As ArtPrize continues to roll along for 2012, one thing is very clear.  It truly is a community event.  And it's wide reach is noticed around the country, if not the world.

At ArtPrize, you'll find remarkable work, and some unbelievable work.  It's that 'unbelievable' part that has caught the eye of Ripley's Believe It Or Not.

Over the last four years many ArtPrize pieces have found their way into Ripley's Believe it or Not museums.

Ripley's has 32 museums in ten countries and four continents around the world, so they need lots of art all the time to keep the museums fresh and interesting.

That's where ArtPrize comes in.

Ripley's says that this is the best venue for buying art.  Here, they get the chance to see 1,500 art pieces all with in walking distance.

Ripley's, of course, is particular about what they want to buy.  Let's say there was a Van Gogh in ArtPrize.  Well, it could have been if he was just starting out.  Okay, a stretch, but just an oil painting?  Not a chance to make it to Ripley's.  But if the Van Gogh painting is made out of drier lint like Laura Bell's piece in the Marriott, that is perfect for Ripley's Believe It or Not!

The pieces that Ripley's likes are those with interesting mediums. A Mother Teresa made of bread, a fish made of balloons, a bird made of rubber, and an eagle made of forks and spoons, all classics.

The cool thing about this is hearing from Ripley's Edward Meyer when he said, "I don't think I have ever been to any city except Florence, Italy where everybody is involved. I don't think there is any city in America that is having that happen for them. What ever ArtPrize is doing they are doing it right 100%."

Enjoy the final weeks of ArtPrize, and be sure to look for the unusual.  It may be in a Ripley's museum soon!

 

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