by Janine Calsbeek

Sioux County Capital-Democrat, Orange City IA

(reprinted with permission of Pluim Publishing, Inc.)

ORANGE CITY – This year the tile features the Dutch street organ.

It's the 2008 Tulip Festival commemorative tile, created by artist Sheryl Vander Pol of Plymouth, Minnesota. The tile was unveiled and auctioned Saturday night, April 12, at the Tulip Festival Extravaganza.

The tile, entitled "The Dutch Street Organ," features the organ, a man in Dutch attire, and the Sioux County courthouse in the background. Vander Pol works from a photo, painting the tile, then firing it in her kiln at temperatures approaching 1000 degrees. She then paints additional detail, painting and firing several more times. "It's quite a process," said committee member Jan Wilbeck.

"Full of detail, I hope it honors the workmanship of the organ maker, along with the beauty of the city and its buildings and gardens," Vander Pol said.

The tile is the third in a series of Orange City Tulip Festival tiles, the first featuring the horse-drawn street car, Wilhelmina, the second, the Chamber Windmill surrounded by tulips. One additional tile will be created, in 2009.

Two hundred numbered reproductions of Vander Pol's original tile were made; they are 6 x 6-inch tiles, and available at the Chamber Windmill for $30 each. They will also be sold at Tulip Festival, in the Chamber Straatmarkt booth.

Tiles from '06 and '07 are available also, said Carole Aykens.

 

"The Dutch Street Organ"

It's the latest commemorative tile, created by Sheryl Vander Pol for the 2008 Tulip Festival. It's a little different color than the first two tiles – muted, with more yellow tones, said committee members Jan Wilbeck (left) and Carole Aykens. The original tile was unveiled and auctioned at Saturday's Extravaganza.  (Photo by Janine Calsbeek)