Scarlett Kanistanaux is working ArtPrize 2014 like she's running for office.

The Erie, Colo., sculptor has been in the first-floor lobby of 50 Monroe sharing about her 26-inch high, 26-inch deep, 51-inch tall dark fired clay piece titled "Quiet Mind" with the aplomb of an elementary school art teacher since ArtPrize Day One on Sept. 24.

The billboard artist-turned-sculptor, who's represented exclusively by Denver-based Pismo Fine Art Glass, has been readily meeting and greeting and not being discrete in discussing the largest ceramic sculpture she's ever done.

Today (Saturday, Oct. 4) is a big day for Kanistanaux and everyone else involved with ArtPrize as it enters the 11th day of its 19-day run in Grand Rapids. This is the last day of first-round public voting.

Kanistanaux is like the other 1,825 artists and their 1,536 entries at 174 venues at ArtPrize. While it is about getting noticed and gaining notoriety, it's ultimately about becoming desired and getting voted on and/or bought.

Many artists, however, like her get shortchanged for juried awards consideration. None of this year's juried panelists stopped in at 50 Monroe to see the entries, according to some of the artists with 23 entries on display at the seven-story mixed-use commercial building.

Kanistanaux has a clay piece titled "Awakening to Love" for sale at Pismo Glass in Denver that is half the size of "Quiet Mind" and carries a $9,000 pricetag, but passers-by don't know that.

That is why she's stumping like mad with the public in her first ArtPrize. Even in a high-traffic, yet less-traditional art locale like 50 Monroe, it's a matter of getting noticed enough for people to vote.

ArtPrize's 20 juried finalists are in and first-round voting for the public's top 20 ends at 11:59 p.m. tonight.

The current public top 25 in each of ArtPrize's four award categories -- two-dimensional, three-dimensional, time-based and installation -- have been made available. More than 285,000 votes had been cast as of 8 a.m. today in first-round public voting, according to ArtPrize's vote tabulations.

The final 20 announcement is at 2 p.m. Sunday at Rosa Parks Circle.

The public voting helps determine a $200,000 grand prize winner, with another $200,000 grand prize selected from the jurors' shortlists. There is $560,000 in prize money being awarded for the sixth annual ArtPrize.

Today's Big Event

This is the last day of ArtPrize music busking, which has been organized by St. Cecilia Music Center.

Today's schedule:

  • Blue Bridge -- noon, Jordan Brasser; 1 p.m., Troll for Trout; 2 p.m., Matias Brimmer; 3 p.m., Zach Tolan; 4:30 p.m., Coldville; 6 p.m., Jennifer Versluis; 7:30 p.m., Serita's Black Rose.
  • DeVos Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW -- 2:30 p.m., Jennifer Versluis; 7 p.m., Coldville.
  • Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum/Gillett Bridge, 303 Pearl St. NW -- 2 p.m., Jordan Brasser; 4 p.m., Jennifer Versluis; 6 p.m., Brian Gerrity (City Mice)
  • Lyons Square -- 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., Jennifer Versluis; 2:30 p.m., Coldville; 3:30 p.m., Jordan Brasser; 7 p.m., Swineharts
  • Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW.
  • St. Cecilia Music Center, President's Room, 24 Ransom Ave. NE -- noon and 3 p.m., Amy Young; 1 p.m., Rene Meave; 2 p.m. New World Samurai; 4 p.m., Kerosene Stars; 5 p.m., Wheelhouse; 6 p.m., Dutcher Snedeker; 7 p.m., The Willeys.
  • Women's City Club, 254 E. Fulton St. -- noon, Zach Tolan; 3 p.m., Rene Meave, 4 p.m., New World Samurai; 5 p.m., Jordan Brasser.
  • Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. -- 12:30 p.m., Jason Sytsma; 1:30 p.m., Zach Tolan; 4 p.m., Max Lockwood; 5 p.m., Rene Meave; 6 p.m., Coldville; 7 p.m., Jordan Brasser

Today's Thing to Do

The inaugural DisArt Festival -- with a focus on disabled artists and cultural equality for those with disabilities -- is slated May 10 to 24, 2015, in Grand Rapids. Its aim is to inform about disability and the human experience in relationship to artistic endeavor.

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