Kim Frank Fujiwara was named the winner of the 2018 MI Great Artist competition yesterday at Park West Gallery in Southfield.
The gallery was buzzing with excitement as the finalists, their friends and family, and art enthusiasts gathered to celebrate Fujiwara and his fellow finalists. Event focal points included a shared exhibition of artistic works by the finalists, and a solo exhibition from 2017 MI Great Artist winner, Thomas Tunney.
Support local artists and cast your vote to help choose the next MI Great Artist! More than 200 submissions were entered in this year’s art competition. Click HERE to view the gallery of artworks and submit your vote online. Make sure your favorites move on to the semifinals by voting for them daily. Artworks include painting, photography, sculpture, glass, metal works, jewelry, and more. Take a look and see the fine talent submitted from artists across eight Michigan counties for this year’s competition.
Vote Now: 2018 MI Great Artist Competition!
Vote for your favorite artists daily from now until noon on Wednesday, September 5th. The 30 entries receiving the most votes will move on to become semi-finalists. A select panel of art professionals will then determine the four finalists, including the overall winner, who will share in a prize package worth more than $16,000. New this year is a “People’s Choice” award, the artist who receives the most votes during public voting will receive $750 in cash and automatically become one of the finalists.
With so many impressive entries to choose from, the public’s help is needed to single out the best of the best. The competition allows individuals to vote for as many artists as they wish each day, but they may only select a particular artist once per day. Use the Artist Promotion Guide for easy instructions on how to cast your vote, and if you’re an artist, how to promote your entry.
Take a look the fabulous works from past MI Great Artist Winners:
If you’re an artist in Southeast Michigan, don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your work in a gallery and earn prize money for doing something you love. Whether your medium is painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, or print-making, this is your chance to take your artistic talent to the next level.
Beginning Wednesday, August 1st at noon, artists may enter their works in the 2018 MI Great Artist competition, where cash and prizes total more than $16,000. Entries may be submitted to MIGreatArtist.com from now until noon on August 17th.
“We have a wealth of superbly talented artists who enter the competition each year,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. “We’ve added a “People’s Choice” award this year to reward the artist who makes the biggest impact on the public. I encourage those talented individuals to join us as we begin the search for the next MI Great Artist winner.”
Expose your Art! Get a behind the scenes look at 2015 MI Great Artist Winner Kenneth Hershenson‘s story in our video. Learn how winning the MI Great Artist competition helped him market his craft and launch a successful brand through the gallery exhibition exposure and business consultations he received as the winner.
Commerce Township artist Thomas Tunney was named 2017’s winner of the MI Great Artist competition October 25th at the Park West Gallery in Southfield.
The gallery’s mood was festive as art enthusiasts from throughout Oakland County gathered to celebrate Tunney and his fellow finalists. Event focal points included a shared exhibition of artistic works by the finalists, and a solo exhibition for the 2015 MI Great Artist Ken Hershenson.
The finalists were chosen from a field of 232 artists from Oakland, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, St. Clair, Shiawassee and Wayne counties who entered the online competition in July in hopes their entries would catch the discerning eye of the public. After 34,000 online votes were cast during two weeks the field was whittled down in August to 20 artists. A panel of art experts selected the five finalists and ultimately chose the winner.
Support local artists, and cast your vote for the next MI Great Artist! With over 230 entries from across southeast Michigan, we need your help! Visit http://www.MIGreatArtist.com to peruse the hundreds of artworks and vote for your favorites. With art ranging from surrealist paintings, life-like graphite drawings, intricate sculptures, jewelry, photography, and more, you are sure to find a few pieces that speak to you!
Vote for your favorite artists every 24-hours from now until noon on August 28th. The 20 entries receiving the most votes will move on to become semi-finalists. A select panel of five jurors will then determine the five finalists, including the overall winner, who will share in a prize package worth more than $16,000. Continue reading
