun with the painting battle.

    “It can be difficult for artists not to get distracted by the other wrestlers trying to mess them up, or in some cases slam them to the ground, but that’s part of it,” Walters said.

    The events are not entirely random, although it may seem as such to first timers. Walters and league members have created a storyline behind each of the different wrestlers.

    AWL members Randall Pearson and Brent Elam each play large roles in the tangible experience. Pearson plays the role of El Diablo Blanco and Elam is Chip Endale, the Masked Prettyboy.

    The league has had to scale it back a bit from when they first began, as the audience has largely become children at their events.

    “I’ve learned that there’s some people we just can’t let talk at our events because you know they’ll just say something inappropriate,” Walters explained.

    AWL’s studio sits today at 400 West Rich Street complete with their very own live painting ring. While wrestlers do practice their wrestling moves at the studio when the group meets, the members stress gathering as a community and hold community painting events for children every second and fourth Sunday of the month from 2 to 4 p.m.

    In addition, the league will be launching their very own web series in January. They’ll also be at Franklinton Friday, beginning in January, and at an event this Saturday located in London, Ohio at the Gesundheit Gallery entitled “I Am The Knight: Batman For The Discerning Artist.”

    AWL welcomes artists of all mediums into its collective and has hopes to expand both in the Akron and Columbus area within the upcoming years amidst further development of the Franklinton neighborhood.

    “It’s a weird thing, and you can’t really explain it, but we’re here and we’re going to keep pushing boundaries with weird content,” said Walters.

    For more information on the Artists Wrestling League visit www.artistswrestlingleague.com.

    All photos by Grace Fleisher.

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    Grace Fleisher
    Grace Fleisherhttps://columbusunderground.com
    Grace delves into all things music and entertainment related here at Columbus Underground. She's currently a Journalism student at Ohio State University where she will graduate from in May. Grace is passionate about music, cuisine, social justice, public policy and their intersection with the arts.
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