New York City Artist is $250K Winner of Art Competition

　　New Century Shadow Dancers from Dallas spelled out "ARTPRIZE" while performing during the ArtPrize's winner announcement and closing ceremonies at DeVos Place yesterday in Grand Rapids, Mich. ArtPrize, a new art competition in Grand Rapids, offers one of the world's biggest art prizes: $250,000 for first place. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Paul L. Newby, II)

　　GRAND RAPIDS, MI.- A surfing enthusiast whose entry in a new art competition expresses his love of the sea won the $250,000 top prize on Thursday.

　　After beating out nine other finalists to win the ArtPrize event in Grand Rapids, Ran Ortner of Brooklyn, N.Y., said that for the first time in his adult life, he will be able to worry less about paying his rent and concentrate more on creating his art.