Every year, Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabrics in Baxter challenges artists to create unique pieces of art with only a needle and thread and their creative minds. This year, artists are encouraged to create and design an original fiber art piece that takes inspiration from Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Cherrywood Challenge Is an annual contest for artists all over the world, with the main goal being to cross the bridge between the quilting and non-quilting worlds. People come from all different levels and skills, and this is a challenge for them to try something different.

Artists usually submit 300 to 400 entrees a year, but not everyone is selected. Jurors will pick 200 quilts, where they are put on display in art galleries like the Crossing Arts Alliance in Brainerd. With this being an annual contest, there’s always a theme involved. Some themes in the past have included Bob Ross and Prince, and the newest one coming up will feature a graffiti theme.

Artists will be sent quarters of fabric, and then they will be challenged to design whatever it is they want. There are currently 200 quilts that are traveling and have been split up into three different exhibits.

One thing Karla Overland, owner of Cherry wood Hand Dyed Fabrics, says is that people think of quilts as a bed covering, but by using fabric, thread, and a theme like Princess Diana, it broadens the world of quilting with non-quilters.

The exhibition opened May 27th and will be on display at the Crossing Arts Alliance gallery in Brainerd through June 4. This exhibition is funded, in part, by the voters of Minnesota through grants from Five Wings Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

By — Hanky Hazelton