HOLLAND, Mich., February 6, 2020 – Tulip Time Festival tuliptime.com) together with the Holland Area Arts Council, is pleased to announce Aron Lowe and her work, “Dutch Dance” as the 10^th annual winner of the 2020 Tulip Time Festival Artwork Competition

The announcement was made Thursday evening at the First Bloem Celebration of the Visual Arts event held at the Holland Civic Center. Festival sponsors, artists, art lovers, and members of the public attended the event where the evening began with a reception honoring the Top 20 artists and their artwork.

Each year a work of art is selected for the official Tulip Time Festival poster. This year, 56 artists from the region submitted a total of 110 works for this juried competition. This year’s submissions were reviewed by John Berry, former Vice President of Corporate Communications at Herman Miller, who designated the Top 20 from which the winning piece was selected.

This year’s winning artist, Aron Lowe, is a native Michigander and has attended Tulip Time since before she could walk, although this is her inaugural entry into the Festival Artwork Competition.

“I really enjoyed portraying all of the Dutch dancer costumes and translating them into a stylized pattern — reminiscent of a block quilt,” Lowe said.

This piece is a departure from her usual medium, which is felted wool sculpture.

She lives in Fennville with her husband, Jerod, baby Guinevere, and three furbabies, Emma, Teddy and Pip.

“Dutch Dance,” and the other Top 20 original works, will be on display at the Holland Area Arts Council from May 2 through May 10, 2020. The 19 remaining works will compete for the Viewers’ Choice Awards. The top three pieces with the most votes will win cash prizes. The community and all visitors are invited to participate by casting their vote for their favorite artwork. The winners of the Viewers’ Choice Awards will be announced on Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 10a via Facebook Live. 

“Dutch Dance” will be featured on posters, giclee prints, and other festival merchandise beginning February 7 at the Tulip Time office, and soon after on the Tulip Time website and at area galleries and shops.

Previous winners of the Festival Artwork competition include: 

2011 Beth Charles – “Drama Queens”

2012 Brittany Strabbing – “Beautiful Dream”

2013 Maggie Schultz – “Clothed in Splendor”

2014 Karin Nelson – “Resilience”

2015 Carolyn Stich – “Joy of Spring”

2016 Alla Dickson – “Spectacle”

2017 Michele Gort – “Playful Time”

2018 Cindy Awrey – “Together”

2019 Carolyn Stich – “Enduring Delflt”

The Tulip Time Preview is now available offering highlights of the 2020 program. Previews can be viewed online or you can request a copy at tuliptime.com/join. Full festival details will be available in the Spring Festival Guide published in March. 

Join the dance as we paint the town orange in celebration of Dutch Culture, Community and Tulips at the 91st Tulip Time Festival May 2 – 10, 2020.