Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Harris Building for ArtPrize 2014


So here I am at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan! My venue is the Harris Building, 111 South Division, with its charmingly rusted sign left over from the building's old days as a fine furniture showroom and upstairs Masonic meeting hall. Now converted to an event and exhibition space, the Harris building is hosting 37 artists for ArtPrize 2014, making it one of the denser venues and a great place to see lots of art under one roof.
              

I was delighted to have several students assisting with the installation of my 1001 cup artworks, and pleased to find we were done in just a day and half, leaving me time to adjust and compose the cup strands, and to start exploring the local coffee bars. There are plenty!  


The view from the street affords a changing impression as the light shifts during the day.



From inside, the cups create a veritable kaleidoscope of color and pattern.


And this is the morning view from my drawing table, where I will be in residence for the next five days, September 24-28th, drawing on cups and adding them to the installation. Bring me a paper coffee cup, have a conversation and maybe I will invite you to draw a cup of your own to take home!

For more details and my drawing schedule, click here:  http://www.artprize.org/gwyneth-leech

For information about ArtPrize in general, other artists, exhibits and maps, visit www.artprize.org



Thursday, September 18, 2014

1001 Coffee Cup Stories


Cups  #998, #999, #1000 and #1001!
India ink on upcycled paper coffee cups
by Gwyneth Leech, September 2014































I am delighted to be taking part in ArtPrize, a city-wide visual arts festival and 
competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan that runs from September 24-October 12.
I will be in Grand Rapids for a week, installing 1001 coffee cup artworks,
my largest cup art installation so far!

Then I will be drawing in the window of my venue for five days, September 24-28.
It turns out that prepping 1001 cups, not to mention just counting them all, is a big job! 
But it is done, the artwork is boxed up and I am hitting the road tomorrow morning 
for a long drive West.

If you will be in Grand Rapids for ArtPrize, or know people who will, 
stop by to visit me while I am drawing on site. Bring me a paper coffee cup, 
have a conversation and maybe I will invite you to draw a cup of your own to take home!

You can visit my window installation any time between 9/24 and 10/12,
and if you like what you see, of course I would love your vote.

The venue:
Harris Building, 111 South Division Avenue in Downtown, Grand Rapids.

My drawing sessions:
12 - 2 PM, 9/24, 9/25. 9/26, 9/27 and 9/28,
plus 5-7 PM, Thursday, 9/25 and Saturday, 9/27.

The dates my installation will remain on view: September 24 - October 12.

Vote Code: 56642

Here's the link to my ArtPrize page with more information:
http://www.artprize.org/gwyneth-leech/2014/1001-coffee-cup-stories
And for more about ArtPrize and the other 1500 artists taking part:
http://www.artprize.org

Thank you in advance for your support
and I look forward to reporting back from ArtPrize when I am there.


Prepping 1001 Cups in the studio in NYC
proved to be a monumental task!


 Yes! They fit into just four boxes.
Telescoping is the way to go.
I will be driving the artwork out to Michigan myself.


Goodbye to my studio view. 
I will be back in NYC at the end of September!