Wil Gonzalez AIFD, owner of W/E Flowers-Ukiah Flower Shop, has exhibited his designs at Bouquets to Art for the past 15 years.
What is Bouquets to Art? Every spring, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco hold a week-long floral exhibit at the DeYoung and Legion of Honor Museums. The exhibit features over 120 displays, paired with paintings and sculptures, from the best floral artists in the Bay Area.
The week-long exhibit kicks off with an Opening Night Gala attended by San Francisco’s society crowd. The rest of the week features public viewing during regular hours, and members-only viewing during the evenings. There was a younger, more diverse crowd of members this year, getting out of the house and enjoying some culture on a Tuesday evening at the DeYoung.
The planning process for the show begins in December. Wil explained that the floral artists are invited to the museum, where squares of paper have been placed on the floor throughout the building. Each designer selects five pieces of paper, and the committee notifies them later of their assigned spot. Because there are various paintings or sculptures surrounding each spot, the designer has a choice of pieces for inspiration.
This year Wil selected Albert Bierstadt’s 1858 painting, The Arch of Octavius (Roman Fish Market) as the inspiration for his design. How does the exhibit get from Ukiah to San Francisco? “The garland and arch were assembled here, and transported in sections, along with the floral material, to San Francisco, where it was finished,” said Wil. He was accompanied by assistants Alondra Lopez and Mary O’Hara.
The designers spend the opening day standing near their exhibit, available to respond to questions and comments from the patrons. The exhibits are expected to remain fresh throughout the week, and designers will receive a call from the museum if their creations wilt during the week.
How did a floral designer in Ukiah get involved with Bouquets to Art? Wil said “I was fortunate to grow up in San Francisco, visiting the DeYoung regularly. I always loved art and hoped that one day I would have my art displayed at the DeYoung.” Wil’s life journey led to expressing his artistic abilities through flowers, becoming both a Certified Floral Designer, and an Accredited Member of the American Institute of Floral Designers. The accreditation process involves a four-hour long examination, where candidates must design five separate floral arrangements for different occasions. “This is the highest designation you can get in the United States,” said Wil.
I asked Wil if he was the florist who traveled the farthest geographically for the show in San Francisco. Wil said there is a young man who travels from Viet Nam to enter this prestigious show.
This year there is a special exhibit from San Francisco City College students studying environmental horticulture/retail floristry, who created clothing made of flowers, displayed on mannequins in the Piazzoni Murals room of the museum. There are also trunk shows this week in the museum gift shops featuring floral-inspired jewelry and clothing from local artists.
The DeYoung is also featuring Rose B. Simpson’s exhibit of Pueblo pottery and classic cars, as well as a fine display of American indigenous art, included with the price of general admission.
Bouquets to Art runs through March 8.
(Monica Huettl is a Mendocino County, Emerald Triangle resident. Formerly from Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Honolulu. Baby Boomer, Lapsed Catholic, MBA, Horse loving cat lady.)
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