Katrina is Going to ArtPrize!

Hi, my name is Katrina J. Murray; I'm an artist with a great problem.

I need your financial support to solve it. My work was selected from 1,100 entries worldwide to exhibit at ArtPrize® in Grand Rapids, MI. September 15-October 2, 2022. Wow, that happened! And chosen by one of the best locations in the art competition – Devos Place, in the heart of the city. Wow, again! If you’re wondering, ArtPrize is a prestigious independent international art competition. It celebrates artists working anywhere in the world. So with your support, I can get there.

The Ask

I'll have to make approximately three trips to and from Grand Rapids during ArtPrize. That means traveling to install the artwork, being there for the festival, and returning a third time to remove the artwork. All of that requires room and board, gas to transport me and the artwork, plus funds to prepare the artwork for installation at the venue. That’s what it’s like to be an artist.

So, you’ve probably heard the starving artist story. Well, it’s accurate, sort of. I do have a home and enough to eat. But as an artist, I have an innate drive to share the story behind my work, and I don’t have a fat bank account. I’m asking for your help to share the artwork and its story with hundreds of thousands of visitors. It’s a wonderful opportunity and an advancement in my career.

Here is the part about the art

First, I work in mixed media. Mostly ceramic, collage and found objects to tell stories. My experiences with bias, both personally held and observed, have shaped my artistic investigation of our differences and similarities. The piece “Profiling” has three large ceramic profiles in black, like silhouettes, in the center of 60+ small ceramic face sculptures nestled in paper flowers and arranged as a wall-mounted quilt or garden. The faces in the flowers show a wide range of human diversity. This artwork asks the viewer not to use mental shortcuts and look past profiling to see the American population in the fullness of their color and beauty as you would a flower.

The first exhibit of this work was in a gallery, complete with artist talk and collaboration with a nonprofit organization that supports those impacted by gun violence. I’d also love open dialog around the artwork in this new context.

This piece speaks to diversity and inclusion. With your financial contribution, you can support its travel and inclusion in this prestigious event.

ArtPrize

https://artprize.org

DeVosPlace

https://www.devosplace.org/

Thank you for reading to the end!

All the best,

Katrina J. Murray

Artist

As always, you can purchase items from my website shop.

Everything helps. Thank you.

Katrina Website Shop

www.KatrinaJMurray.com

Follow my progress on Instagram: KatrinaJMurray