Flora: Growing Inspirations
United States Botanical Gardens
100 Maryland Ave SW
Washington, DC 20001
For as long as I have been serious about my art I have wanted to have an exhibition of my ceramics informed by plant life shown at a botanical garden. The drive was sparked at the St. Louis Botanical Gardens with artists such as Niki de Saint Phalle and Dale Chihuly, who I also saw at the Phoenix Botanical Gardens. While touring the nation’s capitol I was pleasantly surprised by the show at the National Botanical Garden.
Flora: Growing Inspirations, a juried exhibition in sponsorship with the Washington Sculptors Group hosted art in the garden’s conservatory and outside in the yard featuring sculptures inspired by plants. The exhibition was the second of this plant inspired series, the first being Flora: Sculptures of the Natural World. The over thirty sculptural works from artists across the country consisted of various medias such as ceramic, wood, beeswax, steel, bronze, marble, wire and acrylics. A variety of themes were entertained while keeping in mind the plant muse such as high-heeled shoes made entirely of sage leaves or a mixed media construction of Porta Hedge, which is actually a library of field guides on wheels hidden by a wall of recycled Christmas trees.
The space of the exhibition was utilized with wall pieces, hanging forms, as well as free standing sculptures and garden decorations. The wall piece Botany by artist Jessica Broad from Pamplin, VA was of particular interest to me. The work was a group of porcelain cubes with microscopic, scientific plants drawings in red paint. Each of the drawings expressed biological forms that might be explored under magnification.
Not only were artists involved with the exhibition, specific garden rooms were designed to correspond with the sculptures by gardeners and landscape architects. Margaret Atwell and Nick Nelson worked on the modern interpretations of plants using aesthetics such as a garden of black flowers with distinct textures. Juxtaposed to the dark foliage they actualized vibrant colored, cheerful plantings.
After the visit I returned home and began working on site-specific sculptures for the gardens. I found the opportunity very exciting to show in a space surrounded by beautiful flowers. Currently I am exploring the steps to exhibit at the conservatory.
Flora: Growing Inspirations continues until October 12 and is free to the public. Hours to the conservatory are from 10am to 5pm and 10am to 7pm for the gardens.
- Sarah Allison
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