The North Carolina Museum of Art hosts its second Art in Bloom, a four-day festival of art and flowers, April 7−10. The event features 56 floral masterpieces inspired by the NCMA’s permanent collection and created by world-class floral designers—11 more designs than last year’s festival. During Art in Bloom the NCMA will also feature master classes, presentations, family activities, an opening reception, and many more events (full schedule below).
“After last year’s successful launch of Art in Bloom, we are thrilled to host this flower-filled festival for our visitors once again,” says NCMA Director Lawrence J. Wheeler. “This year we have exciting new speakers, a different group of creative and talented floral designers, and even more works of art to be interpreted as beautiful floral arrangements. It will be a perfect way to welcome spring.”
Featured Art in Bloom presenters include:
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French floral designer Olivier Giugni, who has created arrangements for Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harry Winston, and more; and who has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and The Chew
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Event designer David Beahm, who has designed events for the Discovery Channel, Victoria’s Secret Beauty, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and more; and who has been featured in the New York Times, New York Magazine, Town and Country, and Style
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Floral photographer Ashley Woodson Bailey, who is also known for her custom prints, fabrics, home décor, clothing, and a line of bespoke wallpaper
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Julieta Sherk, a registered landscape architect and an associate professor teaching landscape design at the NCSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Erica Anderson, the first horticulture intern on Appledore Island, where Childe Hassam spent summers painting the landscapes featured in the exhibition American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals
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Randy Wooten, Carol Dowd, and Stephanie Garrett, members of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), the floral industry’s leading nonprofit organization
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Steve Taras, primary floral designer for the NCMA
In preparation for Art in Bloom, the Museum’s West Building will be closed on Wednesday, April 6. East Building and the Museum Park will remain open for visitors.
During the four days of Art in Bloom, tickets will be required for admission to the permanent collection in the Museum’s West Building. East Building and the Museum Park will remain open and free to visitors.
Proceeds from Art in Bloom support Museum programming and exhibitions and benefit the NCMA Foundation. The presenting sponsor of Art in Bloom is PNC Bank.
During the four days of Art in Bloom, the Museum’s West Building will open at 9 am, an hour earlier than usual. The Museum’s East Building Box Office will open at 9 am, and East Building galleries will open at 10 am.
Additional fees charged for select workshops, presentations, and other events (schedule below).
Schedule of Events
The NCMA will host a series of special events in conjunction with Art in Bloom, including an opening reception, presentations, master classes, workshops, and family activities. Visitors can register for events online at ncartmuseum.org/tickets or by calling the Museum Box Office, (919) 715-5923.
Opening Reception
Opening Dessert Reception and Meet the Designers
Thursday, April 7, 8 pm, West Building
During this opening fund-raiser guests will get a first look at the beautiful floral interpretations of Art in Bloom. The event features an open bar, desserts, and a chance to mingle with the floral designers whose work is on view. $45 Members, $55 Nonmembers.
Presentations
Presentation by Steve Taras: Re-Creating Nature
Thursday, April 7, 10:30 am, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Florist Steve Taras combines earth elements with beautiful blooms to create designs that transport us to a garden, forest, beach, or mountainside. $20 Members, $25 Nonmembers.
Steve Taras started Watered Garden Florist out of his home in Raleigh and built it over the years into a team of designers that works with local residents, businesses, museums, and universities. Taras and his team have designed weddings and events in Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and even on a yacht in the Caribbean. Taras is the primary floral designer for the NCMA.
Presentation by Olivier Giugni: Living Art
Thursday, April 7, 3 pm, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Floral demonstration and illustrated presentation by Olivier Giugni, whose talent and dramatic style transported him from Paris to Tokyo to New York. Olivier is the pioneer of the leaf-wrapped vase, which is now reproduced worldwide. Book signing immediately following. $40 Members, $55 Nonmembers.
Sponsored by Eliza Kraft Olander.
Olivier Giugni’s designs are considered the haute couture of floral creations. Raised in Brignoles, France, Giugni rose to floral stardom when Pierre Cardin tapped him to create the look of Les Fleurs de Maxim’s restaurants in Paris, Tokyo, and New York. Olivier’s notable clients include Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harry Winston, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Plaza. He has entertained audiences on The Martha Stewart Show and The Chew.
Presentation by Julieta Sherk: Edible Landscapes, Your Backyard Buffet
Friday, April 8, 10:30 am, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Illustrated lecture about landscapes good enough to eat, including the flowers in the NCMA’s Plaza, with NCSU horticulture professor Julieta Sherk. $20 Members, $25 Nonmembers.
Sponsored by Eliza Kraft Olander.
Julieta Sherk is a registered landscape architect and an associate professor of landscape design at the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, in the Department of Horticultural Science. She is also an associate faculty member in the Landscape Architecture Department in the NCSU College of Design.
Presentation by Ashley Woodson Bailey: Bloom Where You’re Planted
Friday, April 8, 3 pm, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Floral demonstration and illustrated “florography” presentation by florist and self-taught photographer Ashley Woodson Bailey, who sought to create lasting flower arrangements through the lens of a camera after a life-changing accident left her physically unable to create for large-scale events. $40 Members, $55 Nonmembers.
Sponsored by Eliza Kraft Olander.
Ashley Woodson Bailey is an Instagram sensation and a 20-year veteran of the event design world. Since the launch of her line of limited-edition prints, Bailey’s success has grown to custom prints, fabrics, home décor, a capsule clothing collaboration with Brooke Atwood, and a line of bespoke wallpaper. Bailey works with a combination of her iPhone and an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II.
Presentation by Randy Wooten, AIFD: Events of a Lifetime
Friday, April 8, 7 pm, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Flowers play a role in all the important events in our lives. Randy Wooten of the American Institute of Floral Designers provides insights and a floral demonstration. $20 Members, $25 Nonmembers.
Presentation by Erica Anderson: Impressions of an Heirloom Garden
Saturday, April 9, 10:30 am, East Building, SECU Auditorium
As the first horticulture intern on Appledore Island, Erica Anderson stepped into the garden of 19th-century poet Celia Thaxter. Using photographs of her time on the island, Anderson transports us to the beloved garden featured in the exhibition American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals. $20 Members, $25 Nonmembers.
Sponsored by Eliza Kraft Olander.
Presentation by David Beahm: Extraordinary Flowers, Extraordinary Destinations
Saturday, April 9, 3 pm, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Floral demonstration and illustrated presentation with David Beahm, whose trademark lavish floral creations are featured at some of the most luxurious and exclusive properties in the world. $40 Members, $55 Nonmembers.
Sponsored by Eliza Kraft Olander.
David Beahm, known for his inventive work and lavish flower creations, has designed countless weddings and a host of celebrity and corporate events. His clients include the Discovery Channel, Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry, Victoria’s Secret, Christian Dior, and Louis Vuitton. His designs have appeared in the New York Times, New York Magazine, Style, the Wall Street Journal, and more. An Elon College grad, Beahm can be considered an honorary North Carolinian.
Presentation by Carol Dowd, AIFD, and Stephanie Garrett, AIFD: Your DIY Wedding
Sunday, April 10, 10:30 am, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Carol Dowd and Stephanie Garrett of the American Institute of Floral Designers demonstrate simple steps to make wedding flowers perfect, no matter one’s style. $20 Members, $25 Nonmembers.
Carol Dowd, AIFD, is the owner of Botanicals Fabulous Flowers and Orchids in Southern Pines, North Carolina. She has 14 years of experience in the florist industry and is a member and past board member of the North Carolina State Florist Association. She has received her accreditation in the American Institute of Floral Designers and is a board member of the Southern Chapter of AIFD.
Stephanie Garrett, AIFD, CFD, NCCPF, has been a designer for 16 years. She is a certified floral designer and was the 2006 state, regional, and national designer of the year. Her work has been published in Martha Stewart magazine, Charleston Bride, and other publications. She has taught classes and presented at design shows across the South.
Presentation by Steve Taras: Celebrating with Flowers
Sunday, April 10, 3 pm, East Building, SECU Auditorium
Memorable celebrations take lots of planning. Florist Steve Taras shows how to make life’s special occasions unforgettable with extraordinary floral decoration. $20 Members, $25 Nonmembers.
Master Classes
Master Class and Lunch with Olivier Giugni
Thursday, April 7, 10:30 am, East Building, Studio 1
Hands-on class and floral-inspired luncheon with Olivier Giugni, the inspired French floral designer behind New York City’s L’Olivier Floral Atelier. $225 Members, $250 Nonmembers.
Master Class and Lunch with Ashley Woodson Bailey
Friday, April 8, 10:30 am, East Building, Studio 1
Hands-on “florography” class and floral-inspired luncheon with Ashley Woodson Bailey. Participants learn to create dramatic floral arrangements and save them forever using a smartphone with the Afterlight app in this floral-intensive photography class. $225 Members, $250 Nonmembers.
Master Class and Lunch with David Beahm
Saturday, April 9, 10:30 am, East Building, Studio 1
Hands-on class and floral-inspired luncheon with David Beahm, whose lavish floral creations are featured at some of the most luxurious and exclusive properties in the world. $225 Members, $250 Nonmembers.
Workshops
Workshop with Ann Marie Kennedy: Papermaking from the NCMA Landscape
Thursday, April 7, 2 pm, West Building Entry
Artist Ann Marie Kennedy guides participants through the papermaking process, incorporating plant materials she has gathered from the NCMA campus. $65 Members, $75 Nonmembers.
Ann Marie Kennedy of Raleigh is an installation artist and papermaker. She is a faculty member at Wake Technical Community College and a member of Bonded Llama Artists Studios. She has received a Visual Artists Fellowship and Regional Artist Project Grants from the North Carolina Arts Council. Kennedy received her MFA in Intermedia/Sculpture from the University of Iowa.
Workshop by the Triangle Bonsai Society: Bonsai for Beginners (SOLD OUT)
Saturday, April 9, 2 pm, West Building Entry
Participants create their own bonsai with the guidance of bonsai expert Harold Johnson and members of the Triangle Bonsai Society. $65 Members, $75 Nonmembers.
Harold Johnson of the Triangle Bonsai Society has immersed himself in the art form for more than 20 years. He has shared his bonsai in local, state, regional, and national arenas. A 10-day trip to Japan devoted to bonsai further expanded his knowledge of the craft. Johnson is a Durham County master gardener and hosts the radio program “Getting Dirty with Durham County Master Gardeners.”
Workshop by Escentuelle: Create a Personal Perfume
Sunday, April 10, 10:30 am, East Building, Studio 1
Create your own one-of-a-kind perfume with the guidance of Carolyn Hassett, owner of Escentuelle Signature Fragrance Creation using the highest-quality ingredients from Grasse, France. $100 Members, $115 Nonmembers.
Carolyn Hassett of Escentuelle Signature Fragrances in Cary has immersed herself in the art of scent for more than 15 years. Escentuelle is a certified distributor of Galimard, France’s oldest perfumery, founded in 1747.
Demonstrations
Demonstration by the Triangle Bonsai Society
Friday, April 8, 3 pm, West Building Lounge
Harold Johnson and the Triangle Bonsai Society demonstrate the steps of bonsai design. Free. No reservations required.
Family Activities
Origami and Paper Flower Art
Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, 10 am–4 pm (drop-in), Museum Plaza
Participants fold, crease, and transform paper into water lilies and other sculptural flowers. Free. No reservations required.
Scavenger Hunt
Thursday–Sunday, April 7–10, 10 am–5 pm (drop-in), West Building
Free with Art in Bloom admission. No reservations required. Visitors pick up a scavenger hunt card at the Information Desk in West Building, and follow the clues to find fragrant flowers and artful treasures in the galleries.
Family Tour
Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, 1 pm and 2 pm, West Building
Free with Art in Bloom admission. No reservations required. 45-minute interactive tour for kids ages 5–11 and their adult companions.
Parent-Child Floral Workshop with Cydney Davis English: Blooms and Brushstrokes
Sunday, April 10, 2 pm, East Building, Studio 1
Participants learn flower care while creating a floral design in pottery and making colorful connections between art and flowers using a vibrant palette inspired by works of art in the Museum’s collection. Appropriate for all ages and abilities. Extra fee applies for additional children. $25 Members, $35 Nonmembers.
Cydney Davis English of the English Garden Florist of Raleigh was winner of the People’s Choice Award at the inaugural Art in Bloom for her floral interpretation of Anselm Kiefer’s Untitled. The English Garden, founded in 2006, is a full-service floral studio specializing in daily deliveries, weddings, events, and classes.
Museum Store
Museum Store Tribute to Olivier Giugni
Thursday, April 7, 9 am−5 pm, West Building, Museum Store
Museum Store Trunk Show: Vintage Bee Honey
Friday, April 8, 11 am−2 pm, West Building, Museum Store
Museum Store Trunk Show: Lucia Shaw Sculptural Soaps
Saturday, April 9, 11 am−2 pm, West Building, Museum Store
Museum Store Trunk Show: Matthew’s Chocolates
Sunday, April 10, 11 am−2 pm, West Building, Museum Store
Tours
Public Docent Tours
Thursday–Sunday, April 7–10, Beginning every 30 minutes from 10:30 am to 2 pm
Each docent-led tour covers one portion of the exhibition. Take one or more tours to learn about the art that inspired the floral designs on display. Meet docents at designated points on the exhibition map. Free with paid admission to Art in Bloom. Space is limited; first come, first served. No reservations required.
Special Art in Bloom Friday Tour with the NCMA Contemporaries
Friday, April 8, Happy Hour at 6:30 pm, Tour at 7:30 pm
Young professionals are invited to mingle at the wine bar before enjoying a guided tour of Art in Bloom. Free with paid admission to Art in Bloom.
About the Festival
Organized by the North Carolina Museum of Art
Presenting sponsor: PNC Bank