Worcester Art Museum’s Flora in Winter Goes Virtual This Year
“Passport to Virtual Flora” starts February 25
Flora in Winter is supported in part by the Bernard G. and Louise B. Palitz Fund and the Spear Fund for Public Programs.
Worcester, MA (February 8, 2021) —Flora in Winter, the Worcester Art Museum’s winter floral extravaganza, will be offered to the public virtually this year. One of the region’s most anticipated annual events, Flora in Winter displays flower arrangements inspired by art in the Museum’s collection and created by top floral designers from throughout central Massachusetts. Due to COVID-related capacity restrictions this winter, a limited number of tickets to enjoy Flora in person will be available for Museum members only.
However, a virtual guided tour of all 24 interpretive arrangements throughout the Museum will make the stunning beauty of Flora available for all to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes.
Called “Passport to Virtual Flora,” the online package will include a tour of all floral arrangements and displays—led by one of Flora’s Co-chairs—plus a variety of online programs and demonstrations by floral design and art history experts. “Passport to Virtual Flora” will be available free for Members; $40 for nonmembers.
Museum members will automatically receive a link to the “Passport” package. Nonmembers can purchase a link to “Passport” on the Museum’s website: worcesterart.org/flora.
This year’s Flora in Winter chairpersons are Kathy Michie, Sarah Ribeiro, and Kim Cutler. Their team oversees the event and maintains the flora designs throughout the four days. Flora in Winter is supported in part by the Bernard G. and Louise B. Palitz Fund and the Spear Fund for Public Programs.
“Passport to Virtual Flora”
A virtual Flora in Winter programming package
“Passport to Virtual Flora” brings the beauty and excitement of Flora in Winter to participants anywhere in the world. This virtual programming package—inspired by the Worcester Wedding Kimono, specially commissioned from Chiso, the revered 466-year-old Kyoto-based kimono house and on view at the Museum—can be enjoyed an unlimited number of times after February 25, 2021.
Free for Members and $40 for nonmembers, “Passport to Virtual Flora” provides access to all Flora online programming. Following completion of advance purchase, guests will receive a “Passport to Virtual Flora” link via email on the first day of Flora in Winter — February 25 at 10am. “Passport to Virtual Flora” is on sale now through Sunday, February 28 at 6pm, and can be purchased at worcesterart.org/flora.
“Passport to Virtual Flora” will include the following pre-recorded programs:
Flora in Winter virtual tour of all 24 floral arrangements and the Japanese table display in McDonough Court, narrated by one of the Flora Co-chairs; plus, a bonus video tour of the professional floral arrangements in the Museum’s public spaces, generously donated by local businesses, garden clubs, and schools.
Interpretation of the Worcester Wedding Kimono with Maureen Christmas and Andrea Little
WAM’s popular Flora Live event has been pre-recorded onsite for virtual enjoyment. Two experienced floral designers face the challenge of interpreting WAM’s newly acquired Worcester Wedding Kimono. Maureen and Andrea will each guide viewers as their designs evolve during the demonstration, sharing their inspiration, plant material choices, and creative process—and showing how one piece of artwork can inspire two quite different arrangements.
Bonsai Demonstration by Michael Levin
Viewers will learn how to cultivate—through special techniques such as pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation, and grafting—small trees that mimic the shape and style of mature, full-size trees. Michael Levin will lead a guided tour of the Bonsai West nursery, sharing the history of this famous bonsai collection, which includes trees over 100 years old. Viewers watch as an old overgrown juniper is transformed into a refined specimen bonsai. Topics will include styling, transplanting, wiring, seasonal care, and maintenance.
Winter’s Chill, Spring’s Glow: Ikebana Demonstration by Russell Bowers
Russell Bowers, an Ikebana Master, demonstrates several Japanese floral arrangement styles that emphasize nature’s beauty and convey a sensitivity to the season. Viewers will observe techniques developed over hundreds of years, which incorporate aspects of Japanese culture and aesthetics—and learn how to add elements of wabi-sabi, minimalism, and negative space into magnificent floral works of art.
Furoshiki Demonstration by Minal Akkad
Minal Akkad gives an introduction to Furoshiki, an ancient Japanese art and modern alternative to gift-wrapping. Viewers will learn how to use fabric to design beautifully wrapped boxes, bottles, and trendy bags.
Double Vision, an illustrated talk by Kim Cutler
A longtime Flora in Winter co-chair and floral designer, Kim Cutler will look back through the 19-year history of Flora and compare floral designs interpreting the same artwork. Emphasizing the creativity of the designers, Kim will explore the similarities and differences in their interpretative approaches.
Spotlight on Interpretive Floral Designing by Sally Jablonski.
Sally Jablonski, owner of Herbert E. Berg Florist, demonstrates how she uses flowers and other plant materials to create a spectacular interpretation of a piece from WAM’s collection. Viewers will learn techniques for composing an arrangement using blossoms, leaves, and stems to highlight the elements of the artwork and see the creative process unfold.
“Passport to Virtual Flora” also includes the following Zoom art talk on Friday, February 26 at 10am:
Flora Paintings Through the Ages, an illustrated talk by Martha Chiarchiaro
Flowers have been an inspiration to artists for centuries. Art historian Martha Chiarchiaro will explore the changes in artistic style from the Dutch floral artists of the 17th century (including several outstanding women artists) to the sunflowers of Vincent van Gogh and the irises of Georgia O’Keeffe. The paintings of contemporary floral artists also will be shown.
In addition, “Worcester in Bloom,” a virtual community exhibition of Flora-inspired paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, mixed media pieces, and written short stories or poems, is available online from February 1 — 28, 2021. “Worcester in Bloom” can be accessed at worcesterart.org/flora.
High resolution images from last year’s Flora in Winter can be found here.
About the Worcester Art Museum
The Worcester Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its exceptional collection of art. Dating from 3,000 BC to the present, these works provide the foundation for a focus on audience engagement, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its enduring relevance to daily life. Creative initiatives— including pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, fresh approaches to exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, and a long history of studio class instruction—offer opportunities for diverse audiences to experience art and learn both from and with artists. For more information about the Worcester Art Museum, visit worcesterart.org.