Celebrate fine art, flowers, fashion and spring at the Springfield Art Museum’s Art In Bloom, April 28-30 throughout the museum’s galleries.
The three-day festival invites 20 floral and fashion designers from across southwest Missouri to interpret works of art on view in the museum’s galleries. The designers create floral arrangements and custom-made garments, which are displayed alongside the art that inspired them. There are also awards, vendors, floral arranging workshops and family art-making activities.
Plenty of free fun for the public
The public can see Art In Bloom during the museum’s regular hours and admission is free. Friday’s hours are noon-8 p.m., while the museum is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Sunday’s hours are 1-5 p.m. Families can join museum staff in the Weisel Gallery during those same hours to create their own floral and fashion-inspired artwork.
Guests at Art In Bloom will also have shopping opportunities thanks to a pair of pop-up shops in the museum’s parking lot. Sunday Flower Company will be on site Friday from noon-5 p.m. Grow for Good 417, meanwhile, will set up shop from noon-8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday.
Workshops expected to sell out
In addition to the free events, the Springfield Art Museum is also putting on a pair of floral arranging workshops in the museum’s Community Room. Both workshops are inspired by pieces currently on display in the museum’s “Creating an American Identity” exhibition.
Raleigh Jones, from Wickman’s Garden, will lead a tablescape floral arranging workshop April 29 from 2-4 p.m. The class will instruct you how to create a tablescape arrangement inspired by “Ida with Four Dancers,” by Moses Soyer. Jones was 2022’s Art In Bloom Best in Show winner.
Amy Dartt and Kim Hardin, of Mears Floral Products, will lead a tropical floral arranging workshop April 30, also from 2-4 p.m. Participants will create a tropical arrangement inspired by some of the shapes, forms and colors present in “Spires of Grass,” by Werner Drewes.
These workshops are expected to sell out, so guests are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance through the Springfield Art Museum’s website, or by calling (417) 837-5700. The $50 workshop fee includes all materials and all skill levels are welcome.
Vote for People’s Choice Award winners
Awards at Art In Bloom include juried cash prize categories for featured designers and People’s Choice Awards. Guests at Art In Bloom can vote all weekend long in the museum’s lobby for $2 per vote. The People’s Choice Award winners in each category receive $500 cash prizes.
This year’s juried prizes for floral design will be selected by a trio of previous Art In Bloom Best in Show Award winners: Audry McMannis Sowards (Schaffitzel’s Flowers, 2018), Sarah Rein (Rosewood Floral, 2019) and Pam Carroll and Raleigh Jones (Wickman’s Garden Village, 2022). The prizes for fashion design will be awarded by Sarah Buhr (Springfield Art Museum), Justin Gannaway (Drury University) and Ria Shaar (Bass Pro Shops).
This year’s featured floral designers are:
- Rose Cochran, Fleur Floral Studio
- Haley Day, Sunday Flower Company
- Neletha Fuemmeler, Hickory Hills Country Club Floral
- Jennifer Grace Duran, Floral Designer
- Jennifer Herman, Countryside Gardens
- Cherrelle and Samuel Hitchcock, Flora & Forge Flower Farm & Blacksmith
- Stephanie Hornickel and Alex McQueary, Queen City Blooms
- Rebecca Jentes, Rebecca’s Garden Studio
- Rcena Maness AIFD CFD, Flowerama
- Brooke Owns, 417 Floral Bus Co.
The featured fashion designers at this year’s Art In Bloom are:
- Nate Branscom, Moon City Tailoring and Alterations
- Gerson, fashion designer
- Sara Gonzalez, Ensembles of the Past
- Katie Jankovitz, fashion designer
- Sara Kahrs, fashion designer
- Kashena Star Northrip, The Fools Gladly
- Joseph Pyatt, fashion designer
- Tiffany Rain Ivie, fashion designer
- Kaitlyn Schumacher, fashion designer
- Jennifer Vaughn, Sew-It-All Custom Designs & Alterations
Art In Bloom raises funds for art acquisition
Art In Bloom has attracted more than 4,800 patrons to date and raised more than $62,000 for art acquisition. The museum has purchased work by 19 artists, 16 of whom were not previously represented in the museum’s permanent collection, with funds raised through Art In Bloom.
Want to go?
What: Art In Bloom
When: Friday, April 28, noon-8 p.m.; Saturday, April 29, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, April 30, 1-5 p.m.
Where: Springfield Art Museum, 1111 E. Brookside Drive
For more information: Visit the Springfield Art Museum’s website, or call 417-837-5700
