Lion King Cherrywood Challenge « The Backroads to Road to California

The 2017 Cherrywood Challenge: Vincent van Gogh

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017

Wicked Challenge in 2014. Based on the hit musical, entries had to include specially dyed lime green fabrics (Cherrywood Wicked Greens) and black in their designs. The traveling exhibit was displayed at Road 2015 to much fanfare. Cherrywood’s second challenge was The Lion King in 2016. All entrants started with the same four hand-dyed Cherrywood fabrics (in golds and black) and designed their own original quilts within a 20-inch square. What made this theme especially significant was that 2017 is the 20^th Anniversary of The Lion King musical. The traveling exhibit began 2017 at Road to California and will end its tour in November 2017 at the Minskoff Theatre in New York. During Road to California 2017, the next Cherrywood Challenge was announced – and it’s not based on a musical. Instead, the 2017 Cherrywood Challenge is a tribute to Vincent van Gogh, one of the world’s beloved artists. Entrants are encouraged to use Vincent van Gogh’s paintings as inspiration to think “outside the box” in creating new fiber art. As with Cherrywood’s other challenges, each entry must include three official Cherrywood fabrics (this time they are the van Gogh Blues) and black. The quilt must “read” blue; 60-70% of the quilt top must be in blue hues. Accent colors may be used but they have to be Cherrywood fabric. The final size of the quilt is 20” x 20” consisting of a top, a middle and a backing with a maximum thickness of one inch. Any technique or fabric manipulation is acceptable as long as it maintains the color and character of a textile quilt. Embellishments may be added, with the exception of glitter, but must stay within the 20-inch size. No sleeve is required. The cost to enter the challenge is $45.00 and includes the registration fee, shipping, return shipping and one fat quarter of each of the required fabrics. Photos of the entries must be received by Cherrywood by 11:59 PM on August 1, 2017. Finalists will be announced and notified by email on August 11^th. Finalist quilts are to be sent to Cherrywood Fabrics by August 25^th. And then on September 1^st, the winners will be announced as well as the quilts that will be included in the traveling exhibit. Cash prizes totaling $1,000 is being offered to the winners. Awards will be given for first, second and third place:

First Place – $700 Gift Card

Second Place – $200 Gift Card

Third Place – $100 Gift Card

The van Gogh Cherrywood Challenge Traveling Exhibit will debut November 1, 2017 at International Quilt Market and Festival in Houston, Texas. It will travel to quilt shows for at least one year through 2018, including at Road to California. We can’t wait to see all the creativity in this exhibit.

For more information regarding The van Gogh Cherrywood Challenge 2017 or with Cherrywood Fabrics, please visit their website.]]>

Tags: Cherrywood Fabrics, Lion King Cherrywood Challenge, Quilt Challenge 2017, van Gogh Cherrywood Challenge, Wicked Cherrywood Challenge
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Meet The Quilters Behind The Cherrywood Lion King Exhibit

Thursday, February 23rd, 2017

Lion King Cherrywood Challenge sponsored by Cherrywood Fabrics. Cherrywood also produced a book about the exhibit, featuring each quilt and giving insights into each quilter’s design ideas and methods for their contribution. During the show, Cherrywood held two book signings at their booth with some of the quilters whose quilts were featured in the exhibit and the book. It was a great opportunity for guests to meet these talented quilters and find out more about their work. Sandra Hankins from Lake Elsinore, California, created Simba. She has seen the Lion King musical 5 times!! “It is my favorite play by far,” remarked Sandra. She chose Simba because he is her favorite character. “He had to learn hard lessons to become the Lion King.” Wim-O-Weh is the title of Tiffany Hayes’ piece. Named after one of the songs in the play, Tiffany came up with the idea for her quilt when she heard and watched one of her favorite bands, The Fulcos, play the song. Wim-O-Weh is paper pieced. The design was inspired by her daughter’s fiancé’s tattoo artwork. From Acton, California, Anna Koelewyn likes to do improvisational piecing that is very abstract. She felt that it was hard to choose a lion to represent, so she decided to focus on the feel of the land and the umbrella trees for her piece, Serengeti. Scar-Pretender of the Throne is the first quilt Eileen Paine of Riverside, California has ever finished!! She has been making Hawaiian quilts with applique for five years before starting this project. Eileen decided to “jump in with both feet” and wanted to go to “the dark side” of the play. The face of her “Scar” is asymmetrical to give the illusion of how he was “scarred.” “I loved the whole challenge,” commented Rod Daniel who came from Placitas, New Mexico to talk about his quilt, Sunset Maiden. The idea for his piece came from looking at African masks. Like Anna, he wanted to focus on something other than lions. And because he loves the skin tones of African-Americans, he went “crazy with color” with his design. The next Cherrywood Challenge is Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Exhibit coordinator and Cherrywood Fabrics owner, Karla Overland, said that most of the fabric they brought to Road for this upcoming challenge was sold out so they are encouraged with the initial response. To learn more about this challenge and Cherrywood hand dyed fabrics, please visit their website. ]]>