Art in Bloom

Floral design is an art in itself. A knife or floral shears are our brushes, the flowers our paints, and a vase, a basket, the entire world is our canvas. We paint and sculpt with fresh blooms, creating magnificent masterpieces; our floral designs flow like lyrical sonnets. Some have referred to floral design as a craft, but it is indeed an art.


"Woman Eating Ice Cream" by Jane Rovins
interpreted by Patrick Kelly

Last April the Cheltenham Center for the Arts presented their first annual event, Art in Bloom, Floral Interpretations of Paintings. Four talented Stein Your Florist Co. designers, as well as several more of the Philadelphia area’s floral artists exhibited their floriated interpretations of a variety of masterfully created paintings and mixed media art pieces at the CCA’s exhibit.

Stein Your Florist Co. owner/operator and designer Patrick Kelly choose to interpret “Woman Eating Ice Cream” by Jane Rovins. He created his design with birds of paradise, orange asiatic lilies, and blue roses with accents of limonium and tropical foliage. His use of colors picked up on the painting beautifully and the choice of exotic birds of paradise paid homage to the woman’s ethnic headdress, also accented by the traditional African cloth he draped across the pedestal. We had the pleasure of speaking with the artist at the exhibit and she told us the story of the woman she saw at a café that inspired her painting. It was a joy meeting her and having the opportunity to appreciate each other’s art.



"Shaman Shapeshifting" by Rebekah Higgins
interpreted by Jessica Kelly 



Co-operations manager of our Burlington, NJ location and designer Jessica Kelly choose to interpret “Shaman Shapeshifting” by Rebekah Higgins. She was drawn to this painting, whose colors are not typically found in the floral world, and accepted the challenge of the interpretation. Imagining the world this painted creature must have come from, Jessica created it in miniature. Lush succulents were carefully planted amongst a faux deer antler and accented by fresh white calla lilies, veronica, curly willow, bits of wax flower and seeded eucalyptus. We also had the pleasure of meeting this artist, who was thrilled with Jessica’s interpretation (she snapped about a million photos of it) and this floral piece was purchased by one of the attendees to help raise funds for the CCA’s cause.

 

 



"The Quandry" by Rob Kasprzak
interpreted by Jennifer Kelly

Co-operations manager of our Burlington, NJ location, head of social media and designer Jennifer Kelly choose to interpret “The Quandry” by Bob Kasprzak. The painting is indicative of her style with its eclectic and lavish features. Drawing on the worldly elements of the painting, Jennifer added her own diverse elements to her piece, including a globe, a Quan Yin statue, pottery from China and saris from India. The arrangement was positioned to be an extension of the painting, as though the woman was gazing at it and created to look as if it could be in the room with her. The flowers used included roses, hydrangea, delphinium, heather, hypericum berries, cymbidium and dendrobium orchids, solidego, stock, hanging amaranthus and eucalyptus. Stands of crystals and jewels were added for an extravagant feel. This piece was awarded Best in Show for Mix Media Design for 2013’s Art in Bloom exhibit.

 

 

"Stress Relief and Beauty"
by Ydalinda Oliviera
interpreted by Michelle Erikson

Our final representation from Stein Your Florist Co. was created by designer Michelle Erikson. Michelle choose to interpret “Stress Relief and Beauty” by Ydalinda Oliviera, a mixed media piece. Michelle loved the lines of this artwork and aimed to capture that in her floral design. The graceful curve of the flamingo’s neck is mirrored by the arrangement’s armature of larkspur and snapdragon. The body of the bird was recreated in protea, antherium, cymbidium orchids and more snapdragon with background accents of tropical foliage and craspedia balls. The vase was filled with delphinium to represent the watery habitat of the flamingo.

Our designers have been invited back to participate in the CCA’s event once again. Two weeks prior we will draw for spots to select from the art on display and plan our designs. This year’s event is even more poignant with the Philadelphia Flower Show being held in early March boasting a theme of Articulture, pairing with area art museums for an Art in Bloom style event of their own. We are looking forward to another inspirational affair and we hope you will join us.

This year’s Art in Bloom will be on Saturday, April 26, 2014, 5-7pm and includes an her d’oeuvres, wine & beer reception.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.cheltenhamarts.org or call 215.379.4660.
All proceeds benefit the educational outreach programs at the CCA!

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