Judged by a select group of insiders, art awards aren't known for their democratic approach. Uprooting that tradition is a contest that's currently being held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ArtPrize will award the world's largest prize—USD 250,000—to the piece of art that receives the most votes from visitors. Aiming to "reboot the conversation between artists and audiences on a grand scale" the competition allows any artist to enter, any visitor to vote and any venue in Grand Rapids to exhibit. By uploading their portfolios on the ArtPrize website and connecting with venues, 1,262 artists have secured exhibition space at 159 sites across the city, including galleries, office lobbies and outdoor public spaces.

Voting is divided into two separate stages. During the first week, each visitor can give an "up-vote" to every piece they like, and a "down-vote" for every entry that doesn't take their fancy. (Only up-votes will decide the winner; down-votes are used to help highlight the most controversial works, or decide in case of a tie.) In the second week, the top ten pieces are voted on—one person, one vote. To be eligible to vote, all visitors must register in person with ID. They can then vote online, or via mobile devices as they browse through the galleries. The winner will be announced on October 8.

ArtPrize is the brainchild of entrepreneur Rick DeVos, son of local businessman and politician Dick DeVos, who is sponsoring the competition through his family's charitable foundation. It's breaking ground not only by letting the crowd be the judge, but also in allowing any artist to enter and any space to exhibit. For two weeks, the city of Grand Rapids is one big art gallery, and a smart example of how to put crowd clout to work.

Website: www.artprize.org
Contact: info@artprize.org

Spotted by: Jordan O'Neil

Dhows are boats of an ancient design that East Africans have long sailed on the Indian Ocean from Goa to Oman, following monsoon winds back and forth to Mozambique for fishing and cargo transport. Though such vessels typically get beached and abandoned when they can no longer weather the seas, Portuguese House of Wonders salvages and gives them new life in its line of one-of-a-kind furniture.

Retired dhows typically contain hardwood planks and frames that are still salvageable, so House of Wonders buys them from sailors on the coast of Tanzania, giving those owners the funds to build new ones. Meanwhile, the company ships the salvaged boats inland to its workshop near Dar Es Salaam, where more than 40 "fundis," or craftsmen, carefully disassemble and then re-invent them using almost exclusively traditional hand tools. More than 150 unique pieces are currently available, each with a certificate of origin including the story of the particular dhow that provided its wood. Custom pieces are also available. In addition to a showroom in Dar Es Salaam, the company's standard furniture line will also be displayed in a gallery in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and Cascais, Portugal, starting in November. Products are available for shipping directly from Tanzania or consolidated through House of Wonders' logistical points in Europe, the Caribbean or the Americas.

While using salvaged wood with an interesting history is undoubtedly a clever move for any furniture maker, what's even more clever about House of Wonders' approach is making the most of that history with a certificate that explains each product's background. After all, as regular Springwise readers know, there's nothing like a product life story to elevate its authenticity and still-made-here appeal—not to mention its value. What recycled materials could *your* brand salvage and incorporate into its design and marketing...? (Related: Virgin Atlantic's seat covers, reborn as bags — Airplane trolleys, revamped & repurposed.)

Website: www.house-of-wonders.com
Contact: www.house-of-wonders.com/Index.asp?pagename=Contact+Us&site=1&siteid=1873

Regular Springwise readers may remember Ponoko, the company that turns consumers' creative ideas into real-world, manufactured goods. Some 30,000 products have been made a reality using Ponoko since its launch back in 2007, and now the company has kicked off yet another initiative: 100kGarages, a site that connects creative consumers with small-scale, local garages that can do the manufacturing for them.

Soft-launched in May through a partnership between New Zealand-based Ponoko and North Carolina-based ShopBot Tools, 100kGarages is a community of workshops distributed around the world that are equipped with the digital fabrication tools needed to precisely cut, machine, drill or sculpt the components of virtually any creative project. "Makers"—or those with ideas—can post jobs on the site for items they'd like to get manufactured, including their ideal purchase price and delivery deadline along with sketches and details about colours, materials, measurements and so on. The site is powered by Ponoko's online "click to make" system, and makers can search for a workshop by location as well. "Fabbers"—the small-scale workshops with the necessary tools—can then bid on those jobs with their offer to do the manufacturing. Makers negotiate directly with fabbers on the details of the transaction; once the maker sends payment, the fabber produces and delivers the product. After the work is done, makers can rate and review the fabber in question.

Enabling anyone with an Internet connection to get almost anything custom-made and delivered from thousands of local digital manufacturers, 100kGarages aims to use "grassroots enterprise and ingenuity" to help "modernize school buildings and infrastructure, develop energy-saving alternatives, or simply produce great new products for our homes and businesses." One to put to work for *your* next big idea...?

Website: www.100kgarages.com
Contact: info@100kgarages.com

High-end appliance manufacturer Gorenje is showing ovens and fridges in a different light through their recent collaboration with New York-based designer Karim Rashid. Appliances in Gorenje's new line feature colour-adjustable LED strips, making the Slovenian company the first home appliance manufacturer to offer a solution that allows the users to change the colour of their oven or refrigerator. Gorenje is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of home appliance design. Back in 2006, we featured their Swarovski crystal-encrusted fridges; since then there have been collaborations with top designers Pininfarina and Ora-Ïto.

But this latest line of products is perhaps conceptually their most interesting. Rashid builds on a trend that started in a London hotel: St. Martin's Lane enabled guests to sculpt the lightscape of their rooms back in the '90s. The concept then moved into homes with Philips Living Colours lighting range, which allows people to change a room's colour to suit their mood or to create a different ambience. Applying the concept to large appliances like fridges and ovens is a logical next step. “Today we are dealing with a society based on experience, so objects need to blur experience with form", explains Rashid, reflecting the theme of trendwatching.com's 2006 briefing on insperiences. (Related: White goods morph into whiteboards.)

Website: www.gorenje.com
Email: info@gorenje.si

Morning sickness is an unfortunate reality for many pregnant mothers, and it's often compounded by the stress of being unable to predict where or when it will strike. Aiming to do away with the frantic search for an appropriate receptacle, Morning Chicness Bags offer a way for expectant moms to always be prepared.

Vancouver, B.C.-based Morning Chicness Bags come in six attractive designs that any mom would be proud to include in her purse. All are made of sturdy paper with leak-proof polyethylene lining and horizontal closure clip. Measuring 5 by 3 by 9.5 inches, the bags are priced ranging from USD 7.50 for a pack of 10 bags to USD 27.50 for a pack of 50. Morning Chicness Bags are available both online and through select stores in Western Canada and Oregon. International shipping is available.

And here's where we repeat one of our favourite refrains: everything can be upgraded! Whether it's vomit bags or toilet seat covers, you can bet there will be consumers willing to shell out a little more for a nicer alternative, particularly when there's a social angle involved. What other seemingly lowly necessity could stand a fresh—and premium—redesign... ? (Related: In-hospital spa services for new moms.)

Website: www.morningchicnessbags.com
Contact: info@morningchicnessbags.com

Spotted by: Sandy Manners