Artists launch art contest with a unique twist

RALEIGH, N.C., March 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MysteryBuild, a contest created by professional artists to encourage artistic exploration and experimentation, is now open. Participants are challenged to create a work of art using only the sculpting media in the Mystery Build Kit. Artists of all skill levels will feel inspired, rather than constrained, by the necessity of working with a limited set of resources.  Kits are available through September and $10,000 in cash prizes will be awarded.  However, MysteryBuild is about creativity and artistic exploration, the prize money is just a perk. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120118/CL36928 )

It's an art contest with a unique twist. Participants purchase a MysteryBuild Kit containing a variety of sculpting media – clay, wood, wire, soap, etc. – then create a work of art using only the materials in the Kit.  Beth Yerxa of Triangle Artworks wrote, "What drew me to what Mystery Build is doing is the combination of creativity and constraint," and "The second thing that intrigued me about Mystery Build is the idea of the limitations as an equalizer, allowing all ages and skill levels to compete."

When Yerxa asked artist and 2011 MysteryBuild participant, Pete Sack, about his experience with the challenge, he said, "I like the idea of competing against other creators, knowing that the playing field was level, as we all had the same materials/guidelines to follow. The whole time I felt like a kid playing, trying to use materials that at first glance have no business being together as a way to create art.  It really was a fun experience and I would highly recommend anyone, artist or not, to try it out."

MysteryBuild was conceived by artists Jeremy Maronpot and Roger Flake and debuted in May 2011. A conversation between Maronpot and Flake about American ingenuity and the ability to create something from nothing inspired the concept of MysteryBuild.  Maronpot says, "We were blown away by the submissions and people's enthusiasm for the idea and knew we had to run another contest. We didn't want to lose momentum so we launched the second one as soon as we could." 

http://www.mysterybuild.com

WRAL-TV features MysteryBuild on evening news

View a prize-winning video from the 2011 Mystery Build challenge

MysteryBuild on Facebook