The de Young Museum’s “Bouquets to Art” —glorious flowers and foliage in art’s image, March 17-23, 2014
The 30th annual Bouquets to Art is March 18-23, 2014, at the de Young Museum. Over 125 leading floral designers respond to artworks in the museum’s permanent collection. Georgia O’Keeffe, “Petunias,” 1925. Oil on hardboard. FAMSF, museum purchase, gift of the M. H. de Young Family. © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Floral design by Sunshine Flowers and Event Design. Photograph © Greg A. Lato / latoga photography
Spring has sprung early in the Bay Area and gardeners, art lovers and floral artists will find endless inspiration and creativity in the de Young Museum’s annual Bouquets to Art, which turns 30 this year. Over 125 of the Bay Area’s most innovative and sought after floral designers will create a spectacular array of floral arrangements in the museum that respond to artworks in the museum’s extensive permanent collections. Their designs, each a unique masterpiece, range from the stunningly simple to the elaborately complex. Some designers have a delightfully wicked sense of humor, while others use plants that confer a complex symbolism. It’s a great deal of fun just to stroll and browse and it’s no wonder that this is the museum’s most highly attended event.
The seven day extravaganza kicks off on Monday evening (March 17) at 7 PM with an Opening Night Gala and Preview which transforms the museum’s hall and galleries into a fragrant and sensual display of blooming color and creativity. This fabulous party features a sumptuous buffet catered by McCalls, cocktails, live music by Switched ON Audio, the Jesse Barrett Oboe Quartet, and Alan K. Choy, a couture fashion show inspired the de Young’s artworks created and modeled by students from the Environmental Horticulture/Floristry department at City College of San Francisco, and dancing the night away.
Bouquets to Art week will feature floral design demonstrations by locally, nationally and internationally acclaimed floral designers, among them two Bay Area favorites, Laura Dowling, chief floral designer for the White House, and Shane Connolly, artistic director of the flowers for the 2011 royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Local participating floral designers include: Francesca Perez of Francesca’s Flowers and Garden (Santa Rosa), Catherine Scott of Catherine Scott Flowers (Sonoma), Daisy Rose of Daisy Rose Floral Design (Sonoma); Josette L. Brose-Eichar of Lavender (Sonoma), Debbie Hitchcock of Lovey’s Garden (Kenwood) and Natasha J. Drengson of Natasha’s Designs (Glen Ellen).
Bouquets to Art raffle tickets available for sale will provide the opportunity to win exotic travel packages, fine dining, wine tastings and other luxury items. There will also be seated luncheons by McCalls hosted on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and special hands-on art activities for children during the weekend. All proceeds from the entire Bouquet to Art event benefit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF).
Daisy Rose of Daisy Rose Floral Design in Sonoma is creating a floral arrangement in response to James McNeill Whistler’s “The Gold Scab: Eruption in Frilthy Lucre (The Creditor)” 1879, . This is Rose’s third year as a participant in “Bouquets to Art.” Oil on canvas. Gift of Mrs. Alma de Bretteville Spreckels through the Patrons of Art and Music, 1977.
Earlier this week, ARThound spoke with Daisy Rose of Daisy Rose Floral Design in Sonoma who is preparing an arrangement in response to James McNeill Whistler’s “The Gold Scab: Eruption in Frilthy Lucre (The Creditor)” 1879. The painting, executed in shades of teal, is the broke artist’s mocking portrait of his main creditor (and once patron), Frederick Leyland, a British shipping magnate who is depicted as a peacock, sitting upon Whistler’s house as if it were an egg.
“This is the only time of the year when I get to do what I want, “to be creative without constraints,” said Daisy Rose. “It’s nerve-racking. I give myself a new challenge every year and pick a painting that is not like anything else I’ve done before, something that I’m not entirely sure I can pull off. This is a really exciting, interesting and complex painting about a painter getting back at his patron once their relationship went sour. The patron is covered in scales and sitting at piano which he couldn’t play and sitting on top of Whistler’s house, which he took control of. I just love it. I like to use only floral materials—no plastic or metal or elaborate supports. It needs to last a week, so I’ll use lots of succulents, air plants, eucalyptus, cala lilies and orchids, probably 15 different materials in all. The painting is greenish-blue and covered in scales and for that, I’ll use eucalyptus and a few of those will be painted gold. I’m not going to create the actual structure of the house but will use the colors of the house and its triangular shape…it’s all coming together in my mind.”
Like many designers, Rose will buy her flowers on the Friday before the event and will work on it through the weekend so that she is well-prepared when she arrives Monday the museum to set it up. “I like to have it pretty much ready to go when I get there. I’ll use chalk to measure out my pedestal and will work with this fictional pedestal. I’m excited to get started.”
Francesca Perez of Francesca’s Flowers and Garden in Santa Rosa is creating a floral arrangement in response to Maurice Brazil Prendergast’s “The Holiday” (1908-09), which the museum acquired in 1968. (Gallery 28, Section I). The painting captures a leisurely afternoon at a lake and showcases the artist’s much appreciated mosaic-like style of painting which uses radically simplified forms that are arranged rhythmically on the canvas and bright jewel-like colors.
This is Perez’s third participation in Bouquets and she was matched with the colorful painting by the well-known American post-Impressionist by the BtoA committee. Two years ago, when she was assistant to the head gardener at McEvoy Ranch, she helped the McEvoy floral team create a stunning arrangement in the shape of an owl with spread wings as a tribute to the museum’s Nan Tucker McEvoy Wing which houses the de Young’s world renown early American collection, including the treasured Rockefeller collection of American Art.
“I was wondering what I was going to get this year,” said Perez, speaking from her design studio in her Santa Rosa home. “When I saw the painting online, the colors really touched me and the wheels started turning. I really want to get to the flower market on Friday to see what speaks to me, things I may not have even thought about. I’ll definitely try to recreate something in the painting, using its medley of colors, for example the colors in the dresses, as inspiration. I need to consider too what flowers will make it through the week.”
Three years ago, Francesca Perez of Francesca’s Flowers and Garden in Santa Rosa was a floral designer for McEvoy Ranch and designed and created the lovely wings on this striking owl. The floral arrangement was a response to the de Young’s Nan Tucker McEvoy Wing which houses the museum’s world renowned early American collection, including the treasured Rockefeller collection of American Art. Image courtesy: Francesca Perez
In the 30 years since its inception, Bouquets to Art has drawn over 650,000 visitors and raised nearly $6 million in net proceeds. Funds from previous presentations of Bouquets to Art have been used to support special exhibitions, art acquisitions, educational programs and special projects at the Legion of Honor and the de Young. Income from Bouquets to Art 2013 was used to fund, in part, the special exhibitions Impressionists on the Water, which was on view at the Legion of Honor from June to October 2013, and Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George, on view now at the de Young through May 11, 2014.
Schedule for the Week:
Monday, March 17
Opening Night Gala and Preview
7‒10 p.m., with 5:30 p.m. entry for Patron ticket holders
Advance tickets required. Tickets are $300 and $200 for 35 years and younger. Call 415.750.3604
Tuesday, March 18
9:30 a.m.‒5:15 p.m.: Floral exhibits
10 a.m.: “Together Again for the Very First Time” Floral design demonstration by Ron Morgan and Shane Connolly
Noon: Luncheon in Piazzoni Murals Room. Click here for tickets, information
1:30 p.m.: “The Art of the Party” Presentation by acclaimed New York-based event producer David Stark
Wednesday, March 19
9:30 a.m.‒5:15 p.m.: Floral exhibits 10 a.m.: “Classic Design with a Modern Twist” Floral design demonstration by Paris-trained designer, Thierry Chantrel
Noon: Luncheon in Piazzoni Murals Room. Click here for tickets, information
1:30 p.m.: “Flower Inspirations in the Natural Style” Floral design demonstration by White House chief floral designer Laura Dowling
6‒8 p.m.: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco member viewing hours
Thursday, March 20
9:30 a.m.‒5:15 p.m.: Floral exhibits
10 a.m.: “Floral Art of the Moment” Floral design demonstration by Soho Sakai, master of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement
Noon: Luncheon in Piazzoni Murals Room. Click here for tickets, information.
6‒8 p.m.: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco member viewing hours
Friday, March 21
9:30 a.m.‒5:15 p.m.: Floral exhibits
Saturday, March 22
9:30 a.m.‒5:15 p.m.: Floral exhibits
10:30 a.m.‒1 p.m.: Children’s hands-on art activities in the Piazzoni Murals Room
Sunday, March 23
9:30 a.m.‒5:15 p.m.: Floral exhibits, raffle drawing
10:30 a.m.‒1 p.m.: Children’s hands-on art activities in the Piazzoni Murals Room
Bouquets to Art 2014 Ticketing: General museum admission allows access to all floral exhibits, located in the permanent collection galleries. $22 Adults; $19 Seniors (65 and above); $18 Students with current ID; $15 Youths 6–17; Members and children 5 and under are admitted free. Save $1 with advance online ticket purchase (discount price is reflected in online shopping cart.) General admission tickets may be purchased in advance either online or in person at the museum box office during regular museum hours. Advance tickets are required for the luncheons and floral design demonstrations. For more information and to order tickets, go to deyoungmuseum.org/bouquets.
Visiting the de Young: Address: Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive San Francisco, CA 94118. Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 am–5:15 pm Friday: 9:30 am–8:45 pm; closed on Monday.
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