Stop and Smell the Horticulture
Spring just can’t get here fast enough and I don’t know about you, but I’m getting cabinet fever, yes, I said cabinet. Sure, there is plenty of work to keep me indoors, 3 paintings in the works, 2 shows to prepare for and designing never stops. All this responsibility is stifling my inner child! So, when a pack of my gal pals invited me to the Philadelphia Horticulture Show, I stalled and deliberated, trying to hold my steadfast commitment to serious WORK. At the last minute my ten year old self grabbed hold of the wheel and took a hard fast detour to the sunny side of life. “Sometimes you just gotta stop and smell the roses”, tea roses to be exact.
This year’s theme was Great Britain; “BRILLIANT!”, Though it contained much of what you might expect; tea roses, Alice In Wonderland, and a Yellow Submarine, it was a lovely display and clever arrangement of colors and everyday English objects such as umbrellas, tea cups and red phone booths.
I’m always looking out for great color combinations; the effect light has on a surface, or passing through a surface and organic subjects. So, naturally, I sat down to sketch. A few passers by seemed shocked to see a grown woman sketching.(I was surprised they thought me a grown woman.) I do wish this show was in a fabulous glass house like the Bronx Botanical Gardens Orchid Show is. The Harsh florescent lights and black, industrial ceiling of the convention center is mighty oppressing to the natural beauty of the elaborate displays, but one must make due.
Wandering from the exhibition area to the market place, I found and fell in love with several whimsical garden objects, arrangements and terrariums. I met an interesting jewelry designer who collages Victorian looking baubles of small woodland and sea creatures into contemporary wearables.
I left the market with a sparrow pinkie ring, a hanging garden and my own Octopus’s Garden I dreamed up with a few air plants and a porcelain octopus.
Next stop, wine tasting! What a nice set up! It was a loopty-loop of all things red, white and delightfully flavored liquors as well as lady like freebees including Smirnoff lip-gloss, purple Barefoot tote bags and cocktail recipe books from St. Germain. I met an English fella in a bowler hat who makes Gin. I also found my kindred spirit in a bottle: Middle Sister Rebel Red all while getting a finishing school girl’s education from Cupcake Vineyards and Little Black Dress Wines.
hat
Now my head is all swimmy with a spring color pallet, all kinds of ideas for my summer balcony garden and mixed drinks to try on the next girls day. I didn’t get any serious WORK done, but you know sumpin?…
“Serious work is born from serious play”
Red, Orange Yellow, Blue…
Green and Purple…
Something Romantic…
Something Arty…
