Fine Arts & Flowers will return to the galleries of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Oct. 24-28. This fall’s exhibition will be the event’s 11th staging, combining painting, sculptures and other works of art in the museum’s permanent collection with unique interpretations in flowers and foliage.
Floral designers from more than 75 garden clubs across Virginia will create arrangements that interpret masterworks of art with a fresh eye to beauty and meaning. The participants are members of Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, the Garden Club of Virginia, and Garden Clubs of Virginia. Admission to Fine Arts & Flowers and the museum’s permanent collection is free.
Lectures and other special events will accompany the exhibition. On Thursday, Oct. 25, Vermont-born Emily Thompson will demonstrate her New England-to-New York-inspired style, both naturalistic and sophisticated, in a presentation titled “The White House: Christmas Designs Inspired by Nature.”
Thompson designs in Brooklyn and was chosen to create floral designs for the White House during the 2011 holiday season. She earned an MFA in sculpture from UCLA and discovered her medium of flowers after working in a floral shop during a school break.
On Friday, Oct. 26, Jane Godshalk will discuss “Designing through Time: Historical Designs Reinterpreted.” After earning an MBA in organizational behavior, Godshalk discovered her true passion was floral design. She teaches at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and has been honored by the American Horticultural Society for contributions to floral design education.
Fine Arts & Flowers begins Wednesday, Oct. 24, with the gala preview, An Evening of Petals and Glass, which provides ticket-holders with the first look at the art-and-flower pairings as well as hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Guests also will have access to the banner exhibition Chihuly at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, featuring works by international glass artist Dale Chihuly, opening Oct. 20.
A number of special events will augment the lectures. Seated luncheons in the Marble Hall will follow the lectures Thursday and Friday.
Flowers After Hours on Friday, Oct. 26, invites guests to enjoy an evening of wine tasting and music by Susan Greenbaum along with the exhibition. Saturday’s luncheon, Flowers in Fashion, will feature clothing designed and modeled by fashion design students at Virginia Commonwealth University.
New this year, Edible Flowers will provide an afternoon of wine, floral teas and food, including edible flowers. VMFA’s chef de cuisine, Greg Haley, will demonstrate how to prepare this fare on Thursday, Oct. 25.
Fine Arts & Flowers is presented byThe Council of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Proceeds from this year’s event will be used for programming, beautification and maintenance of E. Claiborne and Lora Robins Sculpture Garden. In 2010, Fine Arts & Flowers raised more than $120,000 to enhance the museum’s Art Education Center.
Strange’s Florists, Greenhouses and Garden Centers is the official supplier of flowers and plant material.
To purchase tickets, visit www.vmfa.museum/faf for a complete schedule and ticket prices. Tickets are also available at VMFA’s ticket desk, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, or by calling 804.340.1405.
Exhibitors
Name, Work of art to be interpreted, Hometown, Contact
Karen Abramson, For 30 Years Next to His Heart, Sue Williamson, Alexandria, 703.548.4827
Jill Beach, Pallas and Arachne, Peter Paul Rubens, Waterford, 540.882.3355
Susan S. Bradshaw, Western Eagle, Red Grooms, Mechanicsville, 804.363.4252
Laura Anne Brooks, Set of Four Flowers, Chinese, King William, 804.769.2248
Diane Burgess, Self portrait, Alex Katz, Rockville, 804.749.8218
Elizabeth Burgess, Ritual crown, Nepalese, Henrico, 804.360.4006
Pauline Butcher, St. Denis, French, Standardsville, 434.985.6133
Jeanette Cadwallender, Seated Mother and Child, African, Fredericksburg, 540.373.7210
Lu Cavallaro, Sarcophagus, Asiatic, Richmond, 804.288.4945
Genny Chase, Ocean Park No. 22, Richard Diebenkorn, Weems, 804.438.5560
Myrna F. Clark, Madonna and Child, Italian, Appomattox, 434.352.8915
Renie Coleman, A Barbary Antelope and a Black Swan, George Garrard, Lynchburg, 434.384.3224
Jinx Constine, Caesar Reading the History of Alexander’s Exploits , Richmond, 804.288.4945
Di Cook, Still Life with Oysters, Paul Gauguin, Leesburg, 703.777.1424
Margaret Craft, Fireplace Screen, Paul Ranson, Wise, 276.328.5182
Doris Crowell, Figure of a Donor, Indian, Chester, 804.748.2961
Gloria Crump, Sample Slab, Tiffany Studios, Mount Crawford, 540.234.9300
Jane Denton, The Dining Room, Pierre Bonnard, Weems, 804.435.6877
Barbara Dillard, Mirror, Gustave Miklos, Midlothian, 804.794.5886
Dody Douglas, Street in Sannois, Maurice Utrillo, Heathsville, 804.580.4566
Rebecca Elston, Seated Figure, Mexican, Heathsville, 804.580.6713
Jean Fender, Chi-wara Headdress, African, Hanover, 804.730.2256
Terry Fields, Claustral, Morris Louis Chesterfield 804.271.4444
Rosemary Francis, Black Figured Amphora, attributed to Painter of Group E, Roanoke, 540.985.9503
Judy Ann Fray, Pine Grove, George Inness, Madison, 540.948.4220
Betty Ann Galway, Battle on a Bridge, Claude Gellle, Virginia Beach, 757.441.5630
Liz Savage Goffigon, The Artist’s Son, Jean, Pierre Auguste Renoir Cape Charles 757.331.4662
Kay Gray, Interior of the Church of St. Laurens, Rotterdam, Anthonie De Lorme, Richmond, 804.320.1379
Darlene Halvorsen, Neapolitan Fisher Boy, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, Virginia Beach, 757.490.4529
Ada Harvey, Greenwich Villagers, Milton Avery, Somerset, 540.661.0370
Robert A. Henkel, Pair of Sofas, John H. Belter, Blackstone, 434.292.5967
Judy Hodges, Garden Pavilion, Indian, New Canton, 434.581.1547
Kathy Holiday, At the Races: Before the Start, Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas, Winchester, 540.869.9771
Barbara D. Hollister, Louis XIV crowned by Goddess of Victory, Adam Frans van der Meulen, Mosely, 804.739.3760
Therese Iverson, Bed, Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Keswick, 434.295.2257
Kathy Klein, Number 15, 1948, Jackson Pollock, Gloucester, 804.693.5629
Louise LaBarca, Abduction of a Sabine Woman, Giovan Francesco Susini, Front Royal, 540.635.1617
Rita Leiser, St. Mary Magdalene Renouncing the Wordly Life, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Vinton, 540.890.3006
Dawn Lerch, Punchbowl Set, T.G. Hawkes & Company, Midlothian, 804.379.0319
Anne Lewis, King’s Beaded Robe, African, White Stone, 804.435.2071
Agnes Lipscomb, Cape Ann, Ernest Lawson, Richmond, 804.358.2926
Linda MacIlwaine, The Country, Andrew Wyeth, Charlottesville, 434.979.7574
Nancy Lee Martin, 1956, No. 1, Clifford Still, Mechanicsville, 804.241.4091
Mary Ann May, Salle, David Goodbye, Jeffersonton, 540.334.1603
Carol Medlin, Mt. Jefferson, Pinkham Notch, Jasper Francis Cropsey, Heathsville, 804.580.2022
Barabara Meeh, Tabouret, French, Culpeper, 540.825.6610
Ann Milliman, There, Jake Berthot, Williamsburg, 757.220.9319
Janet Minock, Abstract Painting, Gerhard Richter, Glen Allen, 804.360.5217
Doris Morris, Isle of Shoals, Childe Hassam, Midlothian, 804.379.7584
Grace L. Morris, Baccante and Infant Fawn, Frederick Macmonnies, Fisherville, 540.886.0229
Ann Murchinsom, Alexander Harrison, Cecilia Beaux X, Lexington, 540.463.6545
Mary E. Owen, Lusterware Charger, Valencia Manises, Fork Union, 434.842.3830
Ann Palmore, A Family of Spanish Poachers, Gustave Dore, Ashland, 804.752.6630
Caroline Parrish, Torso, Arman Fanandez, Viewtown, 540.937.5160
Patricia Pereya, Charger, Walter Crane, Chesapeake, 757.271.8715
Connie Ramsey, Irises on the Pond, Claude Monet, Petersburg, 804.733.3763
Jean Ray, Negative Optic Electric Force, Positive Optic Electric Force, Alfred Jensen, Mechanicsville, 804.730.7255
Dorothy Reese, Vase, Grueby Faience Compan, Charlottesville, 434.973.1512
Susan Robertson & Brenda Cain, Dancer at Rest, Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas, Richmond, 804.288.0025
Linda Schlesinger, Writing desk, Indian, Fairfax, 703.278.8299
Jean Shakelford, The Dock at La Viette, Stanislas Lepine, Portsmouth, 757.484.5367
Jennifer Sisk, Fly Whisk, Indian, Richmond, 804.285.4525
Marguerite Slaughter, Mill Reef, John R. Skeaping, Reedville, 804.453.5014
Laraine M. Smith, Flight of Europa, Paul Manship, Petersburg, 804.732.6083
Patricia Smith, Books and Scholars’ Objects, Korean, Saltville, 276.496.4505
William C. Smoot, Stag Brought Down by Two Greyhounds, Antoine-Louis Barye, Portsmouth, 757.393.4617
Jean Stanton, Nature, Alphonse Mucha, Chesterfield, 804.739.5550
Valerie Story, Hebe, Paul Storr, Warrenton, 540.349.2348
Rhonda Sutton, Hunting Reed Birds, Thomas Eakins, Richmond, 804.285.5667
Bridgette Swepston, Untitled, Robert Morris, Powhatan, 804.598.7894
Linda Taylor, Statue of Senkamanisken, King of Kush, Egyptian, Sperryville, 540.987.3100
Marie Thomas, Mirror with 3-light Source, American, Staunton, 540.886.8062
Gayle Turner, Family Portrait, Robert Gwathmey, Richmond, 804.353.4158
Jeannie N. Turner, 2-panel Screen, Japanese, Charlottesville, 434.293.4137
Jane Van Denburgh, Serpent mask, African, Mechanicsville, 804.723.4214
Mary Westfall, Embroidered floor spread, Indian, Portsmouth, 757.484.6193
Gabriele Wickens, Poppies and Morning Glories, Sakai Hoitsu, Middleburg, 540.687.6206
Robin Williams, Ginger Jar, Anthony Nelme, Richmond, 804.755.7742
Images are available via the following link:
https://vmfa.box.com/s/d517331ac9495203e015
About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
With a collection of art that spans the globe and more than 5,000 years, plus a wide array of special exhibitions, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is recognized as one of the top comprehensive art museums in the United States. The museum’s permanent collection encompasses more than 23,000 works of art, including the largest public collection of Fabergé outside Russia and one of the nation’s finest collections of American Art, Art Nouveau and Art Deco. VMFA is home to acclaimed collections of English Silver and Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, British Sporting and Modern and Contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan and African art. In May 2010, VMFA opened its doors to the public after a transformative expansion, the largest in its 75-year history. Programs include educational activities and studio classes for all ages, plus fun after-hours events. VMFA’s Statewide Partnership program includes traveling exhibitions, artist and teacher workshops, and lectures across the Commonwealth. VMFA is open 365 days a year and general admission is always free. For additional information, telephone 804.340.1400 or visit www.vmfa.museum.
