COLLEGE TOWN, FL — FSU's Museum of Fine Arts debuts Art in Bloom, pairing watercolor paintings with floral designs from local artists.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
The FSU Museum of Fine Arts is giving paintings a new life through a first-of-its-kind event called Art in Bloom, pairing watercolor works with floral arrangements created by local artists.
Watercolor paintings from the Tallahassee Watercolor Society's annual juried exhibition are being paired with floral arrangements, with help from presenting partner the Tallahassee Nursery. Each arrangement is designed to reflect the artwork beside it.
Kaylee Spencer, the director of the FSU Museum of Fine Arts, said the event is more than just an art exhibit — it's a new way for the community to experience local art.
"Well, first of all, we want to spark more creativity," said Spencer. "I mean, we want to give back to the community, and through an event like this, I think we are having the ability to share what we do with people who maybe never come to the museum before, and we want them to know that we are here. We are a free resource all year round."
Community members and artists are lending their support to make the event possible.
"So we have all of these people in the community who are coming out and lending their support, which to me tells me that it's something that's really important," said Spencer.
The exhibit gives visitors the opportunity to experience artwork through a different lens, with floral designers drawing inspiration from the paintings on display.
Annie Booth, MOFA curatorial assistant and visitor engagement coordinator, said the designers are bringing unexpected creative elements to the installations.
"And what I'd love to see from these four designers is the way that they're taking inspiration from things that I never would've thought of," said Booth. "It's not just flowers. It's also set some props and all these things that tell us a story so it creates this ripple effect of creativity."
For students and community members, the event is also a chance to see how one form of art can spark creativity in another. Charlotte Spinks, an FSU senior and museum assistant, said the collaborative nature of the event stood out.
"To just get to see all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into something like this and getting to see everybody who has their hands in it," said Spinks. "There's so many different factors that are a part of it that have to come together, and I'm excited to see everybody get to enjoy it."
A ticketed preview event is scheduled for Thursday, June 11. The floral installations will then be available for free public viewing on June 12 and 13.
After the fundraising event, the museum will keep a watercolor studio open during regular hours for visitors to try the medium themselves.
"For the rest of the watercolor exhibition after the fundraising event, they can actually come in, and we'll have a watercolor studio open during all of our open hours, so they can actually play with watercolor themselves and learn a little bit of the techniques that they see in the exhibition," Booth said.
Proceeds from Thursday's fundraiser support exhibitions and programming throughout the year. Museum leaders hope Art in Bloom becomes an annual tradition that continues bringing artists and the community together.
Parking for the event can be found here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
