Bouquets to Art March 15, 2008

Bouquets to Art 2008
Bouquets to Art is the largest fundraiser held to benefit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and one of the country’s premier floral events. Organized and produced by the members of the Fine Arts Museums Auxiliary, Bouquets to Art raises funds to support acquisitions, traveling exhibitions and education programs.

Staged for two decades at the Legion of Honor, Bouquets to Art now finds its home at the de Young Museum. The 24th Annual Bouquets to Art will feature nearly 150 floral arrangements by prominent Bay Area designers and garden clubs, to interpret and complement the museum’s exciting collection.

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Opening Night Gala
Monday, March 10, 6:30-10 p.m.
Bouquets to Art opens with a preview on Monday, March 10 at 6:30PM. Join us for an evening of amazing floral designs, mouth-watering dishes from McCall Associates Catering, and the melodious music of Abe Battat. This is a party not to be missed!
Garage parking is complimentary with the purchase of a Gala ticket. The Gala Preview is generously underwritten by Wells Fargo.

Piazzoni Lunches and Teas
When it’s time to take a break from seeing the exhibits, enjoy lunch or tea in the Piazzoni Murals Room. Your reservation guarantees you a quiet place to sit down for a salad lunch with wine, coffee and dessert, or afternoon tea with a light offering of sandwiches and scones.

Lunch:
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, March 11, 12 & 13 from 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Tea:
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, March 11, 12 & 13 beginning at 2:30pm with continuous seating until 3:30pm.

Advance reservations are required for both lunch and tea, as seating is limited. Museum visitors may also eat without a reservation in the de Young Café or enjoy a “grab and go” lunch on the tented terrace.

Speaker Program
Tuesday, March 11, 10:00 a.m.
Carol Caggiano: Everyone Loves a Wedding…and a Party!

Carol Caggiano will launch Bouquets to Art 2008 with color, creativity, and festivity as she creates brilliant designs to inspire us for the most important events in our lives - and for our everyday living. Highly respected in her field, Carol received the American Institute for Floral Designers (AIFD) Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry in 2005. Her designs frequently appear in industry publications and she has been a featured designer at the National Symposium. Carol’s ability as a floral design instructor has taken her to Italy, Japan, Korea, and Singapore, where she has been invited to teach and present floral demonstrations to enthusiastic students and established florists. As we watch her wizardry, it will become clear why Carol’s Virginia flower shop has been a model in the field. Be ready for some surprises as Carol takes us from weddings to table décor with today’s favorite color choices.

Tuesday, March 11, 1:30 p.m.
Ivan Poelman: Inspiration from Flanders

Schooled in the floral and horticultural traditions of his native Belgium, Ivan Poelman brings us a unique mix of old-world charm and cutting-edge design. His love of ceremony has led to commissions from the Belgian royal family and for other spectacular events in Europe. He has also assisted Daniel Ost and his design team in Japan. Ivan runs a floral design school and plays a significant role as a luminary in Fleur Créatif floral design magazine. Ivan will demonstrate the uniqueness of Belgian floral design, ranging from his famous hand-held bouquets to arrangements on trays and platters often using highly original containers. The fabulous world of avant-garde design and decoration in flowers awaits!

Wednesday, March 12, 10:00 a.m.
Ralph Null: Essence of the Garden through Creative Naturalism

Ralph Null’s floral creations have graced White House state dinners, presidential inaugurals, the windows of Saks and Macy’s, and Neiman Marcus catalogues. An internationally recognized leader in floral art and floriculture, Ralph has exhibited in London, Oslo, Capetown, Sydney, Tokyo, and throughout the United States, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. During his career he has presented more than 850 lecture demonstrations throughout the world. Upon his retirement from Mississippi State University, where he taught for 25 years, he was awarded Professor Emeritus in 1992. This past July in Palm Desert at the American Institute of Floral Design Symposium, Ralph received the prestigious Award of Design Influence. This award recognizes his creative work, which has significantly and positively influenced the direction of American Floral design. Over 40 years ago Ralph began using landscape materials as opposed to traditional commercial floral materials. This creative approach to naturalism is still the foundation of his designs. Prepare yourselves for a delightful journey with Ralph to the garden and beyond!

Wednesday, March 12, 1:30 p.m.
Cory Lonsert: Let the Flowers Soar

Cory Lonsert will take us on a floral journey infused with laughter and fun as he celebrates his passion for flowers. His enthusiasm is contagious as he creates and shares his trade secrets. Though newly inducted in the AIFD (2003), Cory has already made a name for himself. He always leaves his audience wishing for more! Early in his career, Cory competed for and won Midwest Trade Fair Designer of the Year, Ohio Designer of the Year, and Best in Show for Michigan Designer of the Year. He was a featured designer for AIFD at the Chicago Flower Show and is on the Smithers Oasis Designer Director team. Cory considered it a great thrill to be part of the team that produced the most recent Presidential inauguration festivities. Originally from Bellefontaine, Ohio, Corey now resides in the Los Angeles area.

Thursday, March 13, 10:00 a.m.
Lynne Moss: The Turning Leaf

Whether designing for beauty pageants, U.S. presidents, or the clients at her Kansas floral shop, Lynne Moss looks to nature as her muse. The outdoor palette of grasses, branches, blossoms, and berries gives Lynne inspiration; yet every creation is tailored and uniquely personalized for the individual and each event. Lynne has been actively involved in educational design programs throughout the industry, and on behalf of AIFD launched a new book, The AIFD Guide to Floral Design. Having been part of the National Symposium for over 25 years, she will chair the 2009 National Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. You will be inspired by her flair for innovation, and enthralled with her highly unusual techniques in combining architecture in her floral designs. Her design applications will spark your creative spirit!

Thursday, March 13, 1:30 p.m.
Ron Morgan

Wit and a commanding stage presence are the hallmarks of Ron Morgan’s demonstrations. He explains not only the “how’s” but also the “why’s” of flower arranging in a most entertaining manner. Ron has a unique talent for turning the mundane into the exquisite, combining an unusual variety of striking plant materials with extraordinary containers. A Bay Area resident, he was schooled in the fine arts and has an extensive knowledge of antiques, with a warehouse full of wondrous and unique treasures. His magnificently illustrated book The Center of Attention has become the bible for tablescape design. Ron’s other publications include In the Company of Flowers and A Glass Act.

Friday, March 14
2:00 pm Ikebana presentation and tea tasting

There will be demonstrations by three renowned Bay Area Ikebana teachers, each representing a different Ikebana school. Julie Saiki Nakatani will demonstrate the Ikenobo school; Katsuko Biko Thielke will demonstrate the Sogetsu school; and Kayoko Suiyo Fujimoto will demonstrate the Ohara school. Additionally, Ikebana arrangements will be exhibited by members of the Ikebana International, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, including Gail Correia, Irene Jenkins, Sharon Krawetz, Kathy Toy, and Liz Vernon. Introductory remarks will be made by Japanese Consul General Yasumasa Nagamine. He will be accompanied by Ayako Nagamine, the Honorary President of Ikebana International, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. Following the demonstration, there will be a complimentary tea tasting in the Piazzoni Murals Room by Trella Davis of the Exotic Tea Room tea company. Ms. Davis will speak on “The Secret Life of Tea from Goodness to Glamour.”

Official Website: http://www.bouquetstoart.org/content.asp?key=88