Bethany's Favorite Art

Ready or not, here come my (Bethany's) favorite ArtPrize 8 entries!

Lake Superior Rocks III

This is a watercolor painting, not a photo! You sure could've fooled me, as real as the rocks look and the way the artist has captured the faint reflections of the ripples. I wonder what Lake Superior Rocks I and II look like?

Interwoven

4 different types of wood (flame birch, walnut, birdseye maple, and cherry) were cut and laminated into each other to create this piece. No computers or lasers were used,  just standard woodworking equipment. They look so beautiful displayed together! My favorite detail: the tiny, artistically placed circles.

Spirit of the Night

The nighttime color palette going on in this painting adds a mystical feeling to the tranquil scene. I wonder what's making it glow over on the right side?

Victory

    

These giants ("CHAIRMen") are made entirely of chairs and chair parts! The chairs used come from all over the world. Here's part of the statement from the artist that helps explain what they are all about: 

We are all broken at one time or another and we need that helping hand to put the pieces back together. And that's what the soldiers of "Victory" are doing. Helping one another. To reassemble, to resurrect, to celebrate life. 

and on her horse she flies

The horse and rider were created by layering various fabrics, which were then colored by layer after layer of colored pencil. Finally, they were fused to a painted canvas background. I think it turned out beautifully, and as far as I'm concerned the artist couldn't have picked better subject matter. I do kind of wish we could see all of the horse's hind legs, though.

LoveFindsUs

This piece is a wall of hearts: a collage of 150 8"x8" photos mounted on wood blocks. All the "hearts" were serendipitously found in nature. So I'm not the only one who notices and appreciates stuff like this!

Folding Prince Charming

Ever hear of the Japanese myth that if you fold 1,000 paper cranes, your wish will be granted? This artist morphed that idea with the fairy tale of The Frog Prince. She ended up folding 2,106 origami frogs (since it's ArtPrize 2016), kissed each one, and installed them into this elaborate pattern. Her wish: that her younger sister, who has apparently been unlucky in love, will find her prince charming. Aw! <3

Kinetic Sculpture #822

Okay, if this artist has really made 822 sculptures, whoa! He's been busy. (Far too busy to come up with creative titles. ;)) Watch the video to see it in action - the sculpture's a lot more fun than the title suggests. It reminds me of those tower things kids set up to make winding slides for marbles.

There you have them! I hope you enjoyed! Up next: Julie's favorites.