SAN FRANCISCO (December 21, 2016)—Each spring, more than 120 of the Bay Area’s most innovative and sought-after floral designers breathe new life into the de Young’s permanent collection during Bouquets to Art. Now in its 33rd year, this highly anticipated event features a dazzling display of floral arrangements inspired by the de Young’s diverse collection of paintings, objects, and sculptures, as well as the architecture of the building. The weeklong exhibition and fund-raiser will take place from March 14 through 19, 2017. All proceeds from Bouquets to Art 2017 will benefit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

During the exhibition, the galleries will be adorned with elegant and elaborate arrangements, including a large-scale focal piece installed in Wilsey Court, the heart of the de Young museum. Throughout the week, stylish luncheons and pop-up discussions by internationally renowned guest speakers will complement the Bouquets to Art 2017 experience. This year’s guest speakers include Françoise Weeks of European Floral Design; Elizabeth Murray, author of Monet’s Passion; Stephen Wicks and Mark Welford of Bloomsbury Flowers; Ariella Chezar of Ariella Flowers; and Riccardo Benavides, founder of Ideas Event Styling. Visitors also can join an on-site raffle of luxury goods and services, and purchase bouquets from a Parisian-style flower cart sponsored by Stargazer Barn. Members-only viewing hours will be available Wednesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 8 p.m., and photography-free hours will take place Wednesday through Friday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

The weeklong exhibition launches on Monday, March 14, with Le Beau Jardin—an opening gala inspired by French culture, where guests will enjoy the first viewing of the exhibition. Les Copains D’Abord will provide the evening’s entertainment. Throughout the evening, models will stroll through the reception museum wearing ensembles created entirely from fresh flowers, designed by students from City College of San Francisco. Diane B. Wilsey is the Bouquets to Art Grand Patron, Lorna Meyer Calas is Honorary Gala Chair, Lonna Wais is Exhibit and Floral Fashions Partner, and Molly Wadhwani is Bouquets to Art Ambassador.

33 Years of Bouquets to Art
Over the last 33 years, this beloved 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

2017 Schedule of Events

Monday, March 13
Opening Night Gala and Preview
During this first opportunity to view the exhibition, guests will enjoy French-inspired fare and cocktails by McCalls Catering & Events, live entertainment by Les Copains D’Abord, and floral fashions created by City College of San Francisco students.
7–10 p.m. (5:30 p.m. entry available) \ Advance tickets required

Tuesday, March 14
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 \ $85

Lecture: Textural Woodlands and Botanical Haute Couture by Françoise Weeks
A combination of creativity and mechanical ingenuity, Françoise Weeks’s signature style invoking an array of woodland elements and couture botanicals has garnered a global following. Her distinctive creations—which use moss, lichens, bark, and forest floor gatherings—expand the way we think about flowers.
2 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $50

Wednesday, March 15
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

Photography-Free Hours
9:30 a.m.–noon

Lecture: A Passion for Monet by Elizabeth Murray
Elizabeth Murray is known around the world for her 33 years of photographing and helping to restore Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France. Murray will share photos of Monet, images of his paintings, horticultural information about his seasonal gardens, and the color theories he applied to canvas and cultivation. Murray is the author of Monet’s Passion: Ideas, Inspiration, and Insights from the Painter’s Gardens.
10 a.m. \ Tickets required \ $50

Elegant Catered Luncheon
Guests will enjoy a luncheon catered by McCalls Catering & Events. Gallery admission included.
12:15 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $85

Lecture: From Ballet to Blooms by Stephen Wicks and Mark Welford, Bloomsbury Flowers
When they made the leap from the Royal Ballet to the floral business, Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks retained their sense of the theatrical. Their presentation draws on parallels between the worlds of ballet and flowers, and shares techniques from their most recent book, Simple Flower Arranging.
2 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $50

Member Viewing Hours
6–8 p.m.

Thursday, March 16
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

Photography-Free Hours
9:30 a.m.–noon

Lecture and Floral Display: Cultivating a Natural Aesthetic—Lush, Loose, Organic Spring Bouquets by Ariella Chezar
Ariella Chezar’s floral designs intertwine color, nature, and style to stunning effect, earning them placement in elegant spaces across the country—including the White House. Chezar is the author of two best-selling books, Flowers for the Table and The Floral Workshop. She and her husband operate Zonneveld Farm in New York, where they harvest sustainably grown flowers for her spectacular creations.
10 a.m. \ Tickets required \ $50

Elegant Catered Luncheon
Guests will enjoy a luncheon catered by McCalls Catering & Events. Gallery admission included.
12:15 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $85

Lecture: Transforming Spaces—Lessons from a Dream-maker Event Planner by Riccardo Benavides
Riccardo Benavides shares event-planning secrets spanning from inspiration to implementation, including dramatic entrances and unforgettable guest experiences. He is the mastermind behind gala events for the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute in New York City, the San Francisco Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, the de Young Museum, and many others.
2 p.m. \ Tickets required \ $50

Member Viewing Hours
6–8 p.m.

Friday, March 17
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

Photography-Free Hours
9:30 a.m.–noon

Saturday, March 18
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

Sunday, March 19
Floral Exhibits
9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

Exhibition Organization
Bouquets to Art 2017 is presented by the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums. Additional support is provided by BOS; Dodge & Cox; Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards; Foxtail Catering; Hafner Vineyard; Eileen Holl; Barbara Johnson; Cristina and Robert Morris; RSM US LLP; San Francisco Garden Club; Sloat Garden Center; Stargazer Barn; Kate and John Sullivan; and the Belvedere-Tiburon, East Bay, Hillsborough, and Ross Auxiliaries 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. Prices are 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 & de Meuron, opened in October 2005. It showcases the institution’s significant collections of American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the 17th to the 21st 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
Miriam Newcomer \ mnewcomer@famsf.org \ 415.750.3554

Joyce Alcantara \ jalcantara@famsf.org \ 415.750.2636