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February Happenings

Mar23

At the February General Meeting, our club’s ” Artful Arrangers” presented floral interpretations of paintings by well-known artists.  Each arrangement was backed by a board displaying the painting and a photograph of the artist.  Arrangers gave an introduction to the artist, highlighting his or her life and style of painting, followed by insights on their floral creation and the accessories they chose to interpret their painting. 

 Membership enjoyed learning more about the artists, the paintings, the time periods, and details concerning choice of flowers, colors, accessories, containers, and the very different styles of arrangements.  

The Design Committee thanks Susan Canada for her hospitality and those members who volunteered to be an Artful Arranger this year, including Jill who interpreted Pablo Picasso for the refreshment table. 

–Ann and Connie, Design Committee

 

 Claude Monet, 1840-1926, Woman Reading or Springtime, 1872, interpreted by Betsy A. 

 

Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), At The Theater (Lydia Cassatt Leaning On Her Arms, Seated In A Loge), 1880, interpreted by Lynne B.

 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, (1841-1919), Dance at Bougival, 1883, interpreted by Carol C. 

  Diego Rivera (1886- 1957), Girl With Sunflowers, 1943, interpreted by Carole C

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), The Starry Night,1889, interpreted by Betsy V

 

Salvadore Dali, (1904-1984), Swans Reflecting Elephants, 1937, interpreted by Ann S

 

                                Jackson Pollock (1912-1956), No. 5, 1948, interpreted by Linda V     

                                                                                                                                        

 

 

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HORT MOMENT

Nov19

Ikebana Lessons for Our Gardens

Even if you do not aspire to make arrangements like the ones that Merle Schlesinger created before our eyes there is much to take away from her program.  Whether you draw out a design for your garden or (as is too often the case with me) wander around with pots of new plants in your arms trying to figure out where to put them, your garden will make you happier if you follow some of the ikebana principles.  Here are some I jotted down as Merle spoke:

  • Place your plants to encourage the eye to travel.  This is true whether you are planting a bowl of succulents or an acre.

  • Pay attention to negative space. The space between your plants is part of the design.

  • Plant in odd numbers and slightly off kilter.  Merle demonstrated this by creating a triangle with unequal sides. To use another example, if you are planting   a bunch  of daylily divisions place them in teardrop shape rather than a perfect circle.

  • Place plants with attention to mass, line, color (remember green counts as many colors), shape, and texture.

  • Keep in mind that a pleasing design has elements that advance and recede.  This effect can be created quite literally or more playfully with color and forced or false perspective.

  • With each of her designs Merle was careful to disguise her pin holder.  Similarly in the landscape it is usually a good idea to anchor specimen plants with underplantings.

  • Merle did not mention this but I noticed that she used repetition.

  • Finally, be sure to walk around and look at your garden from lots of angles, preferably with a glass of your favorite beverage.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         – Becky Mitchell

This entry was posted on November 19, 2016, in Club News and tagged .

Art in Bloom Show

Jun11

Art in BloomCome to the  Ogunquit Museum of American Art  4th annual “Art in Bloom” show!

 

Art in Bloom 2Floral designers from the Piscataqua Garden Club will create floral arrangements inspired by 15 paintings and sculptures from their permanent collection as well as from the current exhibition. “Art in Bloom” is open during regular Museum hours.

On Saturday, June 14, at 2 pm, is a floral design lecture entitled, “Interpreting Art with Flowers” by some of the arrangers who will explain the inspiration and thought process of their designs.

Also on Saturday from 11am to 2pm, Cape Neddick printmaker, photographer and OMAA docent, Linda Payne Sylvester, will be in the Shop at OMAA to showcase her floral prints.

Thanks to Mimi for sending this to us.

Remembrance

May22

Margery M. Heffron Book

Margery Heffron

Margery Heffron


 
 
 

Garden Club members who remember the wonderful Margery Heffron, who died all too soon in 2011, will be pleased to know that her biography of Louisa Catherine Adams, that she worked on for more than 30 years, has been published by Yale University Press. It has been greeted by glowing reviews in the New Yorker and in the both the daily and the Sunday New York Times, where it landed a spot on the coveted front page.  A review in the New York Review of Books is due out soon. It is exceedingly rare and a great honor for a book by an unknown author and an “independent scholar” to receive this kind of attention.

On Tuesday, June 3,  at 7 PM the Water Street Bookstore is hosting an event celebrating Margery’s achievement, “Two Admirable Women: Louisa Catherine Adams and her Biographer, the late Margery Heffron, Exeter Resident.”

~Becky M.