Leaves, Twigs and Seeds at the de Young — It’s Art, but Is It a Bouquet?

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Sweeping pussy willow and dogwood stem floral design by yoko ishii klingebiel & naoko-suzuki for Bouquets to Art at the de Young 2013. Photo by BF Newhall — A sweeping red dogwood and pussy willow design with succulent paddle plant accents by Yoko Ishii Klingebiel and Naoko Suzuki repeats the rhythmic lines of Dorothy Napargardi’s *Sandhills* (not shown). Photo by BF Newhall

Patricia Gillespie of Sharpstick Studio created a tall floral arrangment to echo David Nash's wood sculpture Rip and Cross Cut Block Column, 2002. Photo by BF Newhall — Patricia Gillespie of Sharpstick Studio created a tall floral arrangment to echo David Nash’s wood sculpture *Rip and Cross Cut Block Column*, 2002. Photo by BF Newhall

By Barbara Falconer Newhall.

Nothing seems to be off limits to the 130-plus floral designers who’ve filled the courts and galleries of the de Young Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco this week with arrangements of flowers, twigs, branches, seed pods, pussy willows and succulents for the museum’s annual exhibition Bouquets to Art.

To my mind, these arrangements — which range from simple and lovely to downright spectacular — qualify as art.

But are they bouquets? I’m going to say yes.

Bouquets to Art at the de Young Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Golden Gate Park, March 19-23, 2013.

More flower stories and pictures at “Bouquets to Art at the de Young — Where Poppies Dance and Cactuses Are Petit Fours” and “In My Rain-Battered Garden — Nothing Is Forever, Not Even Those Poppies.”

Meanwhile, more bouquet pictures . . .

From Poppy's Petalworks, Laura Auyeung & Wilson Auyeung of San Leandro created a bouquet of cork bursting with red blossoms and berries. At the de Young. Photo by BF Newhall — Laura Auyeung and Wilson Auyeung of Poppy’s Petalworks, San Leandro, created a bouquet of cork bursting with blood red blossoms and berries — a take on David Regan’s *Cod Tureen*, 1997, which exudes half-dead fish. Photo by BF Newhall

A floral design by Arlene Boyle of Violetta, SF, was inspired by a soapstone and walrus tusk carving by Judas Ullulak (Allulak), "Inukshuk" (Like a Person), 1981-82. Photo by BF Newhall — A design by Arlene Boyle of Violetta, San Francisco, comments on a soapstone and walrus tusk carving by Judas Ullulak (Allulak), “Inukshuk” (Like a Person), 1981-82. Photo by BF Newhall

Donnel Vicente Designs to complement Robert Rauschenberg's "Realm (Tracks), Photo by BF Newhall." 1976 — Donnel Vicente Designs: Lots of moss and lots of green in response to Robert Rauschenberg’s “Realm (Tracks),” 1976 (in background). Photo by BF Newhall

0 Responses

Carol L. Park says:

March 22, 2013 at 7:52 am

I go see this tomorrow – thanks for the preview, Barbara!

Reply
1. Barbara Falconer Newhall says:
  
  March 24, 2013 at 7:17 pm
  
  Enjoy! Let us know what you think.
  
  Reply

Leaves, Twigs and Seeds at the de Young — It’s Art, but Is It a Bouquet?

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