ArtPrize is an event in Grand Rapids for two weeks and it is absolutely amazing! It's a contest with 12,000 artists displaying their art; the public votes and first place gets $250,000. Not just any public, though, our community. You must be present to register to vote. Art fills the city- it's on the outside of buildings, inside restaurants, churches and hotels, it's in galleries, in the actual river and the bridge over top of it. Seeing art everywhere is so fun and the pieces are very well done. Talent is just spilling over this three mile radius of a competition. I use that word, but it doesn't seem like a competition at all. It seems like a celebration with people walking around, happily looking around and discussing what's going on. There's positive energy in the air and excitement surrounding this event. One of my favorite pieces is Nessie in the Grand River (the Lockness Monster) and it turns out my friend was a part of creating it. He said if they win first prize, the proceeds will go towards cancer research at the Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids. Sharing that wealth for the greater good is such an admirable way of continuing that positive energy.
What a wonderful event to be a part of, for little ol' Grand Rapids in Western Michigan to host. This could easily be something put on in New York City, but here we have it in our own place. It's here and it's being coordinated very efficiently and bringing a lot of money to our community. Thousands of people are going to attend this event and eat at our restaurants, pay for parking and buy art. So much money has gone into this event and you can see that with signs and tee-shirts everywhere and new Macs lined up at registration (yeah, I can tell that keypad is just out of the box.). Making the actual art is also boosting our weak economy; Nessie may have cost $35-37,000 to create!
Art galleries and children don't always go together well. So, I haven't spent a lot of time around art recently and this was a perfect opportunity to do that with the whole family. We did have a melt down and need to leave one particular place, but no one minded that you had your stroller. Kid sounds during the dance performance was cute. Things were outside and all over and very accessible. You could take in so much art at once and it was like a party in some places with a DJ spinning and a live performance of melting glass.
I've voted several times already and I want to go back all week! I'd love to see it all and it will be cool to see who wins. With all that art, I don't know how anyone chooses a favorite- just one. Speaking of winning the big prize.....I won an Ergo Baby Carrier! I've loved the Ergo and Jilliann practically lived in it. Miles also loves it and since I got one three years ago, several improvements have been made. So, I put my tickets towards that prize in the La Leche League raffle in celebration of World Breastfeeding Day and won it! It's organic and green and I'm so thankful to have it. Thanks to Ergo for donating that! I'm a huge fan.
