ArtPrize 2010: Up vote ID: 45321 • http://www.artprize.org/artists/public-profile/49773

The whole ArtPrize experience has been grand so far! I have a beautiful sculpture up at Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. This is a superb venue and I am thrilled to be showing there – just steps away from the big names in contemporary sculpture. 

I am fortunate to be showing with several of my CSI sculpture buddies from Chicago and we all installed together on the same day. We all got soaked and had some car troubles, but the sculptures were installed with no harm! Our crane operator and the folks at Meijer were very helpful and excited about the show. Here is a link to some photos of the installation. 


The next day I stayed to do some touch up paint on my sculpture and three of the other guys. It was such a treat to be there and have people walk by and ask questions about my work. I could show everyone about the movement. The kids and adults alike love it! Here is a link to a video of Give in motion.

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I found out that Give got some press! The Detroit Free Press had a front Page Guide to all of ArtPrize and my sculpture was the only one that was pictured! WooHoo! Here is a link to that article.

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Here are some of my thoughts on Give:

I feel the most successful pieces of public art are those that people are drawn to and want to touch or be near. This is why I want the public to play or interact with the sculpture; the more they do the more they will find to enjoy about its form! 

The ring is large and commanding, but it can be interacted with by the viewer,  so it is approachable and friendly. It invites you in and around it. While you are inside of it, if you whisper in the right spot it is carried to the other side of the arc and echos.
It is stunning when it is sitting still, but when someone gives the side a push, the steel wall has enough give in it to bounce or rock in place a bit. You feel so strong for being able to move something so massive. It's a self-esteem booster!

This piece explores the act of giving which can be described as a transfer of energy from one person to another. This sculpture also uses the transfer of energy from someone to start it moving and then it gives the viewer a show. If I'm successful it also gives someone a smile (which is just part of a circle isn't it?).  The the circle is a symbol for so many things, one of which is a motherly form and what more pure act of giving is there that the gift of life?
 

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Some important links:

Frederik Meijer is my exhibition site. It is also a voter registration and exhibition center.  

My ArtPrize public profile is here. This is where you can vote for me after you have registered.


Here are the voting instructions given by ArtPrize:

After you register, you can vote via text message. To cast a vote by text message during the event, registered voters will send a text message to 808080. The body of the message must contain only a five digit text voting ID (no other words or characters are needed).

The number is 808080. My Unique Text Voting ID's: Up vote ID: 45321  Down vote ID: 45320. These numbers are also listed on your artist profile.

In addition to text message voting, voters will be able to vote directly on your profile, or by using the ArtPrize iPhone app (available for download now from the iTunes store).

If you have any questions, please let us know, e-mail artists@artprize.org.

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 As always I am very grateful to my family and friends for their support and having to put up with all my big ideas and crazy schedule. The guys at Victor Pipe & Steel also did a wonderful job in fabricating this sculpture. Rachelle and Jason Speer put their time in trying (relentlessly) to get the huge thing shipped (even after two truckers canceled on me the day before)!