Commercial Floral Artists Share Their Inspiration
The Art in Bloom 2023 Signature Artwork, Manchu Woman’s Unofficial Informal Summer Robe, a 19th century Chinese Robe from the Qing Dynasty, is constructed of pale green silk gauze and warmly decorated with peonies and butterflies, with cuffs of embroidered butterflies, magnolias, plums, and peonies; and a satin brocade ribbon trim patterned with a plum and bamboo design. It is a sure sign of spring as you enter the museum!
During your visit, this beautiful piece of art can be viewed in the General Mills Lobby. Each of our Commercial Floral Artists will be interpreting this Signature artwork. Learn more about these florists and read how this artwork inspired their floral designs in their own words.
Aimee Weber Floral Design
Location: Agra Culture Café
Floral designer: Aimee Weber
From the designer: Manchu Woman’s Unofficial Informal Summer Robe is an exquisite piece. The ancient art of bonsai, and the dreamy color palette were the inspirations for my design. My piece celebrates each lovely detail of the robe using a single kiwi branch, on which floats beautiful blooms, greens and moss. The gold wire detailing mimics the border of the robe, and also provides an armature for the design elements. I hope you enjoy my interpretation of this amazing work of art!
About Aimee Weber Floral Design: I am absolutely passionate about flowers and so proud of my small, woman-owned, local business! I have the privilege and great pleasure of serving and supporting my local community with my floral design business, which I started in March of 2022. The beauty of nature inspires me to create unique floral arrangements for my clients, and I put my heart and soul into each of my designs. I am also an avid gardener and offer garden consultation and small-scale installations. Last fall, I installed a large cutting garden in my own yard to support my business, and I’m looking forward to planting it with a wide variety of unique flowers this spring. I am so excited to share my love of the floral kingdom with you!
Arts & Flowers
Location: Museum Lobby
About Arts & Flowers: Arts & Flowers is a full-service flower design studio conveniently located in St. Louis Park. Our long-lasting “instantly recognizable” arrangements feature the freshest quality flowers from all over the world as well as locally grown products.
Bachman’s
Location: Museum Lobby
Floral Designer: Diane Enge, Lead Floral Designer, Lyndale Store
From the designer: The springtime theme and color of this exquisite robe inspired a trio of bronze vases brimming with bamboo and blooms. This array includes Leucadendron, Proteas, Eucalyptus, Orchids, accented with pearle like Hypericum. Thank you for stopping to view the 2023 Signature piece and enjoy your visit to Art in Bloom!
Location: Gallery 227
Bachman’s Design Team
Location: Seasonal Entrance, Interior
Bachman’s Design Team
From the designers: Bachman’s interpretation of the Manchu Woman’s Unofficial Informal Summer Robe takes inspiration from the robe’s intricate floral patterns and vibrant color palette. The arrangement features a mix of blooms and foliage that are carefully selected to mimic the texture and color of the robe. Soft pinks, delicate whites, and bright orange blooms are arranged in a cascading formation, just like the flowers on the robe. The use of different textures, such as the velvety petals and wispy greenery, add depth and dimension to the design. To pay homage to the robe’s vibrant hues, the arrangement also includes bold pops of color. Sunny yellows, vivid purples, and deep blue accents bring a playful energy to the design, reminiscent of the robe’s joyful spirit.
Location: Gallery 235
Bachman’s Design Team
About Bachman’s: Bachman’s began in 1885 and offers flowers, plants, garden supplies, gifts and home decor in the Minneapolis/St. Paul (Twin Cities), Minnesota metro area and beyond. Bachman’s has locations on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis and in Apple Valley, Maplewood, Plymouth, Eden Prairie, and Fridley. Our flowers and plants are also available throughout the area in Lunds & Byerlys stores. Shop Bachman’s in-store or online for in-store pickup or local same-day delivery to the Twin Cities metro area and nationwide delivery to select locations. Find fresh flowers, green and blooming indoor plants, gifts & home decor, and garden plants and supplies.
Best Wishes Floral
Location: Museum Lobby
Floral designers: Frank Bohlander and Andy Kobilka
From the designers: Our design envisions the garden where our lady reconnects with nature.
About Best Wishes Floral: Celebrate and Cherish the Little Moments. Let us help you create something truly unique to celebrate and cherish life’s little moments – from baby sprinkles to weddings to birthdays to “just because.”
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Location: Guardian Lions, Seasonal Entrance, Exterior
Floral designers: Lisa Philander, Ariel Dressler, and Victoria Housewright
From the designers: Our piece blends together the symbols of spring found in the empress’ robe design with our work, Zooticulture. As horticulturists working in a zoo, we navigate more variables than your average gardeners. We aspire to create beautiful designs that often look like foreign landscapes that are both safe for and unpalatable to our animal counterparts. We believe that challenge and collaboration are the inspiration of creativity.
About Como Park Zoo & Conservatory: Another free cultural institution in the Twin Cities, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is free and open to visitors all year long. Our mission is to inspire our public to value the presence of living things in our lives. With a strong focus on conservation and serving over 2 million visitors annually, our expert staff is dedicated to the wellbeing of the many plants and animals that live here. Conveniently located in the heart of St. Paul.
Ergo Floral
Location: Gallery 280
Floral designers: David Miller and Molly Erickson
From the designers: Heavily inspired by designer Frida Kim, we seek to create a minimal yet impactful design that expresses a metamorphosis, the tension between something grounded desiring to be caught in flight, or something hidden ready to be exposed.
About Ergo Floral: Flower Shop + Event Studio. Our storefront window Stem Bar is always stocked with unique and beautiful blooms for you to pick from. Whether you’re building your own bouquet or arrangement, or picking the blooms and having us arrange them for you, the Ergo in-shop experience is built to suit. Stop in to Ergo with us!
Everflora Twin Cities
Location: Gallery 200
Floral designer: Julie Harstad
From the designer: This interpretation of Manchu Woman’s Unofficial Informal Summer Robe is inspired by both it’s simplicity of line and form, and the detailed interpretation embroidered designs portrayed within the textile. The evaluation included considering the lives of the individuals whose hands contributed to the creative process, including husbanding the silkworms, the dying and weaving of the cloth, and the skillful stitching of every detail of the robe. We have the privilege of appreciating the artisanship of those individuals, and to showcase how their work inspires us today through the creativity and skills of floral artists here at Art in Bloom.
About Everflora Twin Cities: Everflora Twin Cities is proud to be part of the long tradition of providing the floral industry with the highest quality products and services. We invest in our customer’s success by providing exemplary service and knowledge of the floral industry while focusing on improving the quality, cost and timeliness of the products our customers depend on to achieve their success. Our staff of highly qualified personnel work diligently to support the local retail florists with the highest quality cut flowers, plants and hardgoods.
Fleurs de Lee
Location: Gallery 200
Floral designers: Darwin Lee and Jenny LeDoux
From the designers: We were inspired by the captivating color palate of this gorgeous robe, and upon consideration of the unique shade of teal, decided to turn to teal orchids for a vibrant pop. We feature Cremon mums in a lot of our works at Fleurs de Lee and thought the shapes of the large blooms echoed the silhouettes found in the print of the robe.
About Fleurs de Lee: Formerly Petersen Flowers, in July of 2020 the business was sold to Darwin Lee, a former Minneapolis Public Schools educator. Today Fleurs de Lee is run by Darwin and his daughter-in-law and assistant florist, Jenny LeDoux, and the shop specializes in providing a walk-in cooler to provide a hands-on, flower bar experience for their customers who would like to build their own bouquets, as well as indoor plants for those with even more of a green thumb. Fleurs de Lee is dedicated to making friends with all customers from Farmer’s Market friends, neighbors, and everyone else who wanders into the shop. Darwin and Jenny love working with brides and being part of their special day. Visit the Christmas Tree Lot in December featuring Christmas trees, wreaths, spruce tops, and rope garland, and seasonal bouquets and poinsettias inside! Fleurs de Lee believes everyone should have flowers in their lives everyday, and they strive to offer the freshest flowers at the best prices possible.
Flower Happy Hour
Location: Gallery 363
Floral designer: Erica Krumm
From the designer: I love to create with living art, and I have cherished this process and this work. My aim was to create a piece that somehow matches the energy of this beautiful and sacred robe using texture, color and intuition.
About Flower Happy Hour: Flower Happy Hour is a floral design studio in South Minneapolis, specializing in bouquet subscriptions and modern, unique pieces for weddings and other special events.
Girl in My Garden
Location: Gallery 380 Restrooms
Floral designer: Linda Wandt
From the designer: The Manchu Women’s Unofficial Informal Summer Robe is symbolic of springtime, as is Art in Bloom. This display of flowers incorporates butterflies to represent the transformation of the seasons instilling hope and rebirth.
Koehler & Dramm Institute of Floristry
Location: 3rd Avenue Entrance, Exterior
About Koehler & Dramm Institute of Floristry: Koehler & Dramm Institute of Floristry (KDIOF) is a licensed learning institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the art and science of floral design is taught by a team of passionate and dedicated industry professionals. Established and led by Ardith Beveridge AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CAFA, MSF for 29 years, the Institute has been a cornerstone in education for the floral industry, and has welcomed over 2,500 students through its doors, many of whom have become successful business owners and designers. We now have a team of six decorated and highly qualified professional floral designers leading our curriculum! With learning opportunities for designers at all levels, including career path PFD certification and a Diploma of Floral Arts & Sciences, KDIOF is one of the top education facilities in the nation for the floral industry. Take the next step in your career with KDIOF!
Len Busch Roses
Location: Gallery 300
Floral designer: Karen Ortiz and Sandy Schroeck
From the designers: My inspiration from the robe took me to create a garden I imagined her strolling through phalenopsis orchids in shades of lavender mimic the butterflies of the garment detail. A variety of florals including LBR grown Gerbera and ranunculus reflect the other florals from the robe. A bamboo structure was created to reflect the heritage of the garden composition. We hope you enjoy the journey through our garden as we are inspired by the beautiful colors and textures of the fabric.
About Len Busch Roses: We are a floral wholesaler and grower in Plymouth, Minnesota providing locally grown and imported floral products.
Moonflower Design Studios
Location: Gallery 363
Floral designer: Michelle Aldentaler
From the designer: I choose the placement of the piece to be displayed overlooking the gardens to capture the light throughout the day and night. I will be drawing inspiration from the colors in the gown, and representation of summer. With the Butterflies dancing over and all around the Summer blooms intertwined through silk material.
About Moonflower Design Studios: At Moonflower Design Studios we are here to celebrate the Love between Flowers, Art & Passion here for you today. My studio represents this moto of creating one-of-a-kind pieces of art through flowers. Adding in the bespoken piece bringing it all together.
Petals to Pines Florals at 101 Market
Location: Gallery 380
Floral designers: Georgia Edgington and Amber Tritabaugh
From the designers: We focused on the color choices in the tapestry wanting to make the lovely tones speak out boldly. At the same time using vines and branches to “weave” together our piece just as cloth was woven together to make such a gorgeous robe.
About Petals to Pines Florals at 101 Market: “Our Petals Do the Talking!”
We are a full-service family-owned floral shop specializing in unique, custom-designed arrangements. Let us help you express your feelings by using “The Season’s Best” for all your floral needs.
A Precious Petals Florist
Location: Gallery 200
Floral designers: Reba Berge, Steve Weber, and Cynthia Porter
From the designers: Our designers were inspired to mimic the Chinese summer robe with lightweight garlands of plumosa and caspia which lend themselves to the feeling of a warm summer breeze. The details of delphinium, statice, and gypsophillia blossoms are strategically placed to portray the detail of the peonies and butterflies that decorate the robe so freely.
Richfield Flowers & Events
Location: 3rd Avenue Entrance, Interior
Floral Designer: David Bornowski
From the designer: A twenty-first century interpretation of a nineteenth century beauty. Including eucalyptus, ruscus, blue delphinium, lavender stock, pink alstroemeria, blush rice, golden ziti noodles, black sand, black beans and carnations.
About Richfield Flowers & Events: Established 1954
Studio Louise Flowers
Location: Gallery 305
Floral designer: Jenn Hovland
From the designer: I was inspired by the floral elements and the colors in the Manchu Woman’s Unofficial Informal Summer Robe to create this spring floral display. The circular shape in the design is intended to feel like a comforting embrace, much like I think someone would feel by wearing their traditional garment full of memories, pride in their culture, and their traditions.
About Studio Louise Flowers: If there’s one thing I want you to know about me, it’s that working with plants and flowers makes my heart sing. I love what I do, and I love sharing that with other people!
Delivery to the Saint Croix Valley and Twin Cities metro area.
Watershed Design Group
Location: Gallery 380 Restrooms
Floral designer: Karen Thullner
From the designer: The Manchu Women’s Unofficial Informal Summer Robe is symbolic of springtime, as is Art in Bloom. This display of flowers incorporates butterflies to represent the transformation of the seasons instilling hope and rebirth.