HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – The 2017 Tulip Time poster is called “Playful Time” by artist and Holland resident Michele Gort.
Tulip Time and the Holland Area Arts Council made the announcement at the First Bloom event at Evergreen Commons Thursday evening. The event is attended by hundreds of festival sponsors, community partners and art enthusiasts.
Gort is a graduate of Kendall’s College of Art and Design and had participated in many state-wide competitions including Art Prize. Her inspiration for “Playful Time” came from photos Michele took of tulips in full bloom along Holland’s Tulip Lanes. Capturing their fluidity and beauty, her color palette mirrors her images of dark purple tulips against creamy white tulips, tones of complementary lime green foliage and the cerulean blue of the sky.
“I am a water person and I love to be in the water. When I was going around downtown at Tulip Time in 2016, I was taking photos preparing to paint. I was drawn to the dark purple tulips that were surrounded by the white tulips. I kept looking for reflections. Were they reflecting in a pond? We they reflecting on the street? So I made my own reflection in the painting.” Michele told WHTC News.
Gort decided to forego her easel and put the canvas on a table spinning it as she worked the paint from all directions. The artist names it “Playful Time” because the in process of creating it, she felt like a conductor of a symphony where the paint hues were her instruments playfully making their melody.
“Playful Time” and the other Top 20 original works will be on display at the Holland Area Arts Council from May 6 through May 13, 2017. The 19 remaining works will compete for the Viewers’ Choice Awards. The community and all visitors are invited to participate by texting their vote for their favorite artwork. The winners of the Viewers’ Choice Awards will be announced on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at the Holland Area Arts Council. The artists of the top 3 pieces of art with the most votes will receive cash prizes.
The Tulip Time Preview is now available offering highlights of the 2017 program. Previews can be viewed online or you can request a copy at www.tuliptime.com/join. Full festival details will be available in the Spring Festival Guide published in March.
Join the celebration of Dutch Culture, Community and Tulips at Tulip Time May 6 – 14, 2017.
