This was the first year I was able to go with my whole family to ArtPrize! And Jim’s first time ever! The girls had a hockey tournament in Grand Rapids right around the corner from the world-renowned art show, but by Sunday afternoon I still hadn’t been. I sent a text to my friend Carla on Saturday that reads, “I’m going to ArtPrize if it kills me.” After a bold declaration like that, I had to go. We were exhausted after a weekend of playing hockey (Molly, Adrienne, and Charlotte) and tailgating (Jim and I), but I promised everybody food, and we hit downtown!
Another first for me was going to ArtPrize on a weekend. It was a zoo. We scored a parking spot at the Gerald Ford Museum, but that was an ArtPrize miracle. Friends, if you can go on a weekday, go on a weekday! Even better if it’s cold. The gorgeous weather brought people out in droves! I was so happy to see people out and about, enjoying art, it just made it very hard to take all the pictures I wanted. I know, boo hoo.
You guys know the kind of art I love, but I thought it would be fun to share my daughters’ favorite pieces for a change.
Molly: Molly actually went to ArtPrize on Saturday with a friend while we were watching one of her sister’s games. It was very handy when we all went together because she had already scoped out some sweet artwork she wanted to show us. Her favorite piece was a painting by Natalya Doudell in DeVos Place titled Unity. From several feet back, it’s a cool painting, then when you get closer and look take another look, you can see little people make up the whole painting! There were tiny portraits of people walking their dogs, eating ice cream, playing soccer… it was awesome!
I would hang this on my wall. 
Zoom in to see people in action!
Adrienne: A’s favorite exhibit was the three steel bears outside Ruth’s Chris Steak House. I wasn’t surprised she picked this installation- Adrienne loves anything cute. The message the artist, Martha Cares, wanted to convey was that hugs are healthy! She points out hugs decrease stress, boost immunity, and increase good moods. Incidentally, Adrienne is my snuggliest kid, so again- no surprise she was drawn to this exhibit. Martha Cares has had pieces in previous ArtPrizes and her messages are always cheery. I love that in an artist!
Charlotte: Once again, Charlotte’s choice should come as no surprise to anybody who knows her. She is an interactive kind of girl, so her favorite ArtPrize entry was the egg vending machine (Egg Prize by David Kail). For fifty cents, you could get a little plastic egg with a tiny piece of art by Kail inside the egg. How could you not love that?! And look how bright and fun it is…. this is what I love about ArtPrize. Where else are you going to see a giant art vending machine in the middle of the sidewalk?
Her 50 cents got stuck, but the artist kindly gave her 50 more. 
Here is her new little magnet, birthed from a plastic egg!
If you go to ArtPrize this year, please tell me what your favorite was! And if you follow me on IG, there will be more ArtPrize pictures there, and maybe another post soon!