More than 1,000 Red Bull fans and art enthusiasts gathered at Life In Deep Ellum to catch the results of the Red Bull Curates: Canvas Cooler Project, a country-wide event in which local and emerging artists are given three days to turn a canvas-wrapped Red Bull cooler into art.
Among the 20 Dallas contestants were Mark Shane Nelson; Carlos DonJuan; Allison Jardine; Leighton Autrey; Patricia Rodriguez; and creative representatives from Good Records, Green Room, It'll Do Club and the Rec Shop. Throughout the night, attendees mingled with the artists, marveled at their designs, and got boosts from Red Bull energy drinks.
The artistically inclined judges — including Art and Seek director Anne Bothwell, former DMA curator Phillip E. Collins and former Dallas Arts District executive director Veletta Lill — had no easy task before them. But they ultimately crowned winners Jody Pham and Sopa Grapes.
Both artists will showcase their artwork at SCOPE Miami during Art Basel this December. "I'm shocked to have won Red Bull Canvas Cooler among so many amazing artists," said Pham, who went with a detailed black-and-white nature design.
People's choice award winners Jardine and Autrey were selected to move forward in the pool of artists from other cities, which include San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The final winners will be announced in November.
Sopa Grapes with his winning design.
