XYIENCE XenArt Event Includes MMA Artist Showcase Featuring UFC Fighters Dan Hardy and Mac Danzig

July 31, 2012 - PRLog -- LAS VEGAS — XYIENCE Xenergy, the official energy drink of the UFC ®—announces that a special showcase including artwork from prominent members of the mixed martial arts (MMA) community will be featured at XenArt: The Energy of Art on Friday, August 31, 2012.  The art show takes place at the Amanda Harris Gallery of Contemporary Art and The Lady Silvia in downtown Las Vegas (900 S. Las Vegas Boulevard). The red carpet event that’s hosted by XYIENCE athlete and artist Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy is by invitation from 7 to 10 p.m.; it is free and open to the public at 10 p.m.

On display will be work from Hardy, UFC welterweight fighter and artist, Mac Danzig, UFC lightweight fighter and landscape photographer, Brittney Palmer, UFC octagon girl and painter, Eric Williams, renowned sports and celebrity photographer, Evan Shoman, well-known sports celebrity sketch artist, Tracy Lee, noted MMA photographer, and others.  Select pieces from the MMA artists will be a part of a silent auction benefiting the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), a Las Vegas- based non-profit that provides a central venue for artists and the community to come together for education and to experience all varieties of artistic and cultural expression. Established in 1989, CAC is one of the most recognized institutions for cultivating the visual arts in the community.

Dan Hardy studied contemporary art at Nottingham Trent University in England prior to his career as a professional athlete. His preferred mediums are pencil sketch and paint. His work communicates his journey of self-exploration and is a study of the elements that define his character. Originally from Nottingham, Hardy currently resides in Las Vegas with his fiancée Elizabeth, who is an award-winning designer.  

Hardy has been fighting in the UFC since 2008 and has a career record of 24-10-0, 1NC.  A huge fan favorite, he’s slated to fight Amir Sadollah on September 29 when the UFC hosts an event in his hometown of Nottingham. The 30-year-old has also been recognized for his work as an animal rights activist.

Mac Danzig’s fascination with light and the solitude of wilderness is clearly reflected in his work. He has traveled throughout the world capturing images that express the intricacy of dramatic natural landscapes and the unexpected beauty of urban environments. Shooting for over a decade, his work has been featured in gallery exhibitions in Los Angeles and in national magazines. (http://www.macdanzigphotography.com)

Danzig, 32, is the winner of the reality television series, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), Season 6. He currently fights in the UFC’s lightweight division and has a career record of 22-9-1. A longtime vegan, his success as an athlete while maintaining a vegan diet has garnered much attention from the national media.

Brittney Palmer is a self-taught artist who has been painting since childhood. A flower child at heart, her acrylic on canvas collection is inspired by the Woodstock era. Her unique perspective of rock and pop cultural icons from the 1960s and 1970s has gained attention from collectors throughout the world. Palmer, 22, has been a UFC Octagon girl since 2008. She is also studying art at University of California, Los Angeles. (http://www.brittneypalmer.com)

“As a Las Vegas-based brand, we feel it’s important to not only support the local community, but to be a part of its growth and evolution. XYIENCE is happy to provide the means for artists and athletes in MMA to support Contemporary Arts Center, an important part of our local art community,” says John Lennon, XYIENCE’s president. “We want to thank the artists in the MMA showcase for their generous donation of time and talent; without them, this would not be possible.”  

Submissions for XYIENCE’s XenArt contest are accepted until Monday, August 6 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time at http://www.facebook.com/XYIENCE. Submissions can be two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), and photography. Accepted submissions must interpret the contest’s theme and the brand’s tagline: Power to Win™. Pieces must also feature the Xenergy can or be constructed of empty Xenergy cans.

The contest is free to enter and is open to all artists over the age of 18 who reside in the United States. Contest rules can be found at www.xyience.com/XenArt. Winners are announced at 8:30 p.m. during the XenArt show and reception. One grand prizewinner will receive $1,000 plus a one-year supply of XYIENCE Xenergy, a second-place winner will receive $500 plus prizes, and the third-place winner will receive $250 plus prizes.

The XenArt event coincides with UFC® 151: Jones vs. Henderson, which takes place on Saturday, September 1, 2012, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.


About Contemporary Arts Center
A registered 501 c (3), Contemporary Arts Center was founded by a group of inspired artists, students, and instructors from the Fine Arts Department of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). It provides a central venue for artists and the community to come together for education, networking, and experiencing all varieties of artistic and cultural expression. For more information please visit http://www.lasvegascac.org.