VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

Every two years, fabulous floral arrangements fill the MFAH galleries during Florescence. One of the largest competitive flower shows sanctioned by the Garden Club of America, Florescence is presented in conjunction with the Garden Club of Houston and River Oaks Garden Club.

Florescence will showcase floral arrangements and horticultural specimens exhibited by Garden Club of America members from all over the country. Many of these arrangements will be interpretations of masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's permanent collection.

Other competitive classes will include photography, botanical jewelry and needle arts. A conservation exhibit jointly produced with The Katy Prairie Conservancy will highlight our diverse coastal prairie. Other non judged exhibits will include floral arrangements from The Asia Society, Federated Garden Clubs, Texas State Florists' Association and Lamar High School Floral Design students.

Schedule of Events:

General Exhibition:
Tuesday-Wednesday, April 19 - April 20, 2011
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,
Open to the public with general museum admission
Museum members are free/non-members $7 (general museum admission)
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Caroline Weiss Law Building

Floral Demonstration and Tea
Tuesday, April 19, 2:30pm
Speaker: Remco van Vliet
Brown Auditorium Theater
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
1001 Bissonnet
$50.00 per person

Born in Holland and raised in the flower industry, Remco is a third generation floral designer trained as a Master Florist. Remco studied Art History and Graphic Design in Holland and continues to apply his knowledge within his designs. He came to New York in 1994 to work with his brother at Dutch Flower Line, one of New York?s most reputable flower importing companies.

Today Remco van Vliet is the preferred event designer for some of the most prestigious Institutions of the Arts in New York City. Remco personally designs and arranges the grand arrangements in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is now the decorator for in-house events at the museum. Growing up with flowers, Remco was instilled with a feeling for design that stems from respect for pure beauty and innate natural lines. The originality and unique style of designer Remco van Vliet is evident in all of his work.

Cocktail Reception
Tuesday, April 19, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Cocktail attire
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
1001 Bissonnet
$150.00 per person

This evening features cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and lively music in the Law Building as we celebrate the award winning flower arrangements and plant specimens of Florescence.

Florescence Luncheon
Wednesday, April 20
10:30 a.m. Reception
11:00 a.m. Lecture
Speaker: Bobby McAlpine
Brown Auditorium Theater
The Caroline Wiess Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet

Luncheon to follow: Hotel ZaZa
5701 Main Street
$125.00 per person

Bobby McAlpine was born in the Alabama sawmill town of Vredenburgh near Beatrice and Monroeville; Bobby designed his first house at the age of five and hasn't stopped since. Architect, romantic, and entrepreneur, he has gathered an eclectic family of professionals for his interior design firm, furniture lines and world-renowned widely-published architecture firm now in its 27th year.

Bobby holds both architecture and interior design degrees although he continues his lifetime of learning in the world's classroom. He is the author of the critically acclaimed and best-selling book from Rizzoli International, The Home Within Us, which went into a second printing after only 16 days on the shelves.

Reservations required for all events For reservations visit mfah.org/florescence.