My 6 Y.O. Mousetrap Project

[Uncle Fester]

Just got accepted in the Grand Rapids ArtPrize, the world's largest open art competition here in Grand Rapids, MI (Your AmWay dollars at work!). I cut it close; deadline for securing a venue was July 1. Total prize pool is $500,000, with a measly $250,000 of that for first place. I'm entering four "A" modules as one project.

[smartkid222]

I don't know much about the competition but congrats! Let us know how it goes.

[Uncle Fester]

END OF ART PRIZE WEEK ONE!

Ran a two-module setup some 2,672 times (has a counter), with FOUR runs having issues that resulted in a total of 5-1/2 hours of down time. didn't receive enough votes to get into the top 10, though (pretty much what I expected). Voting's now over, and I'm just showing my stuff to comply with my contract with my venue.

Yesterday (WED), one of the bigger local radio stations had a debate about whether or not a large number of entrants were really "art". Mine came up almost immediately as an example of the caller called "a toy". Every comment afterward disputed that. I didn't find out until long after the show was over, so I couldn't comment myself.

MONDAY I had several hundred kindergarten kids come visit throughout the day. Yes, hundreds. A surprise, since my venue, although a restaurant, has a heavy emphasis on alcohol. They loved it (my display, not the alcohol). Lots and lots of wailing and crying when it was time to go.

On the funnier side, I've had quite a lot of nonsense from people. You know, the folks that always have to "do one better" and can't say "Good job". FOUR people have told me that their child/grandchild holds the world record for Rube Goldberg devices, and our region (Region 12 in Michigan) somehow now sends SIX teams to NATIONALS every single year!

Just for fun, I tell every person trying to recruit me that I make $7,500 per year for coaching a B and C team EACH and that I'll join them if they can match that. No takers so far!

If you're in the Grand Rapids area the next week (ends Oct 9, I think; check out http://www.artprize.org, I'm at "The B.O.B.", second floor. Corner of Fulton Ave and Monroe/Market (N/S street changes names), generally 10AM to 9:00PM. Introduce yourself as SCIOLY; I'd love to talk to some non-idiots for a change.

[JustDroobles]

It's a very cool project! Everyone should go see it!