‘Toon and text by John Auchter
Listen, if you got yourself a big ol’ pot of roiling outrage going right now, I’m not the one to tell you to take it off the heat. It’s election season and who am I to talk you out of the delicious indulgence of indignation? I’m an editorial cartoonist, for crying out loud!
It’s fine to be appalled, exasperated, horrified. Perhaps you detest a particular candidate so deeply your very soul is in danger of choking on your own bile. Lovely. Feel your feelings. I’d advise against acting on them, but, certainly, go ahead and feel them. Right down to bitterest loathing and utterest disgust.
However, if you want a breather you might consider coming to Grand Rapids in the next couple of weeks and checking out ArtPrize. It really is quite remarkable — an inspiring mix of public art, entrepreneurship, governmental coordination and cooperation, and civic pride. Oh sure, you can find negatives if you look hard. Some people get in a snit over the founder being an Amway scion. Others have had issues with how the prize money is awarded.
So it may not be all rainbows and unicorns. But there is art and lots of happy people. You can even vote for something, not against it! And also there is beer. It is Grand Rapids, after all.
John Auchter draws cartoons. Lots and lots of them. You can find them at his incredibly popular website auchtoon.com.
This will be our fourth year at Art Prize. The art is amazing, and Grand Rapids is a great host. A word of caution-you need to spend more than one day to take it all in. If you prefer a smaller venue, Grand Haven is hosting Art Walk at the same time, with 150 artists at 50 venues.
Thanks for the plug. I know there’s lots of critique as to whether some is real “art” Myself I’m just taken with the imagination people have and how they express it. Loads of fun, good exercise and free.