SAN FRANCISCO (December 13, 2017)—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 34th year, this highly anticipated weeklong 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 event and fund-raiser will take place from March 13 through March 18, 2018. All proceeds from Bouquets to Art will benefit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

During the event, the galleries will be adorned with elegant and elaborate arrangements, including a large hanging aerial piece by local favorite Ornamento taking over Wilsey Court, the heart of the de Young museum. While the galleries are blooming, the de Young hosts a series of stylish luncheons, lectures, and pop-up discussions by renowned floral experts and tastemakers from around the world.

The weeklong event launches on Monday, March 12, with an opening gala where guests will enjoy the first viewing of the arrangements. Throughout the evening, models wearing ensembles created entirely from fresh flowers, designed by students from City College of San Francisco, will stroll through the museum. Diane B. Wilsey is the Bouquets to Art Grand Patron, Lorna Meyer Calas is Honorary Gala Chair, and Lonna Wais is Exhibit and Floral Fashions Partner. Members-only viewing hours will be available Wednesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 8 pm, and photography-free hours will take place Friday morning from 9:30 am to noon.

Thirty-Four Years of Bouquets to Art
Over the past 34 years, this beloved event—presented by the volunteer members of the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums—has drawn nearly 800,000 visitors, with net proceeds of over $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.

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SPEAKER LINEUP

Flower Speak—Discovering the Meaning of Flowers
Tuesday, March 13, 2 pm

Shane Connolly returns to kick off the 2018 speaker series. Author of the newly released book The Language of Flowers, Connolly will discuss how he incorporates flowers that express meaning into everything from Kate Middleton’s wedding bouquet to flowers for the home. Shane Connolly & Company has been creating timeless, artisanal floral arrangements and decorations for over 25 years.

Flowers, Untamed
Wednesday, March 14, 10 am

Emily Thompson describes her designs as “wildly beautiful things” that celebrate the natural world. She seeks out rare, ill-used, and unlikely flowers, seed pods, branches, and undergrowth to achieve design that creates desire for the obscure. Her clients include major museums, magazines, high-end retailers, chic restaurants, and the Obama White House, where she spent a week as a guest designer of the Holidays at the White House event.

Order and Chaos: Apollo and Dionysus in the French Garden
Wednesday, March 14, 2 pm

The melding of French classical symmetry with asymmetrical British landscape led to the modern Parisian park, forming a new urban infrastructure. Author, curator, and architecture and design editor Zahid Sardar will show examples from his new book, In & Out of Paris: Gardens of Secret Delights, featuring historic estates such as Vaux-le-Vicomte and Versailles.

Reclaiming the Past: Old-World Florals for Today
Thursday, March 15, 10 am

Since founding Tulipina in 2011, Kiana Underwood has quickly become recognized as one of the top floral designers in the world. She is distinguished as a floral artist and teacher with her signature garden-style designs that pop with color and texture. Underwood’s work can be seen in the New York Times, Brides, Elle Décor, Marie Claire, Flower Magazine, French Country Style, Luxe Interiors, California Homes, Veranda, Livingly, Town and Country, and other publications.

Making Midcentury Modern
Thursday, March 15, 6 pm

Christopher Kennedy has emerged as one of the nation’s freshest voices in home furnishings and interior design. Working from his studio and shop in Palm Springs, his name has become synonymous with jet-set modern luxury and vibrant California glamour. Kennedy’s work and products have captured the attention of such leading publications as Architectural Digest, Dwell, Elle Décor, and the Los Angeles Times. Kennedy will share foolproof tips from his book, Making Midcentury Modern, for introducing modernist design into a contemporary home.

Tickets for events and programs go on sale January 2, 2018.

Event Organization
Bouquets to Art is presented by the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums. Additional support provided by Baccarat; B|O|S; Dodge & Cox; Gump’s; Kilroy Realty Corporation; Northern Trust; Merrill Lynch Private Banking & Investment Group; RSM US LLP; Sloat Garden Center; Skyline Flowers; Stargazer Barn; the Belvedere-Tiburon Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums; the East Bay Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums; the 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, CA 94118
Open Tuesdays–Sundays, 9:30 am–5:15 pm. Open select holidays; closed most Mondays.

Tickets
For adults, tickets are $28 and include general admission; discounts are available for seniors, students, and youths. Members and children five and under are free. Special tickets are required for lectures, luncheons, and the Bouquets to Art Gala. 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.

Media Contact
Miriam Newcomer, Director of Public Relations \ mnewcomer@famsf.org \ 415.750.3554