Now that you've enjoyed the delectable foods served at the Bouquets to Art Opening Night Preview Party, please come upstairs to view the works of art as interpreted by prominent floral designers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
At the top of the stairs, you are greeted with a cascade of white dendrobium orchids spilling into a luscious pool of blooming delights designed by the florists of Blooming Floral Design. Their arrangement adds a third dimension to the diptych "The Niagara River at the Cataract".
Wendy Morck's crescent design cradles the portrait of Maria Maytilda Winkler perfectly.
Mykell Newton of Botanic Gifts contributed a design that lives up to his company's name. The smoky-colored mushroom valley is an inspired idea.
Ron Morgan's architectural interpretation of the Navajo necklace gets the award for Most Ingenious Use of Materials. Two wreath bases serve as great spines for the "necklaces". At first glance, the bold red bromeliad leaves appear to be the only plant material used.
Closer observation, however, reveals other natural elements like eucalyptus knobs, iris fruit pods, black beans, and bisected gourds.
I enjoyed stepping into the botanical shrine Charlotte's Blossoms built for Penelope.
Svenja Brotz's larger-than-life dance partner for Karen LaMonte's Dress 3 was my sister's favorite.
I like the arrangements that work with the paintings as well as on their own, like Lavender Floral's entry for the Richard Mayhew's Rhapsody...
... and Laurelle Hartley-Thom's depiction of Martin Johnson Heade's Singing Beach, Manchester...
... demonstrating beautiful pave technique and great choice of monochromatic florals.
The team at Michael Daigian Design also used the pave technique for their entry. They extended the scene in John Vanderlyn's painting Caius Marius amid the Ruins of Charthage, 1807, with a large stem of sandblasted grapewood...
...and a wardrobe of red roses, amaranth, and succulents.
I've admired Sandow Birk's Fog over San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, California (2001) ever since the museum acquired it because I used to live nearby the cove in the foreground of the painting. I was impressed with Kim Haworth's subtle references to the prison with the stone-wall container, the striped fabric and bamboo bars.
Florabella's design (top photo) reflects the lily-white skin and mane of red hair in George De Forest Brush's painting of A Celtic Huntress. The galax leaves formed the ideal fabric for the bodice and
the stalk of date palm fruit with a spritz of copper paint was the perfect choice for the red hair. I know many of you were wondering about that strange flower/fruit/creature. You are not alone; it stirred up quite a bit of conversation.
Please stay tuned for more Bouquets to Art creations in the coming days.
