Saturday, October 09, 2010

More Art Prize Photos including the winners...

The winners of Art Prize were announced last night. The main winners are determined by a public vote. If I remember correctly, there was over 1700 pieces of art. A week ago, based on the public vote, they reduced the pieces being considered down to 10. On Thursday evening they announced the winner. I happened to have taken a few photos of it and have a composite below. It didn’t make the top 10, but it was a favorite of mine. In my last post, two of the top ten were included: the penny and the flying pig. (click on photos to enlarge)
Look at the wood on this sailboat. It's beautiful (but I'd be afraid to sail it)! Maybe this boat will give master boat builder Ed some idea. Somewhere, deep in his archives are photos of a beautiful kayak, with wood much like the boat above. This was teh second place piece. It's lovely and my photo doesn't do it justice at all. The piece is called "Svelata," and was produced by Mia Tavonatti of Santa Ana, CA.

The winner of this year's contest was Chris LaPorte (a local boy--who lives in Grand Rapids) photograph-like, life-size drawing of 53 cavalry officers. The piece is titled "American Officers, 1921." LaPorte used a photo he'd found at a garage sale to to do the drawing which earned him $250,000. Not bad earnings for over 800 hours of work (I'd never have the patience). Ily, my favorite red-headed Cuban who reads this blog is also an artist that likes sketches. She has until next fall to get her piece ready.
To see more of the winners, go here. When I was up there last weekend, I only saw seven of the top ten, as the art was scattered all around the downtown area. It's quite a show and a lot of fun and I'd recommend it if you are ever in the area in early October.

14 comments:

  1. Sometimes I wonder why there is so much talent in man there is so much turmoil in mans societies.

    That winning piece is absolutely beautiful.

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  2. I love these civic art projects that involve a competition and then scatter the art all over a city. Gets people involved who would never step into an art museum.

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  3. The winning drawing clearly deserves the #1 spot! The detail is amazing...and to think the artist found the photo in a garage sale...unbelievable!


    Btw, thanks for the boost of confidence, my friend, but no, I'm a little out of that league and don't expect to participate in next year's event. In 2012, however, who knows? ;)

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  4. I'd be fearful about sailing it as well for it would take a sneeze to swamp the thing. But it is pretty though.
    And interesting enough the bunch of officers sizewise and for endeavour, where they the first to die on the western front I could see the value but 1921, not so much.

    Just a tiny question, has Rosa Parks now become 'the' icon of the civil rights movement across all the States.

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  5. That drawing is amazing! I wouldn't have the patience to draw like that even if I had the skill.

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  6. wow. the intricacy of the detail in that picture are amazing...love the wood work on the boat as well...very cool..

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  7. I'm impressed by the awarded works and the hours the artists used. Creativity takes time to travel from the artist mind to the canvas!

    The famous Dutch painter Maurits Escher said: "I could fill an entire second life with working on my prints".

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  8. Walking Man, There was a photographer who had 20 pieces strung together and he had a sheet you used as you went down the wall--the photos were all B&W "post-apocalyptic" views of Detroit. It was sad seeing photos inside grand hotels which thrived in the days of Motown.

    Ron, there were some inside museums (but the museums had to offer free admission to the show). But there were also lots outside and in hotels and other buildings.

    Ily, I'll look for your work in 2012!

    Vince, yeah, I agree, it wouldn't be stable, but it is a pretty of wood working. As for your question, Rosa Parks certainly is seen as an icon. She moved to Michigan in the 50s and lived out her life here, leaving Alabama behind.

    Tim, I agree, 800 hours is nearly 1/2 year of work!

    Brian, there's lot of neat things to see at the exhibit.

    Leni, great quote, I know how he feels...

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  9. That boat is lovely. I would have disregarded the chain and just stood there and rubbed it since it looks like it's sooo smooth.

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  10. The boat is what impressed me as well.

    The winning piece of artwork is lovely though.

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  11. My kayak wasn't near that good but then, it was my first one. My second one which I hope to maybe launch my retirement (i.e. paid hobby) though will make all those strips of wood seem old school.

    I used my kayak often and like any new vehicle, the first scratch is very hard to take. But the nice thing about fiberglass, is some elbow grease and epoxy can make it all new again. I've never understood why since I wouldn't build such a thing to display it solely for artistic purposes. I would get it out on the lake and see what it could do!

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  12. We're dying here dude but we ain't dead yet. sooner or later there is going to be a large need for flat out mean and then they'll come back with jobs for us.

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  13. That boat is fantastic. I cannot imagine sailing it, which of course limits its usefulness, but it is beautiful.

    Cheers.

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  14. $312.50 an hour is good pay, but alas, I lack both the talent and patient. Beautiful pieces though.

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