“Art Alive” at the San Diego Museum of Art

Your opportunity to see more than 100 floral designers bring the San Diego Museum of Art’s renowned Permanent Collection to life is next week, during the 34th annual Art Alive . It’s the Museum’s largest fundraiser and a tradition that residents and visitors look forward to.

The exhibit runs between April 24 – April 26 and does exactly what its name implies with exquisite floral arrangements mirroring paintings and sculptures throughout the museum. It’s spectacular, to say the least.

Thomas Doughty, Shipwreck, 1834. Oil on canvas. Bequest of Eleanor Louise Stanton, 1962.8.
Floral interpretation by Judy Chance, AIFD.

This year, Art Alive will honor the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park. To celebrate this major milestone, René van Rems of René van Rems International will return for his seventh year as the Rotunda Designer. Informed by historic archives from 1915, van Rems will transform the Museum’s central Rotunda into a lush and beautiful floral design and art experience reflective of the Victorian era in Europe and the early days in San Diego. His design will incorporate California-grown flowers such as white hydrangeas, trumpet lilies, carnations, flowering herbs, and more. An internationally known floral artist from Amsterdam, van Rems has been involved with Art Alive since its inception and last served as the Rotunda Designer in 2011.

General admission is free for members, $20 for nonmembers, and free for children age 6 and under. In addition to viewing the annual floral exhibition during Museum hours, Art Alive 2015 offers three full days of events, activities, and celebrations featuring:

Garden of Activities  
Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, Noon – 4:00 p.m.
Great for families, the Garden of Activities features a Museum-wide flower hunt, a children’s reading area complete with nature-inspired stories, and a variety of floral-themed projects designed for children and families to enjoy together. Activities are free after Art Alive floral exhibition general admission.

Floral Lecture
Saturday, April 25, 10:00 a.m.
From Fabergé to Cartier, independent curator and Fabergé expert Timothy Adams will speak on the influence of flowers and nature on goldsmiths from the turn of the 20th century to present. Adams is Curatorial Consultant for the Decorative Arts department at the Bowers Museum, and Fabergé Historian for the Museum’s 1989 Fabergé: The Imperial Eggs exhibition. Tickets to this annual presentation are $15 for members and $25 for nonmembers.

Floral Masterclass
Sunday, April 26, 10:00 a.m.
Inspired by Balboa Park’s Centennial, the 2015 Floral Masterclass takes inspiration from the California garden-style arrangements in fashion at the time. Workshop attendees will create and take home an elegant arrangement pairing traditional European elements with a California twist. Designed for all levels of experience, this workshop is led by Sharon Mintz, 2007 Rotunda Designer, 15-year Art Alive legacy designer, and designer at San Diego’s Organic Elements. Tickets are $100 members, $125 for nonmembers, and include a continental breakfast.

About Art Alive
As the Museum’s largest annual fundraiser, Art Alive highlights its Permanent Collection to provide critical support for education, outreach programs and special exhibitions year-round. For more information or to make a donation in support of this San Diego tradition, call the Art Alive Hotline at 619-696-1999, or contact the Museum at artalive@sdmart.org. Tickets are also available online at SDMArt.org/ArtAlive2015.

Support for Art Alive has been provided by Art Alive 2015 Signature Sponsor Audrey S. Geisel, and Presenting Sponsors Conrad Prebys and Debbie Turner. The Art Alive 2015 Premiere Dinner Chairs are Valerie Cooper, Laurie Mitchell, and Sheryl White. Bloom Bash chairs are Sarah B. Marsh-Rebelo, Demi Rogozienski, and Jacki Johnson-Widder.

Juan Sà¡nchez Cotà¡n, Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber, ca 1602. Oil on canvas. Gift of Anne R. and Amy Putnam, 1945:43. Floral interpretation by Sidney Heffner.

William-Adolphe Bouguereau, The Young Shepherdess, 1885. Oil on canvas mounted on board. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin S. Larsen, 1968:82. Floral interpretation by Jolene De Hoog Harris.