ArtPrize-Young Kim like a Rocket!

Young Kim was actually in the Top 50 ArtPrize artists before Josh and I produced this video bringing more attention to his work in a venue off the beaten ArtPrize path. I'm now an unabashed believer that Kim's work is deserving to be in the Top 10...and possibly win all of ArtPrize.

He's now in the top 25...keep voting...keep talking...keep advocating for ALL the artists you feel deserve to be in the Top 10.

Here's another opinion published on Facebook by Rachel Van Dyke making a case as to why Young Kim's work is so special and pertinent to the conversation of ArtPrize:

"young kim,-as a total installation, it is beautiful, it moves you to walk amongst the pieces of art and examine them carefully, his choice of location, colors, and set up were all very fitting to express his work. And his actual artwork is sensitive, using traditional and contemporary techniques. I judge by skill and meaning making and his achieved both. He made it specifically for ARTPRIZE as well." - Rachel Van Dyke

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes - Get out the VOTE!

Today is the last day of voting and artists with the most UP votes will be launched into the coveted the Top 10...so get out there and make your votes count...there's a ton of prize money on the line!

So VOTE UP for the pieces you think are deserving of a shot at $449,000 in prize money!!

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes - Rob Bliss

I was lucky to be with Rob Bliss shooting the big 100,000 paper airplane toss as part of his ArtPrize entry...take a look behind the scenes at one of the largest scale events in the history of Grand Rapids.

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes - Tanglefoot

If you're here for ArtPrize, don't miss the amazing Tanglefoot Building. It's one of the off the beaten path places that will blow you away!

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes - Young Kim

I'll probably be super grouchy for a long time if this piece doesn't get voted into the Top 10 at ArtPrize...see if you agree with me.

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes - Dufala Brothers

Okay...so this is proof ArtPrize comprises both high brow art and the surreal.

ArtPrize never promised you consistency...but they did promise you a unique experience.

The Dufala Brothers are bad to the bone. The Toilet Tricycles races were quite the ArtPrize performance piece.

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes-ACTIVESITE

ACTIVESITE = Artspace

ACTIVESITE @ ArtPrize

Check out our latest Behind the Scenes video at ArtPrize...Josh and I are working hard to bring you a taste of what's turning Grand Rapids completely upside down!

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes-Rick DeVos

A quick look behind the scenes as Rick DeVos officially kicked off ArtPrize...already easily the most significant cultural event ever in Grand Rapids.

My assistant Josh and I will keep bringing you more behind the scenes footage and photos of interesting things we find during ArtPrize.

ArtPrize-Behind the Scenes - Yolanda Gonzalez

My assistant Josh is rolling footage on some of our behind the scenes adventures here at ArtPrize...the most amazing cultural event to ever land in Michigan...let alone Grand Rapids.

Our first video explores the Old Federal Building and an incredible installation by Grand Rapids' own Yolanda Gonzalez.

We'll be posting more videos of our photo shoots and other great stuff we stumble into whenever we can!

more kids needs a "favorite" artist - ArtPrize

New York artist Jason Hackenwerth and his installation at UICA. My story begins below.

I'm extremely lucky to be shooting a ton for the good folks at ArtPrize over the next 2 weeks. Some of the work I produce will be rather elaborate shoots with complicated lighting set-ups, and some projects will be beautifully simple and small.

I dashed out of the door this morning in a tired fog...needing coffee after a late night...I was frankly ready to run through the motions of a simple assignment of documenting UICA's ArtPrize educational outreach efforts to area high school students.

But as I started to photograph I was jolted by the palpable excitement in the air and started to listen to what the kids were saying and also what was being said to them.

Balloon artist Jason Hackenwerth gave a talk in the UICA auditorium about his work...a pretty standard artist talk by an energetic artist...but the poignant moment for me was blatantly unintended. It went something like this:

Jason: Who can tell me who their favorite artist is?

Audience: (silence)

Jason: Anyone?... Anyone?...Name your favorite artist...

Audience: (uncomfortable silence)

Jason: "Really? No one can name their favorite artist?"

Girl in 3rd row: "I like Picasso."

I felt frustrated by the lack of answers...and actually a little deflated in the afterglow of the explosion of ArtPrize celebrations last night. But then it hit me:

After ArtPrize is done turning Grand Rapids upside down...every kid in that audience will be able to answer Jason's fundamental question of "who is your favorite artist?" It might not be Jason's work...I'm not advocating or promoting his work in that sense (although he's amazing). But those kids will be inspired by SOMEONE here exhibiting in Grand Rapids...and that's terribly exciting and potentially life altering for some young lives that explore what is offered at ArtPrize over the next 2 weeks

How many kids and young adults might be inspired to explore a career in the arts as a result of ArtPrize?

ArtPrize is nuts...follow my blog as I go!

I'm shooting non-stop for ArtPrize the next 18 days. Me and my assistant Josh will try to bring you an interesting angle into this major cultural event...and attempt upload cool stuff here at the blog

You can follow me on Twitter if you want all the quickie inside dirt (twitter.com/briankellyphoto). Actually, I won't be posting any dirt even if it happens...cuz I'm cool like that :)

I'll also be posting some cool behind the scenes videos from some of our photo shoots from time to time here...for real...so check out my blog often.

ArtPrize - Artist Public Relations

Innovative self-promotion by balloon artist Jason Heckenwerth...you can view his official ArtPrize entry at UICA.

Park(ing) Day

One of the more surreal events in downtown Grand Rapids...Park(ing) Day.

Spencer Mulder photo shoot

Spencer Mulder is an extremely talented singer/songwriter based in Grand Rapids that sites Ryan Adams as a major influence. There's a lot of buzz about his upcoming sophomore album and that it might be the one that breaks him national. But if it doesn't happen now at age 19, he's got plenty of time to wait for the big time to come to him.

I had a great studio session with Spencer in June to produce the cover of the new album as well as jacket art. All the old tape and cassettes were actually Spencer and his producer Michael Crittenden's idea.

The new CD is out on September 13. There's a release party/concert is at The Intersection on the same day. I'll be there!

Behind the Scenes Photo Shoot

Behind the Scenes Photo Shoot at The Winchester from Brian Kelly Films on Vimeo.

This is kind of fun...tag along with me at The Winchester on a recent shoot for the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention and Visitors Bureau. A lot of work/planning goes into getting just one photo option for the cover of the annual Visitors Guide.

This shoot was unusual because we wanted to shoot with the models at dusk...and The Winchester is ALWAYS packed at night. It's one of my favorite places to eat and hang out.

You can also watch it in full HD by clicking on the arrows by the "Vimeo" logo on the player.