Day One of ARTPRIZE 2013

Good Morning my BEAUTIES!
Its my favorite time of the YEAR!!
(see how our day started yesterday??? with a gorgeous natural art...a rainbow)
What time is that you say?????
Its ARTPRIZE time!!
WHAT is ArtPrize???

ArtPrize® is a radically open, independently organized international art competition with an unprecedented $200,000 top prize decided entirely by public vote. For 19 days, three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, become an open playing field where anyone can find a voice in the conversation about what is art and why it matters. Art from around the world pops up in every inch of downtown, and it’s all free and open to the public.  It’s unorthodox, highly disruptive, and undeniably intriguing to the art world and the public alike.

Before we get TOO far ahead, I have to show that my sweet Niece that I have worked with on the 2 auction pieces with has her piece installed at Grand Rapids Brewing Company. Right by the bathroom...:) you can't miss it..   Isn't it GORGEOUS?  ...you know we have a thing for trees. You can see her Page HERE. 
So you know if you happen to come down..be sure to check it out!

SOOOO now that you know what I am talking about...let me show you
just a few of the things I was able to get to yesterday.
First of all..ArtPrize is a walking tour, meaning basically anywhere you walk in the city
you are going to see some sort of installment, sculpture or artwork.
The first things we usually run into are the sculptures.
I like this stone one of the doggies..

and this of a gorgeous ribbon dancer.

There is ALWAYS an installment in the Grand River..I am not sure what the message was on this one, but
there are all these flags in the middle of the river.

This lumbering giant fishing, was a folky fave of mine..made of branches and moss and rocks..you can't see
but his fishing line actually goes right into the river.

and a literally GIANT DOG HOUSE...:)

This will be one of my kids faves for sure...Right outside the Public Museum

For me, artfully this was one of my favorite sculptures..
the water and the metal and the nature...it just spoke to me.
I loved it.

Then it was onto another artprize fave. He uses all recycled materials to create his sculptures
and its always different...the squirrel was so cute

and this is what the squirrel sat in the midst of ...all these big guys.

This fun wood burning and paint of the last supper in a Picaso style was fun too.
I loved the colors and the shapes.

This winter scene blew me away...It was only an 8x10 size..but this is all mosaic glass.
tiny tiny little pieces of glass used to make this...the talent always astounds me.

Inside the Gerald R. Ford Museum was this set of polar bears. Just huge..all
hand painted acrylic..

Look at the gorgeous detail!

this large painting was a favorite of mine..Its such a whimsical thing that it just made me smile.

this looks like just a painting, but it is actually a collage..little bits of paper to make up the piece...

so beautiful.

and back to the recycled items...how bout this gorgeous panda made out of recycled TIRES..
so adorable.

this horse mural was in pastels...

 .
the detail just blows my mind

I loved this one cause walking up to it it looks like a simple train painting..

until you get up to it and see the brush strokes...I love impressionism..and how it forces your eyes to see..

and for today we will end with this cute little guy outside the DEVOS center..
:)
I took so many more pictures and the plan as it always is, is to get down at LEAST 2-3 more times,
but you can never see it all...
If you can ever make it to Grand Rapids for ArtPrize I promise you will not be disappointed.
to see past ARTPRIZE posts you can go
HERE
HERE
HERE
HERE

I hope you enjoy the pictures..I can't wait to get back down there and see more.
Have a BEAUTIFUL day!