Every year Artprize invades Grand Rapids. In case you're not familiar with Artprize, you should be. I have included a link below about Artprize 2014 created by the talented Brian Kelly, who continues to capture the imagination with his Artprize work every year. This year however, I have to be honest. I did not catch much of Artprize. I know everyone was talking about it, but if I'm going to be honest, we were in our busiest season when the festival opened this year.

We did however, have a somewhat personal connection with Artprize this year though.

In early 2014, one of the weddings we photographed had a piano player and singer we recognized. Her name is Gretchyn Lauer and she is a pianist at our church, Calvary on the East Beltline. We knew the bride, Stephanie, through some of our relationships at Calvary and were blessed to photograph her wedding Kyper College's Chapel and Noto's.

Following the wedding, we would see Gretchyn every once in a while at Calvary.

Then we heard that she was entering an oil painting in Artprize 2014.

We were invited to the installation celebration, but could not go. But we were happy to encourage her and let folks know about the painting.

Regardless of what we did, the public responded to her work and her painting "Outcry" ended up winning a $20,000 prize for "Best 2-D Art" in the competition. 

Gretchyn called us a few weeks after the winners were announced to let us know she had sold the painting to a collector, but needed hi-resolution photos of the painting in order to make prints for supporters and buyers down the road.

We were able to visit her in her cute, vintage home in Grand Rapids to photograph this beautiful 5' x 4' oil on canvas.

The painting has since been shipped off to the new owner, but Gretchyn does have plans to reproduce prints that range from full size reproductions all the way down to cards.

We will be sure to update you on her reproduction prints when they are available.

https://vimeo.com/107295156

Tiberius Images is a Grand Rapids photographer that photographs people, places and events. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they serve clients throughout the world and are available for travel.

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