It's Art!

We don't have anything earth shattering to report this week, but I figured I would squeeze in one more post while it is still technically summer anyway. (I'm hoping the warm weather hangs on a while longer, no matter what the calendar says.)

Mom's been having some wacky dreams lately, many of which involve her trying and failing to save stuffed animals from various sad fates. I guess I'm glad it's stuffed animals rather than us dolls, but still... it's a little unsettling. As Lily keeps reminding us, we should all be fine. (We're not going to be dangling in nets at dizzying heights, lost in a creepy earthen basement, or shredded by a pack of cute but destructive puppies...) All the same, we're glad to be in Mom's room rather than the basement these days.

On a happier note, after 2 long years without it, ArtPrize has returned to downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tons of art is scattered around a variety of indoor and outdoor venues for the next 3 weeks, and it's all open to the general public to enjoy free of charge. Mom's been down once already to see some of the art in person. 

Here are some of our favorites so far:

Lakeshore Seasons

A gorgeous 4-paneled painting

Picture This

the 3D flowers and leaves are made of tiny beads on wire!

Electrified!

This sculpture incorporates lots of fun lights and moving pieces, like a frog that lights up and sticks out its "tongue," a paper blow-out.

This was hand-stitched! Mom can't remember what it was titled.

Solitude

we love the texture and color palette of this one

SeE tuRtLEs sWimmiNG

Over 70 of these "mixed media" turtles are swimming on the side of the Grand Rapids Children's Museum.  Each one has its own name!

They are arranged by color, though at the front with the reds, some rainbow and patriotic ones are included. =)

PO (Art)Box

How fun would it be to get to decorate one of these?

Grand Passage

Serene Beach

Magnificent Sunset

The above Michigan lakeshore scenes were arranged into a 3-sided display collectively titled Postcards from Home. The artist painted the scenes on polished brass, then used grinders and engraving hand tools to reveal some of the brass underneath. The artist, who was on site talking to visitors, is a veteran, and he explained that memories of these places helped him endure stressful and dangerous situations while deployed at war. If all that isn't powerful enough, he's also passing out postcards on which visitors can write encouraging messages to be sent to current military service people.

Wow, so much great art, so little time! 

In honor of ArtPrize, here are some HI3 wilds we've recently lassoed that, while they would not win any awards for stats, performance metrics, or personalities, are still works of art. 

Gotta love the impressive variety of HI3's wild equines! <3