Bouquets to Art 2011 - Opening Night Preview Party

While I'm editing the remaining photos of Bouquets to Art 2011, won't you take a few moments to enjoy the dazzling buffet brought to the De Young Museum by the talented crew of McCalls Catering for the Opening Night Preview Party?

Step into Wilsey Court and choose between the seafood or vegetarian paella, or a little of both.  

Make sure to leave enough room on your plate for a helping of  rack of spring lamb.

Of course, you must eat your vegetables. These are roasted to perfection. 

Chase it with oyster gazpacho shooters, or three or four, like I did. 

If you still have room, you can belly up to the carving station receive the world's friendliest service.

Now take a moment to admire the towering living sculpture created by Svenja Brotz of  Chestnut & Vine (top photo). This arresting design took center stage in the Piazzoni Murals Room. The epiphytic roots of the dainty yellow phaleonopsis look right at home in the nooks and crannies of the bleached grapewood. 

I know it's hard to ignore the buffet of desserts luring you. Will it be the strawberry cheesecake?

Or California berries in sabayone, with an optional dollop of whipped cream? Maybe with a meringue kiss?

Who could resist these profiteroles, either chocolate, vanilla, or coffee cream, served on a Tiffany blue plate? Go ahead grab the tongs and help yourself.

While you are digesting all this, I will be preparing the next few posts featuring the artistry of the Bay Area's best floral artists with their interpretations of the fine art inside the De Young Museum. 

Bouquets to Art 2011 - Lobby

Since its inception 27 years ago, I have attend most of Bouquets to Art exhibits, a highly-celebrated spring ritual hosted by the Fine Arts Museums of  San Francisco. As impossible as it was to believe, the 150 floral artists who were invited to create a floral arrangement to complement the artwork in the M. H. De Young Museum found a way to step it up another notch this year. Click the "Categories" tab to view the fantastic entries of previous years' Bouquets to Arts.

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Just inside the main entrance hangs the creation of Dominque Pfahl of Floreal, representational of Andy Goldsworthy's environmental art of found objects. The organic frame serves to hold the lenses through which one can view Goldsworthy's "Drawn Stone" sculptures in the entry courtyard. Previously named "Faultline", the installation is a creative expression of the seismic network that runs through California.

This is a good time to pause and remember the victims Japan's earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. My thoughts and prayers go to all those who are dealing with the aftermath of the disasters. If you haven't already made a donation to the relief efforts to aid the victims, I invite you to donate to Doctors Without Borders (Medicins Sans Frontieres), The Salvation Army, or an organization of your choice.

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Sogetsu Ikebana artist Katsuko Thielke of Hunter-Lee Flowers created an astounding arrangement...

...to accompany Raúl Anguiano's "Untitled. (Seated Girl Holding an Apple)".

Untitled. (Seated Girl Holding an Apple), 1943 by Raúl Anguiano.
Image: Maulleigh at Flickr.

The pure white phaleonopsis orchids were the perfect choice to represent the white dress and the innocence of the girl. while the chrysanthems, hypericum berries, and cymbydium orchids provided the apple green element.  My favorite elements of this arrangement, though, are the strands of bear grass intricately woven into braids, suggesting the inferred braid of the girl's hair...

... and the palm fronds whose profiles were completely altered by braiding the ends.

If I were to give out awards, I would have to give Thielke the Best Workmanship prize.

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Urban Chateau's entry provided a great sneak peek for the upcoming Balenciaga and Spain Exhibition at the museum. 

This floral sculpture of black satin with red and white roses shouts both Balenciaga and Spain.

Cristobal Balenciaga

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Paige Benjamin, of Passiflora Designs, created a beautiful modern upright tapestry of colors and textures:

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Hats off and thank you to Joy Kuhn and Patty Reed and other members of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Flower Committee for tirelessly volunteering every month to provide fresh flowers for the lobby, executive offices, and the museum's 13 bathrooms. 

Stay tuned for more Bouquets to Art 2011 post in the near future.