Despite chilly temps and overcast sky, hundreds of visitors filled Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids Sunday as ArtPrize Founder, Rick DeVos and Executive Director, Christian Gaines revealed the public’s top picks.

Consumers Energy kicked the event off with the announcement of the winner of the  Consumers Energy SmartArt student ArtPrize Competion. The competition, in its third year, is a collaboration between Consumers Energy and Grand Rapids Public Schools. SmartArt stands for “Students Making Art with a Renewable Theme.” Students were asked to use renewable energy and energy efficiency as themes in their entries. Zoe Bultman received Best in Show from three judges. She received an Apple laptop computer and a $1,000 college scholarship from Consumers Energy.The first round of ArtPrize public voting came to an end at 11:59 PM, October 3rd. 30,994 visitors had cast 377,302 votes for art, elevating five artist entries from each category — 2-D, 3-D, Installation and Time-Based. These 20 ArtPrize Seven entries will now move on to the second round of voting, with the chance of winning over $200,000 in cash awards.

Gains and Rick DeVos took the stage to introduce the twenty artist entries selected from among 1,550 eligible works.Many of the artists and their supporters were present, and as the advancing artists were announced, spots of the crowd would burst into cheers and excited shouts of congratulations! The excitement was palpable, so much so that it was hard not to cheer even if you didn’t personally know any of the artists.

• As Above at Grand Rapids Art Museum, by Judith Braun from New York, New York
• Triple Play at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Anni Crouter from Flint, Michigan, winner of the 2nd Place $75,000 public vote award at ArtPrize 2013
• michigan petoskey stone at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Randall Libby from Manistee, Michigan
• Northwood Awakening at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Loveless PhotoFiber from Frankfort, Michigan, winner of the $200,000 ArtPrize 2013 Public Vote Grand Prize
• In a Promised Land… at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Shawn Michael Warren from Harvey, Illinois

Three-Dimensional

• Greatest Generation/Beta Team/November at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Fred Cogelow from Willmar Minnesota
• The Race at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Kurt Swanson from Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Rolling Down at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Kroeze Krew from Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Seasons at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Robin Protz from New Hartford, Connecticut, winner of the 7th Place $5,000 public vote award at ArtPrize 2013
• MAYA 7624 at Kendall College of Art & Design / Fed Galleries at KCAD, by Seungmo Park from New Jersey City, New Jersey

Installation
The Installation Public Vote Category Award is presented by Amway.

• REACH and SPLASH at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Andy Sacksteder from Port Clinton, Ohio, winner of the 3rd Place $50,000 public vote award at ArtPrize 2013
• Balancing Act at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Calvin Babich from Toledo, Ohio
• TIME & AGAIN Grand Rapids at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Midge Bolt from Pepin, Wisconsin and Doreen Gunnick from Kentwood, Michigan
• SENSI at at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Gianluca Traina from Ventimiglia de Sicilia, Italy
• The Grand Rapid Tape Drawing at TowerPinkster — Architects | Engineers, by The Tape Art Crew from Providence, Rhode Island

Time-Based
The Time-Based Public Vote Category Award is presented by DTE Energy Foundation.

• Movement at Grand Rapids Public Museum, by Craig Merchant from Wyoming, Michigan
• Whisper at 250 Monroe, by Emily Kennerk from Zionsville, Indiana
• BREAKTHROUGH at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Breakthrough Team from Ada, Michigan
• Hometown Hero at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Pamela Alderman from Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Symphony of Gestures at Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, by Sara Dittrich and Benjamin Buchanan from Baltimore, Maryland

Now that the Top 20 has been announced,  “Go forth and ArtPrize!”  Voting ends October 8th at 11:59 p.m. with final winners to be announced on Friday, October 9th at the ArtPrize Awards.