» Bouquets to Art 2024

I attended Patricia Gillespie’s presentation at Bouquets to Art this year. She is renowned for her botanical sculptures of all sizes. It was inspiring to learn how she designed, prototyped, and built large-scale hanging sculptures for past Bouquets to Art events. I always wondered about the weight limitations and how she met the museum’s safety standards. At the same time, she creates corsage-sized arrangements that she places in unexpected public spaces like building walls and playground structures, enjoying people’s reactions even though these arrangements only last a few hours. This really showcases her creativity and sense of humor. While a presentation without a live demo is rare at Bouquets to Art, her unique approach to floral art was well worth listening to.

Patricia Gillespie (left) and Sabrina Raphael (right, moderator)

As for the exhibition, these were my favorite arrangements of the year:

Exhibitor: Katsuko Biko Thielke, assistants (Arisa Mori and Ayako Yamamura)
Complimentary Art: Gustav Grunewald, Left: “The Niagawa River at the Cataract” (ca.1832), Right: “Horseshoe Falls from below the High Bank” (ca.1832)
Materials: Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, Lisianthus, Four O’clock flower, Bear grass
Katsuko Sensei showed me the arrangement at home when she was rehearsing for the exhibit. Her leaf-weaving techniques perfectly complement the waterfall paintings.

Exhibitor: Arisa Mori
Complimentary Art: Christian Dior evening gown “Junon” (Fall/Winter 1949-1950)
Arisa, one of Katsuko Sensei’s students, created a stunning dress that she wore for the opening gala.

Exhibitor: Flair, Cheryl McGuire
Complimentary Art: Elizabeth Catlett, “Stepping Out” (2000)
The color combination of orange and bronze hues is beautifully executed with gloriosa lilies and roses. The basket-shaped art must have been very labor-intensive.

Exhibitor: Floréal, Anthony DeLeon
Complimentary Art: Jess Collins (Burgess Franklin Collins), “Boy Party” (1954)
The curvy shapes and colors complement the artwork very well. I especially liked the skinny light pink trumpet-shaped flowers. It is interesting to learn that “Boy Party” was painted in 1954, before the LGBTQ community was recognized in the San Francisco Bay Area.