A mural created for this year’s ArtPrize competition by MSU College of Arts & Letters graduate Maddison Chaffer was chosen as one of the winners of the juried awards.

Chaffer, who earned a BFA in Graphic Design from Michigan State University in 2020, is this year’s Installation juror winner. The 2022 ArtPrize winners were announced during the closing awards ceremony on Sept. 30.

As the winner of the Installation category, Chaffer will receive $10,000. Jurors selected one winner and one honorable mention in each of five categories with the winners receiving $10,000 and the honorable mentions receiving $2,500.

Chaffer’s winning mural, titled “Seeking a Pleasant Peninsula,” features images of Michigan’s ecology, including Michigan’s state fish, the brook trout, as well as a lake sturgeon, a loon, a white pine, plant life, and prominent geographical landmarks, including Pictured Rocks, Arch Rock, and Turnip Rock. The mural was inspired by Chaffer’s love of nature and conservation.

“Our goal was to raise awareness of current conservation efforts going on in Grand Rapids and to demonstrate the compatibility between art and activism,” Chaffer said. “By highlighting Michigan’s ecology in the midst of one of our primary urban centers, this mural will be able to engage viewers who may not otherwise get the chance to experience Michigan’s natural wonders.

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