Saginaw Chippewa Sculptor Jason Quigno Enters Work in ArtPrize

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Entertainment. Discussion »

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribal citizen Jason Quigno spent Wednesday morning putting finishing touches on the sculpture he has entered in this year's ArtPrize in Grand Rapids.

Jason Quigno, Saginaw Chippewa, Under Media Eye Again with ArtPrize Entry

The sculpture made of a ton of Indiana limestone is in place on the blue pedestrian bridge that crosses the Owashtinong - or Grand River - that goes through downtown Grand Rapids, near Grand Valley State University.

“This piece represents water, wind and earth,”

said Quigno, an accomplished American Indian artisan, as he stained the sculpture with people stopping to admire the sculpture and compliment him.

“In creation, everything has its purpose. I wanted to create something that represents this. I tried to capture the harmony in beauty, while keeping it simple and abstract,”

continued Quigno, who integrates his Native wisdom as he speaks about his art.

Born in Alma, Michigan in 1975, Quigno is a stone sculptor, who has been working with stone since he was 14. A tribal citizen of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan, he learned sculpturing skills when attended a class put on by the Tribe's education department.

Last month, Quigno won first place at the Santa Fe Indian Market for his stone sculpture he entered in the contemporary non-objective and representational division.

This is the fourth year Quigno has entered a sculpture in ArtPrize.

ArtPrize is an open art completion that is in its fourth year in Grand Rapids. There are some 1,517 entries; located at 161 venues with three square miles. The entries are from all over the world and compete for a top prize of $250,000.00. ArtPrize runs from September 19 - October 7.

posted September 20, 2012 8:20 am edt