If you’ve never seen this yearly exhibition of exquisite floral arrangements at the de Young, put it on your not-to-miss list of things to do in March. Featuring the work of over 125 of the Bay Area’s most talented floral designers, each designer chooses a piece of art from the museum’s collection and creates a floral work of art to complement it. The results, ranging from to simple to elaborate to whimsical are all stunning, and evoke the mood, line, texture, and color of the original painting or sculpture of its inspiration.
Teams of volunteers are on hand with spray misters, and the designers themselves scurry to replace any wilting flowers to ensure each display remains as fresh as possible. There will be twice daily floral demonstrations (10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) featuring acclaimed authors and floral designers, an elegant noon luncheon Tuesday through Thursday, and a champagne brunch Saturday. An opening night gala, “The Golden Age,” launches the exhibition on Monday.
The exhibition is free with museum admission, and proceeds benefit museum programs, acquisitions and future exhibitions (for example, funds from last year’s event made possible the current Legion of Honor exhibition, Royal Treasures from the Louvre: Louis XIV to Marie-Antoinette, which you can still see through March 17).
Bouquets to Art 2013: de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive in Golden Gate Park, Tue–Sat, Mar 19–23, 9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m., free–$20, 415-750-3504, www.bouquetstoart.org
— L. Majer
