ArtPrize is a strange and wonderful context for art. One of the largest publicly voted art competitions in the world, held in Grand Rapids each fall, it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors over three weeks to encounter work in unexpected places — parking garages, storefronts, restaurant walls, city parks.
I first brought More ∞ Joy to ArtPrize with The Spectrum Between Us, Entry #44345 — an installation of 30 hand-dyed tapestries and portraits suspended ten feet in the air at Veterans Memorial Park, in the courtyard of HAS HEART.
What the Installation Was
Each piece in The Spectrum Between Us paired a portrait of a person in their chosen color with a hand-dyed tapestry made using my Dash & Bag method. The images were captured across different days with different people — Breah in Peach at Robinette’s Apple Haus, Nate in Cerulean Blue at Burton Woods, Momo in Midnight Blue under the glow of downtown Grand Rapids — but when they were hung together at ten feet in the air, they formed a rainbow.
A collective spectrum of individual expression.
When you look up, you connect with a portrait. Then you look out — to the person beside you — and remember our shared humanity.
Dante in New Black
Dante doesn’t speak loudly—but his presence is unforgettable. New Black isn’t flat — it sparkles with purpose, like midnight confetti. Dante in New Black is
Ryan in Truffle Brown
Truffle Brown is the color of sacred ground—rich, earthen, and steady. In this portrait, we meet Ryan DeLuca: a somatic therapist and founder of Cacao
Shauna in Rust Brown
Shauna dances with the earth—fearless, and full of grace. A writer, poet, and grounded traveler, she moved through The Highlands in a storm, wrapped in
Melissa in Baby Pink
Melissa in Baby Pink glowed like a whisper in motion. A romantic at heart and a shapeshifter of style, Melissa shows us what it means
Yamalisa in Hot Pink
Yamalisa doesn’t just wear pink—she commands it. In hot pink, she walked through Lookout Park like a queen reborn, radiating strength through stillness and elegance
Amber in Dragon Fruit
Amber moves through the world like a wild flame — vibrant, untamed, and brimming with creative energy. Wrapped in Dragon Fruit pink, she embodies both
Hannah in Raspberry
Raspberry is a hue of sweetness and strength — and so is Hannah. From her vibrant curls to the infinity bands on her wrists, every
Lillian in Magenta
Lillian wore Magenta Galactica like it was stitched from her own soul — layered, cosmic, and alive with complexity. Neurodivergent and beautifully self-aware, Lillian is
Nick in Red Violet
Nick stepped out of black and into Red Violet — a color of curiosity, transformation, and emotional depth. We met dancing at Rosa Parks Circle,
Marlise in Grape
Marlise moves through life like a living bouquet — steady, radiant, and full of quiet power. An art educator, dancer, and soon to be somatic
Laego in Ultraviolet
Laego holds multitudes — quiet yet electric, grounded yet imaginative. Styled in Ultraviolet, with dyed hair to match, he looked like a firework mid-fade —
Mika in Periwinkle
Mika in Blue-Violet is a portrait of transformation—someone standing between worlds, blooming where softness meets structure. Mika holds the story of being both the flower
Lynn in Cobalt Blue
On 6 acres of her parent’s land, Lynn came alive in deep splattered blues—elegant, cinematic, and quietly commanding. Known for shaping stories behind the scenes,
Nate in Cerulean Blue
Cerulean Blue is the color of possibility—a soft expanse that makes space for both dreams and grounding. In this portrait, Nate brings intuitive motion and
Matty in Turquoise
Matty Moon radiates like sky and sea in Turquoise—a hue chosen by his daughter, but worn like a second skin. As the creator of Moondance
Parker in Celadon
Parker flows through life like water—intentional, grounded, and alive. Photographed among the tall grasses at Crahen Valley Park, his Celadon portrait reflects a heart-centered balance
River in Jade Green
River moves through the world like a whisper—soft but unforgettable. Photographed in a blend of sea-glass greens, she embodied the quiet power of Jade: heart-led,
Amy in Sea Glass
Sea Glass is resilience made visible—softened edges, delicate strength, and a calm radiance that speaks of transformation. For Amy, this hue mirrors her own journey:
Erin in Emerald Green
Some people carry the calm intelligence of a forest—rooted, observant, and quietly alive. Emerald Green felt inevitable on Erin; it reflected the way she moves
Angel in Kelly Green
Angel is a powerhouse. She feels deeply, loves fiercely, blossoms when she feels safe, and radiates in the sanctuary of color. We danced through the
Josh in Lime Squeeze
Lime Squeeze is alive and electric. It’s tart, playful, and full of spark—like the crisp slap of a drum. From drum circles to classrooms to
Nessa in Chartreuse
Chartreuse is wild, electric, and alive. It lives where yellow meets green, vibrating with renewal and risk. In this portrait, we meet Nessa, who stepped
Tiece in Lemon Yellow
Tiece walks gently, like the first light of morning. In Lemon Yellow, she glowed—not loudly, but steadily. A future social worker and soft-spoken guide, she
Jesse in Daffodil
Jesse and I met under a parachute and connected over how childlike joy connects us. He didn’t think yellow was his color until he wore
Bee in Deep Yellow
Bee moves through the world like sunlight — quietly pollinating joy wherever she goes. Wrapped in Golden Yellow and Marigold, she embodies warmth, resilience, and
Kendall in Soft Orange
Kendall and I met a drum circle where rhythm, fire, and connection flowed freely. With his drum, his joy, and the golden glow of Soft
Franklin in Orange Crush
Franklin carries the kind of peace that can’t be faked. He radiates the calm clarity of someone deeply rooted. At Proven Trails, he moved through
Breah in Peach
Breah doesn’t just hold space — she sweetens it. With crystals, a hula hoop, and joy in her bones, she let the color wrap around
AJ in Scarlet Red
Scarlet is not for the faint of heart. It’s fire in motion—bold, grounded, alive. Aj’s creative energy burns bright and purposeful. We began our shoot
Cassie in Pomegranate Red
Cassie is a phoenix in motion—embodying Pomegranate with fierce softness and sacred fire. She dances between ripeness and ritual, showing us how red can root,
