Innholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2016 i Flower

Flower|March/April 2016

In art, as in life, it’s best to hold things loosely.

It’s when we color outside the lines that we often find the magic. You break a crystal vase, and while casting about for a replacement, spy a humble toile-patterned pencil holder that ends up being just the thing to showcase those sweet peas. You’ve lost the crystal vase, but gained a whole new perspective on office supplies. This issue is filled with people who’ve followed their muses and pushed boundaries, with wondrous results. The main characters in our Bloomsbury story were true iconoclasts and flower lovers in the bargain. “Vanessa [Bell] and Duncan [Grant] couldn’t resist putting their own artistic touches on any house regardless of how long or short their stay might be,” says Darren Clarke, the head curator at Charleston, their former home in Sussex, England. What began…

2 min

Flower|March/April 2016

branching out

branches are the architecture of any arrangement, providing structure, height, grace, and balance. You can use branches on their own when you want to make a big impression in a large space—a church nave, for example, or a high-ceilinged room. Their impact can be so dramatic that the space requires nothing more. Arboreal possibilities are limitless, depending on the season. Throughout the year, the copper beech, with its deep burgundy leaves, is particularly grand, while the delicate weeping willow provides curves and wisp. For fall, search out branches of winged euonymus, which turns red in autumn, or forsythia, whose leaves turn a dark maroon. Viburnum leaves become purple and often have upright berries. In the winter, delight in the stark beauty of white pine. Flowering trees and shrubs offer their…

2 min

Flower|March/April 2016

Cindy’s Signature

The piece that makes my heart beat faster … an 18th-century Italian commode that I have owned for 30 years and that still thrills me. Favorite flower … peonies, lilacs, and gardenias—they trigger memories of my childhood and beloved mother. My good friend and floral designer Jay Lugibihl from In Bloom always does natural, inspired arrangements that look like they came straight from the garden. (inbloomltd.com) What floors me … an Oushak rug that has a softness and muted color palette. They’re forgiving, wear beautifully, and are easy to take care of. Fabrics I love … natural wools, linens, and cottons in solid colors with interesting textures. I do have a weakness for silk velvets and over-the-top cut velvets by Sabina Fay Braxton from Paris. For a classic English print,…

1 min

Flower|March/April 2016

A MODERN TAKE ON BOTANICAL DRAWINGS

The bold sensuality of Christian Brechneff’s black-and-white flowers is an unexpected approach to rendering colorful, delicate blossoms. Even while his technique for applying ink requires remarkable control, the end result is free and flowing, as though a light breeze nudges the petals. He readily admits that his work has grown through studio mishaps and impulsive exploration. It just may be that the irrepressible optimism and improvisation of the artist are a big part of what enchants us in his art. Drawing is at the heart of Brechneff’s work. With black ink on paper and deep blue-black oil on canvas he delineates clear forms and lines. He has developed a sensitive, difficult technique of drawing with a medical laboratory pipette that looks and functions like an eyedropper. Explaining his devotion to…

4 min

Flower|March/April 2016

Cathy Kincaid

The renowned Dallas decorator’s rooms in a client’s “traditional, English chintzy house,” as she calls it, serve as sumptuous counterparts to Bows & Arrows’ garden-style arrangements. Here, Kincaid shares a few of her floral favorites. FLOWER … Roses. On my seventh birthday, my mother had to cancel my party because I had the measles. So the mothers of all my friends brought me roses from their gardens. I had these little vases of roses all over the house. To this day, whenever I smell them I’m reminded of how they lifted my spirits as a little girl. FABRICS … Robert Kime, for the interesting colorways; Pierre Frey, for the Indian-style prints; and Penny Morrison, when I want a more contemporary look. GARDEN SHOP … Thompson & Hanson in Houston is…

1 min

Flower|March/April 2016

oscar de la renta

OSCAR DE LA RENTA WAS a lifelong gardener whose passion for all things horticultural began at a young age, when he was given a small area to plant and tend at his childhood home in the Dominican Republic. Growing up he was surrounded by the vibrant colors and sweet fragrances of hibiscus, tuberose, and ylang-ylang that flourished in the bright sunlight of his tropical surroundings. Much later he was renowned for the gardens he created at his homes in the Dominican Republic and Connecticut, the latter where he created a more formal landscape in perfect harmony with natural vistas. “Gardeners and couturiers possess many of the same talents,” his friend Rosemary Verey wrote with de la Renta in mind, “imagination, knowledge, and industry. Both know which colors shock or coordinate,…

2 min

Flower|March/April 2016

Demure little wallflowers? wNot a chance.

For more information, see Sources, page 84.…

1 min

Flower|March/April 2016

what’s coming up

NEW YORK, NEW YORK The Orchid Show February 27 – April 17 nybg.org WASHINGTON, D.C. National Cherry Blossom Festival March 20 – April 17 nationalcherryblossomfestival.org LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY Bluegrass Trust Antiques Show March 4 – 6 bgtantiquesandgardenshow.org PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia Flower Show March 5 – 13 theflowershow.com SAVANNAH, GEORGIA Savannah Tour of Homes & Gardens March 31 – April 3 savannahtourofhomes.org RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA Art in Bloom April 7 – 10 ncartmuseum.org SONOMA, CALIFORNIA Bubbles & Blooms April 9 gloriaferrer.com GLENCOE, ILLINOIS Antiques, Garden & Design Show April 15 – 17 chicagobotanic.org MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Memphis Flower Show April 15 – 17 dixon.org indicates flower is attending or sponsoring the event. For more events, visit flowermag.com.…

1 min

Flower|March/April 2016

How to Edit a Branch Arrangement

1| Using pruning shears or scissors, trim the leaves on each bough to expose the structure of the branch. If using a fruited bough, for example, the goal is to reveal the fruit. Therefore, you should trim off any leaves that get in the way. Sometimes, you want to show only the fruit, especially with a particularly exotic, gnarly branch. Other times, you want to keep some leaves if they add to the overall look of the arrangement. If using a branch for its colorful leaves, simply thin the leaves so the best ones stand out. If your goal is to reveal only seedpods, then all leaves must go. 2 |Trim off any dead or discolored twigs, foliage, or fruit. 3 |Trim the bottom of the branches, and cut an…

2 min

Flower|March/April 2016

lindley + joseph

Wanting a laid-back yet upscale atmosphere for their garden wedding, Washington, D.C., couple Lindley and Joseph were married at the Italian-inspired Laguna Gloria location of the Contemporary Austin museum in Texas. Modern and classic elements combined for an elegant affair that came alive with vibrant jewel tones. For more information, see Sources, page 84.…

1 min

Flower|March/April 2016

THE BLOOMSBURY SET AT CHARLESTON

“It’s so Divine herenow one can’t bear leaving… The garden is full of dahlias and red admirals and one can sit out all day if one likes,” wrote painter Vanessa Bell, describing to her close friend art critic Roger Fry the scene at Charleston farmhouse in September 1926. But a decade earlier, when she first laid eyes on the ramshackle country digs and its mostly mud-filled walled garden in Sussex, England, the picture was less rosy. Bell hadn’t planned to remain long-term and certainly would never have imagined that a century later throngs of design enthusiasts would continue to trek to Charleston to take inspiration from the rooms and gardens she created with her companion, artist Duncan Grant. Bell, sister of writer Virginia Woolf, was part of the Bloomsbury group,…

6 min

Flower|March/April 2016

OLD FLORIDA Flair

THESE DAYS BRIDES PLANNING THEIR WEDDINGS are encouraged to think differently. Thanks to a booming industry that has made this most ancient custom endlessly customizable, there is now as much pressure for a bride to make her wedding unique as there is for her to find the right dress. Destination weddings seem de rigueur; personal preference is premium. Welcome to the age of bridal bespoke, all of which makes Frances Sorgini’s West Palm Beach wedding to Jay Lockwood especially refreshing. While so many brides opt to branch out, Frances embraced her roots. A fourth-generation West Palm Beach native, the bride knew she wanted to marry in her hometown and showcase what she calls “old Florida flair.” The couple’s save-the-date card set the tone: a vintage-style wreath of oranges and orange…

5 min

Flower|March/April 2016

sources

Prices are subject to change. Any items not listed are unknown. CONTAIN YOURSELF PAGES 11-13 Interior Design: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Heather Chadduck Interiors & Decoration, 214.215.4260, heatherchadduck.com, heatherchadducktextiles.com. PAGE 12 Drapery: Hollywood at Home Indian Bedcover in dark indigo with white, $1,495, 310.273.6200, hollywoodathome.com. Chair Fabric: Peter Dunham Textiles Fig Leaf, 310.432.0944, peterdunhamtextiles.com. PAGE 13 Wallpaper: Meg Braff Designs Loggia in navy on white, 516.801.4939, megbraffdesigns.com. DESIGN SCHOOL PAGES 19-21 Ariella Chezar, 212.922.0882, ariellaflowers.com. Book: The Flower Workshop: Lessons in Arranging Blooms, Branches, Fruits, and Foraged Materials by Ariella Chezar (Ten Speed Press, 2016), $25, penguinrandomhouse.com. OUTSIDE IN PAGES 23-28 Interior Design: Cindy Smith, Circa Interiors & Antiques, 704.332.1668, 205.868.9199, circainteriors.com. PAGE 24 Architecture: Ruard Veltman, Ruard Veltman Architecture, 704.540.5620, ruardveltmanarchitecture.com. PAGE 28 Painting: Mary Heilmann, 303gallery.com. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD PAGES 31-34 Event Planning: 36th…

3 min

Flower|March/April 2016

not so prim rose

I LOVE ENTERTAINING AT HOME. However, with every party comes a new set of challenges, and a book signing can be particularly tricky. First of all, you’re in effect saying to the author, or in this case, authors, “Sure, we’ll have it at my house and I’ll turn out all the swells and they’ll buy your books and we’ll have a grand time.” And then you do everything in your power to ensure all that happens. In my case, I had a fabulous cohost, which started me off ahead of the game. Decisions were made: menu chosen, florist called, invitations ordered, and the date selected—one that would practically guarantee good weather, as it almost never rains in Alabama in the late fall. So I’m sailing through my week leading up…

2 min

Flower|March/April 2016

spring greens

For more information, see Sources, page 84.…

1 min

Flower|March/April 2016

cindy smith

flower: Cindy, your interiors walk that timeless/timely line with streamlined spaces that feel very contemporary and antiques-filled corners that give each room weight and a sense of history. Both gentility and modernity come across. Where does that sense of gentility come from? CINDY SMITH: My childhood days were colored by my hometown, Covington, Georgia. It’s an antebellum town, and our social life centered on family and entertaining. My mother made every occasion she hosted memorable, but it always looked effortless. I remember her commitment to planning and preparation, and can still hear her sweet warnings that an uptight hostess creates an uptight event. It was in the days before people typically hired decorators or floral designers, so she relied on intuition and her instinct for colors and for classics—always using…

4 min

Flower|March/April 2016

A MASTERFUL APPROACH

I love a still-life painting when the depiction is a fantasy conjured in the artist’s mind. Deliberate choices are made; elements that might not share company in nature sit side by side on a candlelit table. A skillful, painterly hand brings disparate elements together, manipulates them for a moment in time, and captures the natural beauty of these living, vibrant things—and the result is authentic and timeless. So how do we achieve this alchemy with flowers and floral arrangements? By breaking down a floral still life the way a painter would. Color, composition, movement, shape, and texture are the five basic principles to consider when creating a floral still life. movement Achieving the right balance is crucial in every aspect of a flower arrangement. In regards to movement, you don’t…

3 min

Flower|March/April 2016

HITTING THEIR MARK Floral

WHEN TWO PAINTERS MET IN A CHANCE ENCOUNTER at a restaurant in Brooklyn, they never would have imagined that they’d fall in love, get married, and have two beautiful daughters. And they certainly wouldn’t have foreseen teaming up deep in the heart of Texas to foster a movement that would involve switching their artistic medium to flowers. Armed with painting degrees (hers from Texas Christian University and his from Pratt Institute), Alicia and Adam Rico decided to pick up and move to Dallas, her hometown. She had some experience working at a flower shop in New York, so they decided to combine their pursuits and open up a flower shop and art gallery. “We had a funky little space and had art openings every month,” says Alicia. “We waited to…

3 min

Flower|March/April 2016

flora forager

ARTISTS SEE THINGS A BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN MOST PEOPLE. They look beyond the obvious when they see a pretty flower, for example. That flower in their eyes could look like goldfish fins. Bridget Beth Collins saw that idea in an orange poppy; she then took the petals, added some paint, and turned them into a glorious goldfish. After the flowers faded, she substituted artificial ones and hung the piece in her son’s bedroom. Little did she know that years later she would capture the zeitgeist of Instagram users all over the world with Flora Forager, her charming botanical creations from fresh plants and flowers. “I had no plans to start a business or anything like that. I was a stay-at-home mom with three young boys,” says 32-year-old Collins. “It all…

4 min