DeVos: 'Be ready for ArtPrize 2010'

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Thursday night's ArtPrize awards ceremony and celebration at DeVos Place was the culmination of months of hard work. The night revolved around the 1,200 participating artists and the 1,000 volunteers it took to execute the event.

Although it was Brooklyn, N.Y.-based painter Ran Ortner who won the $250,000 grand prize for his work, Open Water No. 24, the artists said the event was about more than just the top 10 and the final rankings.

"I think the thing we're most happy about is the purpose of doing this, anyway," said Tracy Van Duinen, who created Imagine That!, the mosaic at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. "(We were) building the community in doing it; the mural is really a byproduct. (The) community building of the art form is the thing we're really most rewarded with."

Van Duinen was one of three artists who created the mural. He and his team won $100,000 for their second-place finish. The mural will remain on the building.

Finishing in third place didn't feel too shabby, either.

"Third prize is not bad," said artist Eric Daigh, who came in third for his work, Portraits. "Fifty-thousand dollars is unheard of. For what I do, compared to where I was a month ago, I'm on a different planet. This is a life-changer."

His wife, Megan, expressed her joy backstage.

"Third place!" she said. "I'm so excited!"

Daigh said he's not sure what will happen to his piece next.

Before the winners were announced, several performances were featured at DeVos Place, such as the Bucket Boys, who play at halftime of Chicago Bulls games and New Century Dance, which performed at Bill Clinton's inauguration.

When event organizer Rick DeVos took the stage Thursday, he said to be ready for ArtPrize 2010.