RINGLING IN BLOOM FLOURISHES WITH FLORAL ART IN FEBRUARY/MARCH
Sarasota, FL –Dec. 4, 2012 – The third annual ‘Ringling in Bloom’ springs to life Feb. 28 with a Designers Preview and runs through March 3, 2013 at Sarasota’s The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. This year’s ‘Ringling in Bloom’ continues to blossom with more floral arrangements than ever before inspired by the Museum’s collection. Thirty floral designers from a wide variety of garden clubs as close as Sarasota and as far away as Michigan and Wisconsin are expected to participate. The four-day celebration combines fine art and flowers. It includes lectures, demonstrations and workshops by Parties to Die For, Atlanta’s premier event planners and floral designers, as well as tours of the Museum’s grounds and gardens. For the first time, patrons can cast a ballot for their favorite arrangement. The winner will be announced on www.ringling.org Monday, March 4.
“Floral designers see works of art through a different lens – their interpretation can make us see familiar works in new ways and attract us to other works we may not have noted before,” said Steven High, executive director of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. “This floral festival at the Ringling Museum really brings people together. Many wonderful conversations between family members and friends ensue from walking the galleries and seeing the Ringling collection and its interpretation through floral art. It is fitting that 2013 is the 100-year anniversary of the creation of Mable’s Rose Garden. ‘Ringling in Bloom’ celebrates Mable’s love of art, flora and fauna.”
The Designers Preview will open the event on Thurs., Feb. 28 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. in the Museum of Art and its courtyard. This year’s floral designers hail from a variety of garden clubs. Represented are Sarasota Garden Club, Founders Garden Club, Lemon Bay Garden Club, Venice Area Garden Club, Naples Garden Club, as well as the Ikebana Garden Club, Little Garden Club of Columbus, Lake Minnetonka Garden Club, and Wolfeboro Garden Club. Designers discuss their floral fantasies and Museum docents offer insights into the collection. It includes lite bites served on the Museum loggia. Tickets are $50; $40 for Museum members.
On Friday (March 1), Saturday (March 2) and Sunday (March 3) at 10:30 a.m., the Ringling Museum is offering grounds tours led by its horticulture staff. Tickets are $20; $10 for Museum members. Reservations are required.
On Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2, at 10:30 a.m. are lectures and demonstrations at the Historic Asolo by Atlanta’s Tricky Wolfes and Kathy Rainer with Parties to Die For. They are known for their “over the top” creative weddings and events. Their motto is “anything worth doing is worth overdoing”. They call themselves the Ball Queens and have been the Ball designers for The Atlanta Botanical Garden’s annual Garden of Eden Ball for seven years, The Atlanta Ballet Ball, the State Botanical Ball of Georgia, The Candlelight Tour at the Atlanta History Center, The Legendary Ball for Shepherd Center and many others. Tickets are $20; $15 for Museum members and includes admission to the Museum of Art galleries. This event benefits Museum programs.
On Sunday, March 3, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Ringling in Bloom concludes with flower arranging workshops by Parties to Die For. Each workshop, designed for budding beginners or skilled virtuosos, includes a brief introduction to flower arranging followed by a one-on-one tutorial from design to creation of a specific arrangement. Tickets are $125; $110 for Museum members. The price includes flowers, container and mechanics. Participants must bring their own flower clippers.
‘Ringling in Bloom’ pays homage to Mable Ringling, the first president of the Founders Circle of the Sarasota Garden Club. The chair of the event is Sara Bagley. She is a member and past president of the Founders Circle of the Sarasota Garden Club. She is also a member of the Garden Club of America and Floralia 16. For tickets, contact the Box Office at 941-360-7399 or visit www.ringling.org.
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