SAN FRANCISCO (January 7, 2016)—More than 125 of the Bay Area’s most innovative and sought after floral designers return to the de Young for Bouquets to Art 2016, the annual week-long exhibition in which local designers create spectacular works of floral art in response to pieces in the museum’s permanent collection and the architecture of the building.
This year’s guest speakers include: author India Hicks, Danielle Hahn of Rose Story Farm, Occasion! founder and CEO Annette Kunz, designer-author Carolyne Roehm and San Francisco Cottages & Gardens editor-in-chief Alisa Carroll-who will moderate a panel with Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers and Allison Futeral of Crimson Horticultural. Now in its 32nd year, Bouquets to Art will take place over six days between April 5 and 10.
Arrangements range from the strikingly simple to the elaborately intricate, including a large installation in Wilsey Court by Oakland’s Sharpstick Studios, who are celebrating their 7th year as participants. This year, floral designers will also draw inspiration from the special exhibition Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective, the world premiere survey of the late designer’s work on view at the de Young from March 12–May 30.
Bouquets to Art 2016 launches Monday, April 4, with an opening night gala and preview. The evening will be catered by McCalls Catering & Events, feature live music from Oyé Events and allow for the first viewing of the floral arrangements. Diane B. Wilsey will serve as the Grand Patron, Lorna Meyer Calas as Honorary Gala Chair, and Lonna Wais as Exhibit and Floral Fashions Partner. On gala night, models will stroll through the museum wearing gowns and accessories created entirely from fresh flowers and designed by students from City College of San Francisco.
Catered luncheons and pop-up discussions by floral designers will be held throughout the week, while an onsite raffle of luxury goods and services will conclude with a drawing on Saturday afternoon. All proceeds from Bouquets to Art 2016 benefit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Members-only viewing hours will be available Wednesday and Thursday nights from 6–8 p.m. and photography-free hours will take place on Friday from 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
32 Years of Bouquets to Art
In the 32 years since its inception, this popular and much anticipated event presented by the volunteer members of the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums has drawn nearly 750,000 visitors, with net proceeds nearing $6 million. Funds from Bouquets to Art help underwrite special exhibitions, conservation projects and educational programs at the Legion of Honor and the de Young.
deyoungmuseum.org \ @deyoungmuseum \ #bouquetstoart
2016 Schedule of Events
Monday, April 4
Opening Night Gala and Preview
This first opportunity to view the stunning floral displays will feature food and cocktails by McCalls Catering & Events, live entertainment by Oyé Events and models wearing floral fashions created by City College of San Francisco students.
7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. (with 5:30 p.m. entry available) \ Advance tickets required
Tuesday, April 5*
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Elegant Catered Luncheon
Guests will enjoy a luncheon catered by McCalls Catering & Events. Gallery admission included.
12:15 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $80
Lecture: Island Style: A Combination of Traditional British Past and Richly Flavored Caribbean Present by India Hicks
Designer, author, entrepreneur and adventurer India Hicks is the embodiment of Island Style. During this hour-long lecture, Hicks will share tips on how to incorporate different styles for beautiful living. A signing of her book, India Hicks: Island Style, will follow the lecture. Gallery admission included.
1:30 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $45
*due to Bouquets to Art, non-member general admission will not be free on April 5. Free Tuesday resumes May 3.
Wednesday, April 6
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Lecture and Floral Display: Roses, Roses, Roses by Danielle Hahn
Danielle and Bill Hahn opened Rose Story Farm nearly two decades ago. Today they feature more than 25,000 plants at their farm near Santa Barbara. Hahn will present a thorough overview on the history of roses and share tips for working with them. Gallery admission included.
10:30 a.m. \ Tickets required \ $45
Elegant Catered Luncheon
Guests will enjoy a luncheon catered by McCalls Catering & Events. Gallery admission included.
12:15 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $80
Lecture and Floral Demonstration: Vase or no Vase: Captivating Techniques in Armature Design Annette Kunz
Occasion! founder and CEO Annette Kunz’s floral designs have appeared in books, magazines, newspapers and on television. A student of cutting-edge design she will demonstrate how armature design can add sculptural and textural attributes to floral arrangements. Gallery admission included.
1:30 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $45
Member Viewing Hours
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 7
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Lecture: Capturing Beauty by Carolyne Roehm
Over four decades, Carolyne Roehm’s career has spanned the worlds of fashion, gardening, entertaining, publishing and decorative arts. Mentored by Oscar de la Renta, she worked alongside the couture giant for ten years before launching her own fashion house. Roehm will speak on the latest of her twelve books, At Home in the Garden. A book signing of the newly launched, Carolyne Roehm at Home and in the Garden, will follow the lecture. Gallery admission included.
10:30 a.m. \ Tickets required \ $45
Elegant Catered Luncheon
Guests will enjoy a luncheon catered by McCalls Catering & Events. Gallery admission included.
12:15 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $80
Conversation and Floral Display: The New Bloom, San Francisco’s Next Generation of Leading Florists by Alisa Carroll
San Francisco Cottages and Gardens Editor-in-Chief Alisa Carroll will lead a conversation with two next generation florists: Allison Futeral, founder of Crimson Horticulture and Christina Stembel, founder of Farmgirl Flowers. The panel will explore how trendsetters and new techniques are redefining the future of floral design. Gallery admission included.
1:30 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $45
Member Viewing Hours
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Friday, April 8
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Photography-Free Hours
9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 9
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Sunday, April 10
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Exhibition Organization
Bouquets to Art 2016 is presented by the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums. Additional support is provided by Sun Valley Floral Farms, San Francisco Flower Mart, Cal Flowers, Nina McLemore, Dodge and Cox, Sloat Garden, Burberry, Belvedere-Tiburon Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums, East Bay Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums, Hillsborough Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums and the Ross Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums.
Visiting \ de Young
Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco Open 9:30 a.m.– 5:15 p.m. Tuesdays–Sundays. Open select holidays; closed most Mondays.
Tickets
For adults, tickets start at $25 and include general admission; discounts are available for seniors, students, and youths. Members and children five and under are free. For an additional $5, visitors can upgrade their ticket to see the special exhibition, Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective. Prices subject to change, more information is available at deyoungmuseum.org.
Reservations for group tickets are available at groupsales@famsf.org.
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 originated from the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition and was established as the Memorial Museum. Thirty years later, it was renamed in honor of Michael H. de Young, a longtime champion of the museum. The present copper-clad landmark building, designed by Herzog and de Meuron, opened in October 2005. It showcases the institution’s significant collections of American painting, sculpture and decorative arts from the seventeenth to the twenty-first centuries; art from Africa, Oceania and the Americas; costume and textile arts; and international modern and contemporary art.
The Legion of Honor was inspired by the French pavilion, a replica of the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur in Paris, at San Francisco’s Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915. The museum opened in 1924 in the Beaux Arts–style building designed by George Applegarth on a bluff overlooking the Golden Gate. Its holdings span 4,000 years and include European painting, sculpture and decorative arts; ancient art from the Mediterranean basin; and the largest collection of works on paper in the American West.
Media Contacts
Erin Garcia \ egarcia@famsf.org \ 415.750.8904
Miriam Newcomer \ mnewcomer@famsf.org \ 415.750.3554