Bouquets to Art

de Young Museum \ June 5–11, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO — The Bay Area’s beloved floral fundraiser, Bouquets to Art, returns this June, celebrating fresh summer florals in conversation with the permanent collection and architecture of the de Young museum. Designed by more than 100 of the Bay Area’s most innovative and sought-after floral artists, and presenting 16 new florists, the botanical installations will transform the museum into a lush garden. Attendees will be welcomed in the museum’s Wilsey Court by Rooted, a whimsical large-scale aerial structure from beloved designer Patricia Gillespie of sharpstick studio. The exhibition will continue through the museum’s permanent-collection galleries, including the galleries devoted to the arts of Africa and Oceania displays - where dazzling floral installations inspired by the museum’s paintings, sculptures, objects, and architecture will be on view. Visitors will further experience lectures and book signings by international artists and authors during this one-week flora-vaganza. 

In its 39th year, Bouquets to Art launches on Monday, June 5, with its festive Opening Night Reception where guests have the opportunity to get an early look at the arrangements while enjoying both visual and culinary delights by McCalls Catering & Events. Attendees can also look forward to the return of live models exhibiting new floral fashions designed by students from City College of San Francisco.  

Throughout the week, the de Young will host a series of sophisticated lectures and programs by renowned floral experts from around the world. Featured program speakers include Louesa Roebuck, well-known for her collaborations with Vivienne Westwood, John Baldessari, Michelle Obama, Michael Pollan, and goop, and Gabriela Salazar, owner of La Musa de las Flores in Mexico City and featured in Vogue Italia, Martha Stewart Weddings, Architectural Digest, and more. In addition, visitors can participate in an on-site raffle for luxury goods and experiences.

To learn more about this year’s exciting Bouquets to Art programs, please see a full lineup of presented events below. 

Proceeds from Bouquets to Art raise crucial funds for exhibitions, conservation projects, and educational programs at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

Bouquets to Art is presented by the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums. Diane B. Wilsey is the Bouquets to Art Grand Patron, Lorna Meyer Calas is the Honorary Opening Preview Chair, and Diana Ekstrand and Karen Mohr are the Bouquets to Art Co-Chairs. Members-Only Viewing Hours will be available Wednesday–Thursday, June 7–8, 6–9 pm. Photography-free hours will take place Thursday, June 8, 3:30–5:15 pm, and Friday, June 9, 9:30 am–noon.

deyoungmuseum.org \ @deyoungmuseum \ #BouquetstoArt

Programming 

Bouquets to Art Opening Night

Monday, June 5, 5:30–10 pm \ de Young 

Enjoy food and drinks prepared by McCalls Catering & Events and experience fresh floral installations. Individual tickets start at $400; advance tickets required. Patron-level tables include early admission and reserved table seating.

Punk Ikebana with Louesa Roebuck

Tuesday, June 6, 2 pm \ Koret Auditorium, de Young

Come celebrate Bouquets to Art with the first program of the week! Step into summer and fresh perspective on ikebana with Louesa Roebuck. Tickets are $55, including gallery admission, live Q&A, and book signing.

The Garden and the Artistry of Floral Design with Gabriela Salazar 

Wednesday, June 7, 2 pm \ Koret Auditorium, de Young

Experience the soft, lush, and romantic floral musings of Gabriela Salazar. Tickets are $55, including gallery admission, live Q&A, and book signing.

Luxury-Prize Benefit Raffle
Tickets may be purchased on-site during Bouquets to Art week at the raffle desk in Wilsey Court. Support the Museums while taking a chance at winning great prizes. Raffle tickets are $20 per ticket; 6 tickets for $100; or “A Blooming Dozen”—13 tickets for $200.

Exhibition Organization
Grand Patron: Diane B. Wilsey. Honorary Opening Night Chair: Lorna Meyer Calas. Bouquets to Art Co-Chairs: Diana Ekstrand and Karen Mohr.

Lead Sponsor:

Major Sponsor: Native Bear Consulting, Chris and Janis Hoyt.

Generous Support: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Dodge & Cox and Price Family Dealerships.

Additional support: Sloat Garden Center.

Programs are supported by Misty W. Tyree and the San Francisco, Belvedere-Tiburon, East Bay, Hillsborough, and Ross Auxiliaries of the Fine Arts Museums. Bouquets to Art is presented by the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums. In-Kind Support: The Caviar Co., Equinox Winery, Freeman Winery, Junipero Gin, San Francisco Botanical Garden, See’s Candies, Sosie Wine, and Stargazer Barn.

Visiting
This year’s Bouquets to Art is June 6–11 at the de Young museum. Opening Night is on Monday, June 5. Exhibition viewing hours and admission take place Tuesday–Sunday, June 6–11, 9:30 am–5:15 pm. Members-Only Viewing Hours are Wednesday–Thursday, June 7–8, 6–9 pm; Photography-free hours take place Thursday, June 8, 3:30–5:15 pm, and Friday, June 9, 9:30 am–noon.

Ticketing
For adults, timed tickets are $40 and include admission to Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence and Ansel Adams in Our Time. Separate tickets are required for the lectures, raffle, and Opening Night. Prices are subject to change; more information is available at famsf.art/bouquets. 

Reservations for group tickets are available at groupsales@famsf.org. Information regarding group ticket sales is available here. Tickets to individual programs can be purchased online or by calling 415-750-3600. Tickets are currently available for members; tickets for the general public will be available May 10.

About the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, comprising the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, are the largest public arts institution in San Francisco.

The de Young museum originated from the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition in Golden Gate Park. The present copper-clad landmark building, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, opened in 2005. Reflecting an active conversation among cultures, perspectives, and time periods, the collections on view include American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the 17th to the 21st centuries; arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; costume and textile arts; and international modern and contemporary art. The Legion of Honor museum was modeled after the neoclassical Palais de la Légion d’Honneur in Paris. The museum, designed by George Applegarth, opened in 1924 on a bluff in Lincoln Park overlooking the Golden Gate. It offers unique insight into the art historical, political, and social movements of the previous 4,000 years of human history, with holdings including ancient art from the Mediterranean basin; European painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; and the largest collection of works on paper in the western United States.

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco respectfully acknowledge the Ramaytush Ohlone, the original inhabitants of what is now the San Francisco Peninsula, and acknowledge that the greater Bay Area is the ancestral territory of the Miwok, Yokuts, Patwin, and other Ohlone. Indigenous communities have lived in and moved through this place over hundreds of generations, and Indigenous peoples from many nations make their home in this region today. Please join us in recognizing and honoring their ancestors, descendants, elders, and communities.

Media Contact
Anisa Esmail \ aesmail@famsf.org \ 415-750-7632