The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! reposted from facebook for your enjoyment

THE SUNDAY CHALLENGE IS HERE!!!!!Who has the better disguise ? Bird Disguised as Cat (Left) OR Cat Disguised as Bird (Right) to Vote, tag yourself on the side that should win.Results to be posted TONIGHT!thanks to Ian Philp and Meghan Thompson for suggestions

The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! began as a conversation between myself and Ian Philp ( see: Milk Run, The Press Club, Jay Clarke and the Jones) at the Press Club, I was talking about how some paintings of mine are purchased instantly, whether it's the day I hang them or if someone sees a photo online and how unpredicatble it is, who knew that a tea cup full of Deep Sea Divers or a Desperado riding a chicken could be so popular. That you simply can't know what people will like, or even will comment on, that some events/ social media become wildly popular while others never get off the ground. You're better off doing your own thing and let people find you, how do some bands become popular while others languish. etc. etc.

At some point it was said, "What is more popular ? A Bird disguised as a Cat ? OR a Cat disguised as a Bird? Well, we decided to find out, and the SUNDAY CHALLENGE! was born. I proposed I plant a seed and then do the paintings and then find out 1) If people even care 2) If they will vote/ debate 3) If someone would buy the work without prompting.

I posted the status, "What is more popular ? A Bird disguised as a Cat ? OR a Cat disguised as a Bird?" On Thursday or Friday and received several comments, one being, "Aha aha ha ha ha ha ha!" which I took to be a good sign, but also there was a very important piece of information from M. Thompson, that the Cat disguise HAD to be of an Owl - well with that kind of interest there was no turning back, I started painting.

I finished the pieces early Sunday morning, I even got up early on Sunday to make sure they were (pretty much ) finished.

Here is the Highlight Reel of the day the first SUNDAY CHALLENGE! was posted

11:00 PM - The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! is posted

12:06 PM - Bird as Cat has a strong lead at 4 - 2

3:40 PM - Our First Tie 5 -5, strangely among the sexes, B.as C has received no MALE votes

4:45 PM - Cat as Bird takes the lead at 9-7 votes

6:30 PM - It's a 10 - 10 tie at this point I've received 3 OUTSIDE votes from either mad craft shoppe members (which is the group I run on facebook, it has 980 members), friends of friends, or people who have been annoyed in the newsfeed, also other paintings in the "Come On Pilgrim" photo album start to get tagged as people I'm not "friends" with on fb

7:45 PM Cat as Bird pulls ahead to a strong 13 - 10 lead and holds it.

8:00 PM Cat as Bird wins 13 - 11 and the first SUNDAY CHALLENGE! Enters the History Books.

11:00 PM one more vote is cast.

QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK

Well right now I'm in the middle of painting new work for my show at the Cameron House which I'm hanging May 2nd, I would like to do at least one more SUNDAY CHALLENGE! this month.

Would you participate ?

Do you think others would participate ?

I was surprised to start to see people ringing in that I did not know, that maybe were members of my facebook group, "the mad craft shoppe".

Were they asked by a friend to vote ?

Why do you think that happened ?

If you would like to purchase either/both of the paintings featured in this weeks SUNDAY CHALLENGE! they are $ 140.00 each/ $160.00 framed but as a SPECIAL SUNDAY CHALLENGE! Deal you can have them BOTH framed for $300.00 all the best, hope to hear your thoughts/ feedback today

A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com